BROTHER'S ONCE A WEEK INFUSION

Transported my brother to the cancer center for his labs and infusion yesterday.  He also saw the nurse practitioner who informed him that he has lost a lot of muscle mass and would benefit from physical therapy.  She also said that his lab results showed that he was anemic.  

This would explain why he is so weak.  Today was the first time that he needed a wheelchair to get around.  He gets light headed due to his low blood pressure.  She advised him to have all his medications checked by his doctor.  She gave him a hand out listing different liquid iron supplements and foods that he can eat to help with his anemia.  He will be getting another infusion next Tuesday.  Not sure when they are going to cut him off completely as he is still getting dehydrated.  

He had a Swallow Study done and was told that he can be on a soft diet.  He is eating by mouth a little and still using his PEG tube for protein drinks.   

Today he went to his cardiologist and had his pacemaker checked which is fine and also had an echocardiogram.  His heart is fine.

BROTHER SIPPED GUMBO BROTH TODAY

My brother tasted broth for the first time today.  Still using PEG tube.

He had an appointment with the Speech Therapist yesterday.

Tomorrow he sees his ENT doctor.  He is concerned about pain in his neck where lymph node cancer was.  I told him it was probably lymphedema.  My lymphedema still hurts in my neck, if touched, as well.  He fears the cancer has returned.

BROTHER'S FIRST DRINK OF WATER

Transported my brother yesterday to his infusion appointment and Radiology Oncologist appointment.  His doctor looked at his throat and allowed me to look on as well.  His throat was full of mucous which made it hard to see the throat.  The doctor wanted to scope him but decided not to due to his thrush.

The doctor stressed the need for him to begin drinking water.  My brother has refused to ingest anything by mouth.  I have stressed to him the need for sips of water often.

He also had a visit with his dietician who stressed the need for him to begin drinking fluids by mouth.  He informed her that he does not drink anything as it nauseates him and gags him.

I tried to explain to him that things will improve - but slowly.  He is running out of patience and I can understand that.  However, I feel that he needs to take more responsibility for his recovery.

He is now scheduled for only one infusion a week and he is afraid that it won't be enough.  We all feel that he needs to start hydrating himself at home and not rely on the infusions.

So this morning I received a text from him stating that he drank 3 sips of water last night and did not gag.  He expressed fear that it might go down the wrong way.  I explained to him that he would choke and cough if it did.  He said that it didn't.  He wanted to know if he should try some soup now.  I said he could try some warm soup broth but nothing else till he has the Swallow Study.  They will then tell him what he can ingest by mouth.  

Told him to sip water all during the day to help train his throat muscles again.  I hope he does this.

   

    

BROTHER'S GOT THRUSH

Transported my brother to his appointment with the Medical Oncologist.  He told him it looks real good that the cancer is gone.  He looked in his mouth and saw that he had Thrush.  Gave him a prescription for it.  Wants to see him back in 2 weeks.

He was very weak today and his lab work showed his white blood cell count was low and his potassium and magnesium were low as well.  He received his infusion of fluids with nausea meds, and potassium and magnesium.

He will be receiving one more week of fluids on Monday and Thursday then it will be cut back to once a week.  He was told that he would have to start hydrating himself at home.  He needs to take sips of water by mouth which he is not doing.  Says it hurts to swallow but tells his doctors that he is not in any pain and won't take any pain meds.  Does not gargle like he should with the magic mouthwash which contains Nystatin for prevention of Thrush and mouth sores.

Not sure why he is non compliant.

HOW I LOVE BACON

Just finished a wonderful breakfast of bacon and egg, English Muffin and hot chocolate.  Of course I was only able to eat half of the egg, one quarter of the muffin, and a couple of strips of bacon that I chewed till all flavor gone then spit out.  It was great.  I've come a long way in these last two years since treatment.  

Still don't have 100% saliva back but do have a small amount that helps me break down foods and swallow easier.  Meat and bread are always going to be a problem it seems.  However, after almost 2 years of being a vegetarian I can once again enjoy the taste of bread and meat with an occasional ability to swallow.

Today is a good day.

I'm enjoying this cool 60 degree weather we are having.  Fireplace is going and I'm snuggled up on the sofa with my electric lap blanket and my fur babies watching great television on Netflix.  

Today is a good day.

I'm once again working in my art studio that had become a store room over the last 2 years.  Tried cleaning out a lot of stuff to have room for my next project.  It is still overcrowded but I can at least have a small space on a table to create.

Since starting my front courtyard container garden I have grown lots and lots of ivy.  So much ivy that I started to give some away.  Then I decided to take some small cuttings and root them, plant them in small containers and sell them on Facebook Marketplace.

In order to keep the cost down, I thought I would use small containers that I can recycle from what I use at home.  I started with my coffee containers then used my butter containers then tried cat litter containers.  Finally decided to use styrofoam cups.  I drill holes in the bottom of these containers and then paint and decorate them.  Then add the soil and the cuttings.  I am really enjoying this project and look forward to making a few dollars.

I purchased some cute supplies at the craft store but the cost will be too high in order to make a profit.  So the cups are a great idea.  They are 20 for $.98 while the butter, coffee, and litter containers are between $3 and $5 and not available to me for a length of time.  

So off I go... creating and painting - once again.

Today is a good day.

My small work space.

Getting some inventory ready for plants.

These are so cute but will bring the price up.

The painted cups fit perfectly in these containers.

These were only $.99 but are too small. 

These are the coffee containers.

This is the bottom of a cat litter container covered with burlap.