#229: Morning Thunder

Today began with a bang. First a flash, then a bang. We had a lightning strike very close to our house. Close enough that the fire engines went past our front door on the way there. I was relieved that they didn't stop to put out any burning trees in our yard.

Soon after that, Mrs P curled up next to me and moments later, I experienced the morning ritual that has plagued expectant mothers from time immemorial. No, I did not sing, "Oh how I hate to throw up in the morning." But I could have.

I have been pretty much unconscious for the rest of the day. Now here it is almost time for me to take my sleeping pills and I really don't know what the evening will be like.

Our brother-in-law has had a rough day of it, too. He was very sick this morning and wound up in the ER getting fluids for his dehydration. His therapy is all chemo and I don't envy him a bit. I may be miserable from time to time, but I sure don't suffer like some folks do.

We battle my own dryness with Gatorade through the tube and as much water as I can drink, which isn't much. It tastes terrible. I can't imagine trying to eat through this. When the doc told me I would need the tube because I wouldn't want to eat, I thought he was crazy. I have never not wanted to eat. What I imagined was that swallowing would become so painful that I couldn't eat. It never occurred to me that tasting food would become so unpleasant that I would rather have Gatorade shot into a hose in my stomach than have water on my tongue. Score one more for the doc, who I'm glad to say is scoring very well these days.

Beyond that, cancer was pretty boring today. I guess I should be grateful. Boring is pretty rare. I guess what's happening is that I'm skipping ahead to the next step. Now that treatment is almost over, there's not much left to do except wait to see if I'm better. I'm not looking forward to that, because it could be a long wait. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to some of these side effects abating, especially the nausea and the ability to taste. What I wouldn't give to enjoy a nice bowl of clear broth right now.

Now that would be exciting.

Peace,
pennsy