Recovery: week 1

I forgot few side effects in my last week list:

7 - phlegm, yellowish, greenish and blondish, smelly and heavy mucus
8 - mouth ulcers
9 - Fatigue. I'm sleepy all day and all night.
10 - lost of taste

When you read on line people usually feel some improvement 4 to 16 weeks after radiation therapy. It takes up to 5 years to heal completely. I thing it's all individual. The most important factor is to morally feel better after the treatment is over. Then the rest will follow easily.

That been said, one week later, I feel some improvement already. My hair is growing back different from what I had before but it's growing. The ulcers in my mouth are all gone. I used magic mouth wash ( a combination of Lidocain and an anti fungal drug). It's really magic. My voice is slowly coming back and it doesn't hurt when I speak ( Tenisha and I have fun whispering)... My throat is sore but clearing up too. The phlegm became a normal mucus/ saliva. This morning I decided to go ahead and drink tea with honey as recommended by many people on the internet. It hurts a lot when I swallow. I handle the pain with no medication. The fatigue is there, it's more like I'm sleepy all the time. I wish I could sleep all day long. When I drink honey/tea, I can't tell it's sweet or sour. I have the same taste in my mouth when I drink water. But I know from now on it will only get better. I have nothing to worry about. Of course I wish I could eat and taste the food today. Sometimes I'm sad I can't talk to my baby who enjoy talking to me. But 4 or 16 more weeks it's fine with me. I'm lucky enough to be able to take care of my kids or to have lost only 10lbs while I read about 20+lbs people loose.

I know I'm blessed. I appreciate and will concentrate on the positive.


Stay blessed and thank you all for your love and prayers...
Aisha

Treatment over. Thank you all !

I'm so blessed with all the love, help, support and prayers I received during that period. Thanks you so much. I will never forget. I hope you will keep on praying for me. The recovery is also a long and stressful process.

I will now start the long way to recovery. I have tried my best to take it day by day from the beginning. I have to admit it was very helpful.

These are the main side effect of my treatment.

1 - Sore throat, no swallowing,

2 - Hard time using the 5 feeding a day as prescribed, now just 3.

3 - lost 10lbs

4 - Very low voice; it hurts when I speak.

5 - Bad memory.

6 - Hair lost

My main goal is to be able to eat in 8 weeks so they can take out the feeding tube.


Stay blessed and thank you all for your love and prayers...
Aisha.

No matter what happens always remember that God is great. Pray Pray and Pray.

Today was a very exciting day at the chemo session. I met a lady, Barny and a man from Egypt. Barny is a former nurse and a very good talker. Obviously, she started the conversation between us... I was sitting next to the Egyptian man, in his early sixties I will guess, then there was an empty sit next to him and Barny was sitting to the other side of the empty sit. When the nurses were drawing my blood, Barny already exchanged few words with me " I don't like to bring a book and read during my chemo, I prefer to talk to people. I don't notice the time and it feels good." I guess it's because I was the only one not reading a book at that moment. I have to admit I share her opinion. I don't bring books to chemo, I take a note book and my verses notes given to me by a very special friend. I usually sleep the first half of my session because of the Benadril. Then I read the verses and try to memorise at least one ( smile). I also write prayers in my special prayers note book.

Back to the point so we were all sitting and then Barny started the talk. We talked about everything. Starting with the number of sessions left to the the quality of the drugs we were receiving. We also talk about family, friends, the areas in Rockville where each of us live. Then the Egyptian man's wife joined us. A very modest and nice person. Her husband moved to the sit next to Barny and she sat next to me. First of all she was very surprised to see her husband talking. According to her he has been depressed since his Dr told him how long was left for him to live. She has been looking for a psychiatrist as recommended by his Dr. But there he was, laughing and joking exactly the man she knows. He worked as a broadcaster almost all his life. She told me he was an entertainer and suddenly he became quiet and sad after the Dr told him the sad new. I was happy to hear her story. I don't know much about how long we all have to life. But I don't think it's good to tell someone such thing to a person. I personally believe in God and only he knows. What about dying from an accident, or a sudden heart arrest. I mean we don't know all that. I hope I'm right. So why tell someone how long he still has to live? Anyway,I told his wife I believe in God and we are all going to dying one day. Only God knows what is best for us so I trust him with my health. I try as much as possible to keep a positive attitude. I enjoy my kids, husband, family and friends as long as the side effects of my treatment allowed me to do. I look for the blessings and I have many. I told his wife I have nothing to complain about. I was a Dr in a refugees camp and I know what some people are going through.

