First post radiation appt.

Went down to UVA yesterday to meet with Dr. Read for my first post radiation follow up appointment.

I must selfishly admit, it was a good feeling knowing I was there for a quick visit and not another dose of radiation. I cringed a little when I walked by the room I used to get treatments in.

I ran into my awesome Radiation nurse, Kara when I walked into the back. She's taken great care of me over the course of my treatment. Listening to me bitch and complain about this and that.  Kara weighs me and checks my vitals upon arrival. 

I couldn't believe how much I weighed yesterday, but the scale came up at 149.8 lbs.  

 In June, before my first surgery, I weighed 176 lbs.  Thats a difference of 26 lbs. 


 Kara was nice enough and recommended a drink to help cut through the mucus that's been plaguing me for the past 4 weeks.  Im hoping that over the next few weeks with rest and this shot, I'll start to get better faster. 

In a shot glass:

real lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 tablespoon of pure honey

Surprisingly enough, I can actually taste the ginger. I almost still can't believe it either. My tastebuds are still quite compromised, but I can still taste ginger. Weird....I know.

It was great to see Dr. Read. He always greets his patients when entering the room with "God Bless you." 

Which, I've never seen another Dr. do in the 30+ years I've been alive.  Simply amazing imo.

He took a look and said the area is healing up nicely. Its now white back there vs. being red and irritated from the radiation. I still feel pain when I yawn, burp, sneeze and cough. (ugh..)  

I did notice a difference with yesterday's first lemon shot I took, so, keeping my fingers crossed we stay on that path.  I did spit up a few times yesterday, but it wasn't as much and wasn't all day and night long. 

It felt good to sleep through the night without having to wake up to clear my throat. 

My radiation sunburn started to go away last night. It had been a few hours after my shower and Aquaphor application, when I noticed some of the skin started to fall off on its own.  

I went to the bathroom and with the help of some toilet paper, was able to wipe off all of the old, dead, burnt skin that once covered my neck. It looks pretty good and I should be out of the woods in that regard.

Next up! Going back to UVA for my first post surgical/radiation/chemo CT scan. Fingers crossed I get a good report.

T