Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Wow! No Doctor Appointments this Week!

I debated whether to post at all this week as there is not much new to report. But I am elated not to have any medical appointments this week.
I feel good. (music) I thought that I would now. However I still have little taste sensation. My skin has improved, and the invisible area of breakdown behind my left ear must have improved as there is no blood on the pads I use to cleanse the area. My tongue is coated and I brush it several times a day.There ia an area of ulceration over my left tonsil visible and my throat is often sore. I wonder whether Dr John did me a favor when he included the area in the radiation field when Dr Parvathaneni in Seattle had not thought it necessary.
Most of the redness has disappeared. My beard has stopped growing on the left. My cheek feels like a baby's bottom. (Sorry for the cliche). 
Here is the commercial for which I receive no benefit. Boost Plus (chocolate), the nutritional supplement has been my main source of calories and nutrition during this adventure. I can taste slight sweetness. It is really good for swallowing pills as it is thicker than water. I take 2-3 per day and my weight has remained at about 166 pounds.
Plans for travel are firm and flights booked. Judy and I travel together to Philadelphia on October 6. I continue to Montreal. I return to Philadelphia on October 11, and we return to Fresno October 17.
I hope I can taste the onion soup at Ty Breiz. I will be in Montreal the same time as Jon and Sandy (my brother and sister-in-law).
I have scheduled a follow-up Pet/CT for November 24. I had a nightmare the other night that it revealed liver metastases and I had to postpone our December Hawaii cruise to take chemotherapy. Oh well I can't dwell on that possibility. It is just over 4 months since I discovered the tumor mass and so far, so good.
Bridge results remain encouraging, 1st with Jill Woods, and 3rd with Steve Sharpe.
I close for this week with a photo of Eva, our oldest grandchild and the author of the poem on friendship I include with my emails. She and her family will be here tonight for a Rosh Hashona dinner.


This was taken on the Alaska cruise, before I started radiation treatments but after the diagnosis of Merkel's 

2 comments:

  1. Dave,
    Thank you for providing us with your informative updates. Wishing you and the family happy travels.
    Howard

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  2. Let us know when to schedule Ty Breiz. If you can't taste the soup, you'll for sure be able to taste the garlic dressing on the salad and we'll have to get you extra chocolate sauce on your crepe because the thought of Boost being your current source of enjoyable chocolate is criminal. The three Shuster boys in Montreal--sounds great!

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