Hi all! I just conducted a little scientific experiment - I made two glasses of water for myself and mixed sugar into one. Then I tasted both of them. I could taste the sugar!!! It was weak, but it was there!!This experiment was shortly followed by me tasting (yes, TASTING!!) a bit of salt out of the salt shaker!!!! I am so happy about this - you have no idea how nasty certain foods are with no sweet or salty flavor to balance them out.
That is not to say that my sense of taste is back to "normal." Everything (except veggies, which I don't particularly like anyway) tastes a bit off. Sour is still much stronger than other flavors, but I think it will balance out eventually.
you all have no idea how happy this makes me!!!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
11-14-10 Recovering nicely
Well, I am officially 18 days done with my 30 day course of rad, and I am doing pretty well. My energy levels are pretty much back to normal. I haven't started walking or working out in the mornings yet, but I think I am going to start this week. I did spend the last four days chasing my nieces and nephew - they wore me out - but I think that I would be worn out even if I had never had health issues. Those kids have so much energy!
The sore throat is almost gone, and while my neck/jaw are still stiff, it is minimal. My skin is almost normal - still dry, but no longer red. I thought the ringing in my ears was gone, but my ear started ringing as I typed this, but it was the first time in about week, and it only lasted about 5-10 seconds.
I am still very much missing my sense of taste. I think I may have some sense of taste, but still no salty or sweet. My dad suggest I try a lemon yesterday to see if I could taste any sour, and there was a very mild sour taste on some of my tongue (a very weird sensation, but yay!). Still don't have much there. Some veggies have a little taste, but not much. On the bright side, since my surgery, I've lost about 25 lbs - 15 more and I'd be in the so-called "normal" range, but I don't think I'm going to make it. I didn't want to buy a whole new wardrobe anyway :)
I do have a cute niece story (they are 4 years old) - My mom told them that because of the medicine the doctors gave me, candy tasted bad now. This very much confused them. "Just try one, you'll like it," one said. So I explained that I tried one, and it did taste bad - My tongue is broken, but it will get better. My nieces took it upon themselves to pack up a bunch (not just one or two pieces) of their halloween candy for me to eat "when my tongue is better." One of the best gifts I have ever gotten!
Guess that's it for the updates. Hope you all are doing well.
The sore throat is almost gone, and while my neck/jaw are still stiff, it is minimal. My skin is almost normal - still dry, but no longer red. I thought the ringing in my ears was gone, but my ear started ringing as I typed this, but it was the first time in about week, and it only lasted about 5-10 seconds.
I am still very much missing my sense of taste. I think I may have some sense of taste, but still no salty or sweet. My dad suggest I try a lemon yesterday to see if I could taste any sour, and there was a very mild sour taste on some of my tongue (a very weird sensation, but yay!). Still don't have much there. Some veggies have a little taste, but not much. On the bright side, since my surgery, I've lost about 25 lbs - 15 more and I'd be in the so-called "normal" range, but I don't think I'm going to make it. I didn't want to buy a whole new wardrobe anyway :)
I do have a cute niece story (they are 4 years old) - My mom told them that because of the medicine the doctors gave me, candy tasted bad now. This very much confused them. "Just try one, you'll like it," one said. So I explained that I tried one, and it did taste bad - My tongue is broken, but it will get better. My nieces took it upon themselves to pack up a bunch (not just one or two pieces) of their halloween candy for me to eat "when my tongue is better." One of the best gifts I have ever gotten!
Guess that's it for the updates. Hope you all are doing well.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
11-3-10 working on recovery
Hello all!
Well, it's been a week and a day since my last radiation treatment and the improvement in my energy level is amazing! I wouldn't say that I'm back to 100%, but at least 85% :). I've been working pretty much full time, although I did sleep in a half hour this morning.
Another big step is that my appetite is coming back! It is not easy when I can't taste anything, but I am eating more and a bigger variety of foods. My throat and mouth are still a bit sore and swollen, but not nearly as bad.
I do still really miss my sense of taste - I have been dreaming about food again. The other night, I dreamed I made a huge chocolate gob cake with a fancy raised design on top. I had extra icing, so I just sat down and ate the whole bowl of icing! It was delicious! That same night, I also dreamed of chocolate chip cookies. Some folks have asked me what it is like to not be able to taste - I can still smell the food, but when I put it my mouth and chew I get no extra sensations - no sweet, salty, sour etc.
Well, it's been a week and a day since my last radiation treatment and the improvement in my energy level is amazing! I wouldn't say that I'm back to 100%, but at least 85% :). I've been working pretty much full time, although I did sleep in a half hour this morning.
Another big step is that my appetite is coming back! It is not easy when I can't taste anything, but I am eating more and a bigger variety of foods. My throat and mouth are still a bit sore and swollen, but not nearly as bad.
