Bobby had a "test run" with his radiation mask a few days before he was scheduled to begin radiation. He subscribes to a message board for cancer survivors and had read stories about the claustrophobic symptons many experienced. Since the radiation thearpy is approximately 20 minutes in duration he didn't feel it would be a problem for him. He said two minutes into it he started thinking he wasn't breathing right and wouldn't make it the entire 20 minutes so he started praying and God knocked him out. He slept!!! Isn't God good.
So, Monday morning, November 8th he had an infusion of Cisplatin, he is scheduled to have chemo three times during the next 7 weeks, which is a 5 1/2 - 6 hour process. After a short break he had his first radiation treatment.
The type of radiation he is undergoing is called Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): an advanced mode of high-precision radiotherapy that utilizes computer-controlled x-ray accelerators to deliver precise radiation doses to a malignant tumor or specific areas within the tumor. (http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=hdneck). There are several possible side effects from the treatment including mouth sores, difficulty chewing and swallowing because the mouth is sore, dry mouth, taste changes, and hearing problems to name a few. He is already experiencing the hearing loss and ringing in the ears and some dry mouth and mouth sores. Hopefully the hearing loss and all the other side effects will be temporary.
He called on his way home from his first treatment to let me know everything had gone fine. He did have to be bolted down under the mask longer than necessary so the doctor could review his most recent lab work. That was a little hitch that hopefully won't happen again. He now has 5 treatments behind him. He will have a total of 35, the last one scheduled for Christmas Eve.
By Thursday of last week he was feeling pretty "crappy". He let the medical team know that he was experiencing severe fatigue and nausea. They put him in a quiet room and hooked him up to a saline drip and anti-nausea drip and covered him up, dimmed the lights and let him rest for and hour or so. He said he didn't immediatley feel better but by evening time he had improved and he so appreciate their kindness and care. He often doesn't convey his pain well enough for anyone to know that he's really suffering. They were probably thrilled to be able to offer him some relief. Along those same lines, yesterday he had an appointment with the doctor that inserted the feeding tube.He is still having pain and gas and discomfort. His digestive system is not yet back to normal. It has been nearly a month. He asked her how often she's seen a problem with the GI Tract. She said she had done over 500 feeding tube surgeries and had never had this problem So, he has a CT scheduled for Tuesday morning to see what's going on. We're praying that it is something that can be easily resolved.
David and I will be heading to Californina November 18th with a plan to stay almost two weeks. We can extend that if necessary. I was approved to work while we're there so that will be very helpful. We were also able to rent the same apartment that we had previously. We're planning to return mid December for a couple weeks and want to be with him to celebrate his last day of radiation on Christmas Eve.
"The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace."
Numbers 6: 24 - 26