The Egyptian man treatment was done half an hour before he left. He stayed there talking to Barny and I. His wife was so thankful. She asked about our scheduled because she wanted to match our treatments so we could talk to her husband again.

I then stayed with Barny who also finished her treatment but stayed to talk to me. What a lovely lady. You just want to sit and listen to her. Her wisdom is beyond imagination.

I was so blessed today. I didn't noticed the time going by. I wished my treatment was longer.

I already know there are no coincidences in life. It's God working his way to make our lives better. You remember I had Teena at 600gr a year ago. Then 6 months later I learned I have a cancer. Few weeks later I started radiation therapy. We all know how crazy my life became at that time... If I had Teena on time, she would had been 2 months when I was diagnosed and had to see thousand Drs from Shady grove to Baltimore. She would had been 3 months when I started the treatment... Coincidence or God's hand? It took me few months to see and understand It was God's way to make my life better when I start my treatment and Teena is such a nice baby. People helping taking care of the girls when I go for my treatment all them the same. Teena is a easy...

I know and I also want you to know. Concentrate on the blessings and trust God is always by your side even when you don't see him or hear him. Keep on praying. Prayers are the only solution to your peace and happiness.

Stay blessed and thank you all for your love and prayers...
Aisha

Slowly but surely!

It's been a while. Two weeks ago, I suffered some burns on the skin of my neck. Dr Salem had to stop my treatment for a week for the burns to heal. It felt so good during the break. I wasn't tired. I could finish an ice cream. I didn't loose my voice, I had a taste of normal life again. It seems like forever and I miss taking care of my kids properly. Most of all I can't wait to have a normal meal through my mouth.Thank God my skin also healed during that week. I resume the treatment on Monday, July 9. During my weekly check up with Dr Salem on Thursday, July 12, she announced that I finally hit the single digit, 9 more treatments to go. I'm happy to know that I'm getting there. In 2 weeks I will take another road of recovery. I'm sure that by the grace of God and with all your love I will be just fine.

Stay blessed and thank you all for your love and prayers...
Aisha

Side effects(radiation therapy) my side of the story

Weeks in XT ( radiation therapy), things are getting really intense and I would love to share some thoughts with people going through the same difficulties, or those who have just being diagnosed and don't really know what to expect.

I strongly advice to other people to skip this post. Thank you

As you know if you read my blog from the beginning? I have started my XT 4 weeks ago and I was aware of the complications to come. But no matter how much Drs O'connor and Salem prepared me to deal with its, I wasn't ready. I felt like it came so soon or so sudden.

1. The pain in my throat. I won't describe it because I know it's individual but be aware.
2. The mucus from your throat, it comes out every second. I can no longer talk without going to the bathroom to spit or cough. I have a spittoon at home and have to make sure it stays away from kids.
3. The accumulation of saliva. I sleep with a spittoon next to me. I wake up 10 to 15 times at night.
4. The pain. It concerns the radiated area. Remember to start using the R1 and R2 creams from day one of radiation. You have to write everything down and make sure you remember all the advices from Drs and nurses about skin care during XT.
5. The voice. I lost my voice over night. Thanks to the sens of humor of my 2 years old it became something more funny than painful. My girls now talk like me. They think " mommy's voice is very funny" and they like it. But sometimes I'm hurting inside as I can't no longer pick up calls or don't respond to people greetings at the park or the pool.
6. The weight lost. You lose weight mainly because you eat less. Using a PEG tube demand a lot of time and a perfect scheduling. I'm doing my best with the help of my wonderful nutritionist. She is always there for me and talk to me all the time. I lost 3lbs so far witch is consider less.
7. The shingles virus. It's cause by the same virus that causes chicken pox. As soon as you feel pain with or without rashes somewhere in your skin, talk to your oncologist. Tell the chemotherapy staff so they clean after you and make sure pregnant ladies and kids or people who have not got chicken pox stay away, as it can be spread to them.
8. The emotional factor. Another individual thing, but be aware it happens. Talk to your spouse, partner, or best friend about all your emotions. They are good days and bad ones, but those who love you understand and respect you for what your are going through. Don't be shy or afraid talk, talk and talk.

Those are the main concern. I always note all the questions I have for my oncologist and radiologist. It's good to ask your Drs everything even those you already know from blogs and other internet materials.

I hope this help smooth your journey with throat cancer.

Best.

Stay blessed and thank you all for your love and prayers...
Aisha