10 more to go

miccmill
miccmill Member Posts: 248
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Well, Glenn has 10 more radiation treatments to go and 1 more Chemo.

He's got some side effects mostly low blood pressure, lots of fatigue and a very sore throat.

He's swallowing soft foods (nothing tastes good) and pills but most nutrition through the PEG. We started the PEG early in an effort to keep his nutrition balanced due to Diabetes. He's still lost 26lbs. but he started at 298lbs.

We've only had a couple arguments, mostly about using the Glucometer as often as necessary. I told him if he still thinks I'm a terrible nag, he can leave me when he gets better.

His neck is getting very dark and peeling. He's using some kind of cream they gave him at the Rad/Onc. and says it works pretty good. He's pretty dark skinned to begin with.

But it's his attitude and outlook that just blows me away. I feel a sense of urgency to "learn" how to be as brave and strong so I can copy it if I ever find myself on his end of the fight.

Anyway, I can't believe how time moves along.

Comments

  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    #2
    Congrats...
    Happy to hear that Glenn is close to the finish line and that his side effects aren't too extreme.

    Keep "nagging" him and remind him that you do this for his own good. LOL - not that most men will believe it, they think most of us are just natural "nags". I know my husband thinks I nag him too much and he's not the one with cancer :)

    My best to you and Glenn,
    Glenna
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450
    #3
    Glenna M said:

    Congrats...
    Happy to hear that Glenn is close to the finish line and that his side effects aren't too extreme.

    Keep "nagging" him and remind him that you do this for his own good. LOL - not that most men will believe it, they think most of us are just natural "nags". I know my husband thinks I nag him too much and he's not the one with cancer :)

    My best to you and Glenn,
    Glenna

    Hang in there
    I'm sure you've been warned that things get worse after the treatment ends -- for me it lasted about three weeks after the rads ended -- but as you've found, time passes quickly. It's a miserable experience when you're going through it, but before you know it you're looking at it in the rear-view mirror.
    And boy, it looks a whole lot better through the rear-view mirror than it does through the front windshield.

    --Jim in Delaware
  • Greg53
    Greg53 Member Posts: 849
    #4
    Glenna M said:

    Congrats...
    Happy to hear that Glenn is close to the finish line and that his side effects aren't too extreme.

    Keep "nagging" him and remind him that you do this for his own good. LOL - not that most men will believe it, they think most of us are just natural "nags". I know my husband thinks I nag him too much and he's not the one with cancer :)

    My best to you and Glenn,
    Glenna

    10 more...
    Great to hear Glenn's down to only a few left. Tell him to hang in there, before he knows it, he will be feeling better and doing more! And women don't nag..... my wife just CONSTANTLY and INCESSENTLEY reminds me what I'm doing wrong...Joking! She's the best! It is easy to get crabby with all that goes on during treatments. But no excuse for being nasty and I tried not to, but know I did get that way on occasion. This whole thing though has brought us closer than we have been for a long time and that's another new "normal" thing that I like.

    Positive thoughts to everyone!
    Greg
  • miccmill
    miccmill Member Posts: 248
    #5
    Greg53 said:

    10 more...
    Great to hear Glenn's down to only a few left. Tell him to hang in there, before he knows it, he will be feeling better and doing more! And women don't nag..... my wife just CONSTANTLY and INCESSENTLEY reminds me what I'm doing wrong...Joking! She's the best! It is easy to get crabby with all that goes on during treatments. But no excuse for being nasty and I tried not to, but know I did get that way on occasion. This whole thing though has brought us closer than we have been for a long time and that's another new "normal" thing that I like.

    Positive thoughts to everyone!
    Greg

    Thanks for the encouragement
    He really is doing well. It's very tough to see one's partner in any kind of discomfort.

    We're just battening down the hatches for the next 4 or 5 weeks. I'll be off for a week, 2 weeks from now so I can finally be home to really help for a little while. Greg, I can see how this type of experience tests and bonds a couple closer.
  • tonyanddenise
    tonyanddenise Member Posts: 70
    #6
    Greg53 said:

    10 more...
    Great to hear Glenn's down to only a few left. Tell him to hang in there, before he knows it, he will be feeling better and doing more! And women don't nag..... my wife just CONSTANTLY and INCESSENTLEY reminds me what I'm doing wrong...Joking! She's the best! It is easy to get crabby with all that goes on during treatments. But no excuse for being nasty and I tried not to, but know I did get that way on occasion. This whole thing though has brought us closer than we have been for a long time and that's another new "normal" thing that I like.

    Positive thoughts to everyone!
    Greg

    I like the new normal as
    I like the new normal as well,our challenges are either going to bring us to a new plateau, or a train wreck! I think there's light at the end of that tunnel!
  • CLRRN
    CLRRN Member Posts: 127
    #7
    miccmill said:

    Thanks for the encouragement
    He really is doing well. It's very tough to see one's partner in any kind of discomfort.

    We're just battening down the hatches for the next 4 or 5 weeks. I'll be off for a week, 2 weeks from now so I can finally be home to really help for a little while. Greg, I can see how this type of experience tests and bonds a couple closer.

    Love your phrase "batten down the hatches" perfect!!!
    This journey definitely tests the strength of a relationship. As weird as it sounds, I'm a better person because of it.
    My partner is 4 weeks out....i'm sure everyone here would concur ....drink sips of water just to keep those swallow muscles intact. Skin care skin care skin care-we used aquaphor and Silvadene on the open areas but healed nice and HYDRATION HYDRATION!!!! If you have the option to go in for IV fluids-DO IT. One/two liters of normal saline over a few hours will make him feel better. We did it weekly from Week 4-two weeks post treatment.

    Hang in there and keep us posted!

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