If it's Thursday, it's time for updates

Yep. It's Thursday. Update time.

Saw both my doctors this afternoon. First Dr. Mundy and then Dr. Lehr.

Follow-up appointment at Fentress. FINALLY got those poor people some cookies. Blasted things had been in my freezer for 10 days, but now they're on site and welcomed. Talked with Corie (our usual radiation therapist) and gave her the low down on my throat and the lack of food. Also mentioned that it seems the fluoride gel I've been using may be causing a reaction in my mouth. She passed all of that along.

Then I saw Dr. Mundy and he poked and prodded in my mouth. We talked about the sore throat and, really, there's nothing much that he could recommend. I'm using all the rinse and gargles and stuff.

I've been using a fluoride tray for my upper teeth every day, but it is sort of problematic. Obviously I'm going to need it for my teeth, but the problems it's giving me (sores, swollen gums, burning mouth) are keep me from eating when my sore throat would let me. I've had to stop it since Monday, and he recommended that I start it back up and rinse my mouth out once I was done. I'd been following the directions and those said NOT to rinse. This is one of those things I couldn't tell was going on when I was having radiation because, well, some of the side effects are mouth sores and general oral irritations.

Overall, though, the verdict is I'm doing well. I've lost 35 pounds since the treatments began, but I certainly had that to lose. It seems the weight loss has stabilized over the last several days, but I suspect there might be a couple more pounds to go. Then, of course, once I start eating, I'll start to gain some back. The exercise bike will be my new bud. :)

After we left Fentress, we went over to see Dr. Lehr. He sympathized with the sore throat, but like Dr. Mundy, said it was pretty much a time-to-heal issue. There aren't even any children's cough/sore throat drops I can use. The adult ones are just too strong, so I was hoping for a kiddie prescription since there are no OTC options, but it looks like I'm shit out of luck. Oh well.

Anyway, much poking and prodding and some discussion on the weight loss, but I think overall he's happy with how I'm doing. He is concerned about the mouth sores showing up when I use the fluoride, so he's suggesting that I hold off for another week or so and then try phasing it in again. I'll do that and stop if the sores show up. I was going to try it this weekend, but my mouth is so irritated that I think waiting a week is probably a good idea. It's not a long term fix because I absolutely need to be using fluoride, but hopefully a week off it will help.

So that's pretty much it. Things are keeping on keeping on. I go back to see both doctors at the first of next month. By then I'm really hoping Ensure will be history and I will be on at least what I was on during the early weeks of the radiation.

We also got the bill for the radiation therapy (this is a hospital bill which is separate from Dr. Mundy's which we've not gotten yet). It was for nearly 37K, and I just about died. Payment was waived for it, so we are fortunate we won't have that hanging over our heads. I think that was more than all the other bills combined.

I will probably post some sort of update mid-week. I should, hopefully see some results from not using fluoride for several days.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend!