TWENTIETH TREATMENT TODAY

The suction machine was delivered today.  They set it up and showed me how to use it.  I can get to the far back of my throat with the small canula and get all that mucous out easily.  It's back in less than 15 minutes but it sure is a big help to have the machine.

Saw the Oncologist today and gave him an update on my symptoms.  Told him that I was aspirating at least once a day which makes me gag and choke and cough.  He didn't respond to this.

He is amazed that I am not in any pain.  I am in week 4 and he implied that most folks are taking pain meds at this point.  He insisted on giving me a script of liquid Hydrocodone in case I started having pain over the weekend.  I see him again on Monday.  He said that if I make it through all this without pain meds that it would be one for the books.  However, I'm thinking the pain is on it's way during weeks 6 and 7 and the weeks following treatment.

He also asked how did I go about getting the suction machine.  I explained that the ENT doctor wrote a script that I took to the Pulmonary Care Center.  Showed them my insurance card and that was it.  He wrote the name of the center down and said that he may need this info in the future.  I was more than glad to help.

Tonight I was having hunger pains and so prepared to have a protein drink down my PEG tube.  Some drinks are thicker than others and sweeter than others and go down faster.  Well, it seems that this one went down too fast and I felt awful afterwards.  Came close to throwing up.  So from now on I might just do half a bottle at a time.  It's been an hour and a half and I'm still nauseous and want to throw up the drink.  It does not seem to be digesting but just staying in my stomach.  I just can't handle that milk and sugar.