I do still really miss my sense of taste - I have been dreaming about food again. The other night, I dreamed I made a huge chocolate gob cake with a fancy raised design on top. I had extra icing, so I just sat down and ate the whole bowl of icing! It was delicious! That same night, I also dreamed of chocolate chip cookies. Some folks have asked me what it is like to not be able to taste - I can still smell the food, but when I put it my mouth and chew I get no extra sensations - no sweet, salty, sour etc.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
10-27-10 All done!
I am all done with my rad treatments. Yay! I know that recovery will take some time, but I am so glad to be done. This experience has not been fun, but I would say it has definitely been less of a pain than I expected.
That is not to say I haven't had side effects -
my skin is burnt to a crisp - the doc says it will peel off with time
my throat is swollen and sore - but I am still kinda able to eat
I am SO very tired - but still able to work
my sense of taste is gone - doc now says it will be 2 months or more to come back, but it will come back
etc.etc.....
But, I have heard stories from people with so much worse side effects than mine, with cancer more widespread than mine, with so much less support from family and friends than I have had, with less/no insurance, and I realize how very lucky I am!
This is not something I would ever choose for myself or anyone, but it has made me more thankful for everything I've got - including friendships from people like you :)
Post Script - They gave me my mask to take home - it is plastic - about 2 feet by 18 inches. and I am looking for ways to destroy it - any ideas?
That is not to say I haven't had side effects -
my skin is burnt to a crisp - the doc says it will peel off with time
my throat is swollen and sore - but I am still kinda able to eat
I am SO very tired - but still able to work
my sense of taste is gone - doc now says it will be 2 months or more to come back, but it will come back
etc.etc.....
But, I have heard stories from people with so much worse side effects than mine, with cancer more widespread than mine, with so much less support from family and friends than I have had, with less/no insurance, and I realize how very lucky I am!
This is not something I would ever choose for myself or anyone, but it has made me more thankful for everything I've got - including friendships from people like you :)
Post Script - They gave me my mask to take home - it is plastic - about 2 feet by 18 inches. and I am looking for ways to destroy it - any ideas?
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
10-20-10 - 4 left!
Four to go (yay!)
I am really tired, so this is going to be a short post. The doc is worried about the skin/surgery scar around my ear breaking down, so they gave me an antibiotic cream to rub on the area twice a day. Other than that, not much has changed.... except, I am maybe more tired, another 2 lbs lighter, and I am closer to being done!
I am really tired, so this is going to be a short post. The doc is worried about the skin/surgery scar around my ear breaking down, so they gave me an antibiotic cream to rub on the area twice a day. Other than that, not much has changed.... except, I am maybe more tired, another 2 lbs lighter, and I am closer to being done!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
10-12-10 - Ten to go!
Hello all,
I don't have much new to report - I do miss my sense of taste. Every night, I dream about food - cakes with lots of icing, blueberry muffins, juicy strawberries, ham sandwiches.... I have no idea why ham sandwiches, but they were there - honest. Today the doc said my ability to taste would be back a month or a little more after finishing treatment - so it may be a very yummy Thanksgiving! If not, it will be a delicious Christmas.
He was very happy that my mouth and throat was not terribly sore, and he doesn't expect it to get much worse. I am still eating mostly normally. (yay!)
I very tired of being tired. I am sleeping about 10 hrs a night, and I am still tired a lot. I have been sleeping in, and going to work late a couple of mornings a week. The folks at work are so understanding!
I think that is all the updates for now.
I don't have much new to report - I do miss my sense of taste. Every night, I dream about food - cakes with lots of icing, blueberry muffins, juicy strawberries, ham sandwiches.... I have no idea why ham sandwiches, but they were there - honest. Today the doc said my ability to taste would be back a month or a little more after finishing treatment - so it may be a very yummy Thanksgiving! If not, it will be a delicious Christmas.
He was very happy that my mouth and throat was not terribly sore, and he doesn't expect it to get much worse. I am still eating mostly normally. (yay!)
I very tired of being tired. I am sleeping about 10 hrs a night, and I am still tired a lot. I have been sleeping in, and going to work late a couple of mornings a week. The folks at work are so understanding!
I think that is all the updates for now.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
10-6-10 half way there!
I am halfway through treatment, so to sum up the events so far:
my ability to taste - gone
my energy - gone
the hair that used to be in that weird bald spot on the back of my head - gone
any remaining stupid cancer cells - (hopefully) gone soon!
friends and family willing to put up with me when I am tired, whiny, and moody - still here (thanks so much all!)
Not much else to report except that I miss chocolate!
my ability to taste - gone
my energy - gone
the hair that used to be in that weird bald spot on the back of my head - gone
any remaining stupid cancer cells - (hopefully) gone soon!
friends and family willing to put up with me when I am tired, whiny, and moody - still here (thanks so much all!)
Not much else to report except that I miss chocolate!