It's the little things!

TracyLynn72
TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

 

 

Y'all may think I'm goofy, but I am so thankful for the "little things" lately.  I ate oatmeal this morning.  Oatmeal.  Without my mouth burning on fire, choking, gagging or having to spit 75 times.  I am SO excited!  I only had to use my magic mouthwash TWO times yesterday.  I had no pain except later in the day.  Today I am 2/3 done with rads.  Only two weeks until I ring that bell!  These may not seem like huge things to anyone, but to me they are GIGANTIC!  My techs tell me each treatment..."one day at a time, one treatment at a time" and it's so true.  Each day that you hit a milestone (of ANY kind) is a BIG day!

 

I hope you all are doing well, hitting milestones and hav a great weekend!  Thank you for all of the advice, optimism, support and encouragement :)

Comments

  • Laralyn
    Laralyn Member Posts: 532
    #2
    Hooray!

    It definitely IS the little things. I remember a moment where I realized that I'd been so engaged in conversation that I ate a whole side salad without a sip of water. In the broad scheme of things, the treatments are such a small amount of time and honestly, so is recovery. Keep your head up, and stay optimistic! You'll be done with this before you know it. :-)

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
    Preaching to the chior....LOL...

    Here is the one place where "eating oatmeal without fire, choking, gagging or spitting" will be met with huge applause....every person here is well aware that big milestones come in small packages....

    Congratulations.

    p 

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #4
    bright spot

    TracyLynn,

    It is a big deal. Many things you will do feel like the first time.

    I went without serious eating for 7 months, and then one day “poof” things were better.

    Having cancer touches us to the core, every sunrise, every rain drop, every swallow feels special.

    Hang on through the rest of your ride, now that you have good perspective the trip will make sense.

    Matt

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #5
    PS....

    When you're done with treatment, I'll tell you about my first trip to a Chinese Buffet....I was in my glory....so excited I had to use will-power to keep from rolling in the Moo Goo Gy Pan....hahahahahaha.

     

  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    #6
    phrannie51 said:

    PS....

    When you're done with treatment, I'll tell you about my first trip to a Chinese Buffet....I was in my glory....so excited I had to use will-power to keep from rolling in the Moo Goo Gy Pan....hahahahahaha.

     

    Yea....

     

     I'll never, ever forget about 3 years ago eating my first bonifide bite of normal stuff.  A small Wendy's chocolate frosty.  Lawd have mercy, that was great.

    Larry

  • Roar
    Roar Member Posts: 269 Member
    #7
    Been there done that

    It was right about where you are now that I lived on mapel and brown sugar instant out meal - I still have boxes of it. College in broth  and pastina was another food that kept me going. Double dipped soggy French toast went down well. There were not a lot of things I could eat towards the end of treatment. American cheese egg omelette was also tolerable - something about the melted cheese. You can drop an egg into the college in broth along with the pastina as well. Eggs are a good source of protein. I was having a hard time with the ensure but if you can drink it keep pushing them down. Stay strong - you are almost through the worst part of treatment. Looking forward to hearing that bell for you. Remember to moisturize after treatment and wash it off before treatment the next day. Stay strong my fellow warrior

  • yensid683
    yensid683 Member Posts: 349
    #8
    It sure is

    ...the little things that make our journeys.  I watch people who've never experienced what we have simply pop something into their mouths and chew and swallow with no real regard for just how wonderful it is to just simply eat!

    I am so happy for you, it feels so great, doesn't it?  I tried oatmeal during treatments but was not able to get it down.  A couple of spoonfuls and it was all I could do.  I survived on Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup, american cheese omelets and Chocolate Ensure (actually Target's less expensive version of it).

    I finished rads in early July and it wasn't until later in September that I could finally swallow 'real' food.  It was just a cheap Burger King cheese burger, but I don't think any burger ever tasted as good. 

    1/3 left 'till you ring the bell too!  Keep hanging tough, you'll make it and join the NED club!

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #9
    yensid683 said:

    It sure is

    ...the little things that make our journeys.  I watch people who've never experienced what we have simply pop something into their mouths and chew and swallow with no real regard for just how wonderful it is to just simply eat!

    I am so happy for you, it feels so great, doesn't it?  I tried oatmeal during treatments but was not able to get it down.  A couple of spoonfuls and it was all I could do.  I survived on Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup, american cheese omelets and Chocolate Ensure (actually Target's less expensive version of it).

    I finished rads in early July and it wasn't until later in September that I could finally swallow 'real' food.  It was just a cheap Burger King cheese burger, but I don't think any burger ever tasted as good. 

    1/3 left 'till you ring the bell too!  Keep hanging tough, you'll make it and join the NED club!

    Milestones

    I recall the first time I could raise my arm high enough to wash my own hair (cancer of the jaw surgery) and the 1st time I could get down the basement steps to do my own laundry (fibula was used to rebuid jaw). Looking back 1 year post tx with more energy than I had before dx. I think we turned the radio off in the car following dx and I recall months later turning it on and when I realized it, I thought "things are gonna be ok". I recall going to an event of food trucks in the park and found myself tapping my foot to the music, another special moment. May you have many thrilling and exciting moments in your recovery.

    Candi 

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #10
    Yay!

    Hi TracyLynn,

    I hear you loud and clear! Unless you've been in the same shoes, one cannot truly understand what a victory it is to eat without pain or discomfort! For so many of us, food and eating is a part of who we are and when you lose that ability, it's a mental blow that's very difficult to overcome and deal with.

    I recall cooking myself a scrambled egg a couple of weeks ago and not only eating it without pain but tasting it too! It was 3am in the morning and I ran upstairs and woke Marcia to tell her... I was SO excited! She wasn't as excited...I don't know why ~lol~ The following weekend I was finally eating again. I'm still taking most of my nutrition through the PEG but I eat something solid every day now :)

    Congrats on your HUGE victory. Keep it up!

    Positive thoughts and prayers

    "T"

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