Radiotherapy Shooters...

...that's what I call them.

All of the doctors here refer to the concoction as 'Magic Mouth Wash' -- always following the utterance of the name with a smirky snicker.

The only way I can get it down is to throw it back like I would a Shooter, on the exhale, so it's less likely to trigger a gag response. *sighs*

What's in the glass is the tablet that has been pulverized (crushing it makes gagging lumps) and then dissolved in 2 TBSP water. The tablet is to coat the ulcers that the radiotherapy is causing in my esophagus.

To that is added 1 TBSP Nystatin, which has the smell that is sickly reminiscent of minty mouth wash; it contains the anti-fungal agent needed because of the damage done to the esophagial cells by the radiotherapy.

Then to all of that, the Hydrocortisone Suspension, which has a faint citrus odor, is added to help with the inflammation of my esophagus caused by the radiotherapy.

All of that, four times each day. One hour before meals. One hour before bed. Kevin has been helping mix them; I seem to be able to get it down better if I haven't been smelling that sweet, sickly smell for the time it takes to create the concoction.

It hasn't cleared the irritation completely, but mostly I can swallow without it hurting. I mostly need to be careful with hard crusted breads, etc., but if I chew carefully, I can still eat adult food.

Hydromorphone was prescribed for pain. I've only taken one. This pill, along with the ingredients in the Shooter, rank constipation as one of the many side effects, so I'm back on stool softeners, as well.

Friday's treatment was number seventeen; there are eight treatments left. We meet with Dr. C on Wednesday and will have labs done before we meet with him.

Kevin and I walked a mile this morning after Trooley took the paper from the road to Mom. It was another of those perfect IC days, and we were drawn to the back porch where the waterfalls are now providing a nice counter to the passing traffic. Even the mosquitoes kept a respectful distance this morning.

We spent the rest of the day between chores, web design, yardening and just hanging out enjoying the day. Kevin did computer work out on the deck. Something very _wrong_ about taking a computer out into the Big Room...unless, of course, you're NancyTurtle and it's the only place you can get a signal. *heh*

Also took some photos of our Black Magic Taro, which we'll post tomorrow. Much better 'magic' than the concoction, in many ways!

Today's photo is of our Obedient Plant, apropos of how I feel about those Shooters. The red flowers in front of the purple Obedient Plant are one of our hibiscus -- in it's _third_ flowering this season! Overhead arches a branch of a bareroot rosebud that we need to move. The bed to the left is the Asparagus Bed, which is being overgrown by the Obedient Plant...which makes it currently a dis-Obedient Plant *smirks*



So, here are Obedient Cheers, for you! *raises a tall glass of ice water*

Make nice and stay hydrated!!!