We arrived in Oakland without incident, got our rental car and made our way to San Rafael. The apartment wasn't quite ready for us so David, Bobby and I went to lunch at Cafe Gratitude.
Bobby looks good, a little thinner (he hadn't told me that he had dropped from 158 to 149 his first week of radiation). He has gained some of that back. He tries to eat as much high calorie healthy food as possible. He and I have a $1 bet that he can't gain 5 lbs before Thanksgiving. He thinks he can. I'm rooting for him. Besides the weight thing, he is "glowing". The area being radiated is red/tan and he has an ointment that he applies to keep it moist, so he does look radiant. His hair is a little darker as well. He is still able to chew and swallow but it is getting more difficult due to the mouth sores.There are a lot of sores that can be seen inside his mouth. There are those same sores that can't be seen down his throat. He has rinses and meds that do help reduce the pain and he's learning what foods he needs to avoid. He has some nausea at the mere mention of some foods (butternut squash is one) and some foods have no taste at all. The feeding tube is being used when it's literally a pain to chew. His voice sounds a bit hoarse and he said at times it does cause some pain to talk. His hearing has been impacted from the Cisplatin. He asked me if I was talking with a lisp. Apparently all women are talking with a lisp these days. He has an appointment with the Audiologist on Wednesday to see what the hearing loss is. Depending on the outcome of that test, they could adjust the dosage.
We were able to go to the cancer center on Friday, November 19th to see the medical linear accelerator that delivers the radiation (the machines name is Zenna). The machine is large. It's all very star trek-ish. The technicians were so kind to explain everything to us. Much of it went over our heads (at least mine). The radiation mask is used to secure the patient to the table to prevent any mo
vement during the treatment. Bobby brings his MP3 player and treats everyone to his music choices which can be heard by all. They turn it up as loud as he needs. He has radiation M-F but had an extra treatment on Sunday so he could be off Thanksgiving Day - Sunday.
Bobby is still very disciplined about walking everyday. Friday after treatment, we walked the Golden Gate Bridge. Two miles over and two miles back. It sprinkled and was
a bit breezy. Bobby decided we needed rain jackets so Saturday we went shopping. Apparently rain is not an excuse to not go outside, darkness is not a good excuse either. We tested our jackets with a walk around his neighborhood. It was dark and raining but it was a nice dry walk (mostly).
Monday the 29th, Bobby will have another day of chemo as well as radiation. They will also begin radiating the areas of his sternum and spine that showed evidence of cancer. Next week probably won't be on his favorite week list but for now he's good.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for.
We were able to go to the cancer center on Friday, November 19th to see the medical linear accelerator that delivers the radiation (the machines name is Zenna). The machine is large. It's all very star trek-ish. The technicians were so kind to explain everything to us. Much of it went over our heads (at least mine). The radiation mask is used to secure the patient to the table to prevent any mo
vement during the treatment. Bobby brings his MP3 player and treats everyone to his music choices which can be heard by all. They turn it up as loud as he needs. He has radiation M-F but had an extra treatment on Sunday so he could be off Thanksgiving Day - Sunday.Bobby is still very disciplined about walking everyday. Friday after treatment, we walked the Golden Gate Bridge. Two miles over and two miles back. It sprinkled and was
a bit breezy. Bobby decided we needed rain jackets so Saturday we went shopping. Apparently rain is not an excuse to not go outside, darkness is not a good excuse either. We tested our jackets with a walk around his neighborhood. It was dark and raining but it was a nice dry walk (mostly).Monday the 29th, Bobby will have another day of chemo as well as radiation. They will also begin radiating the areas of his sternum and spine that showed evidence of cancer. Next week probably won't be on his favorite week list but for now he's good.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for.
- Psalm 107:1
"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
