12-28

  I got a small amount of sleep last night, just a few hours. Me and Denise went to UT today. We saw Dr Bertoli, Dr Green was on vacation. Dr Huntsinger, when she called in my medicine said we should talk with the doctor, plus Green had said to see them before treatment. Bertoli is as nice as his reputation. He checked my neck out and we told him about the abscess tooth and he asked questions while looking at it. He then cleared me for round 2. He asked on a pain scale what the abscess was, I guessed 2-3 at best, then again I have the pain patch on. I told him at it's worse that it wasn't bad enough to take the morphine. I'm sure I needed it at the time, and that time may come again, but not this day. He did prescribe some Perceot, which I don't need, but we took it just in case.  

  I will have to say one thing for the doctors there, they will take the time to explain to you whatever you ask. They take their time. He said that as long as the bone wasn't affected and it was small tissue they weren't worried about it. Then he explained how the jaw bone can die. If you or a loved one goes through head or neck cancer, listen and do what they say when they say get your dental problems fixed and check to see if there are any. This is critical.

  The ladies there were all very nice and welcomed me back. I have to admit that you do get attached to the ones giving you care. It is impressive how they care for what they do and just how hard they work. They took X-Rays today. It was a long session, but I had the cocktail already working. Even that however was pushed to the limits.  

  We then went over to Panella's to tell Ruth as instructed to by Huntsinger. Ruth was on vacation and another lady came out, haven't seen her before. She wasn't too nice and wanted to know what we wanted and suggested we see a dentist. Thank God she isn't my nurse. We informed her that we were just informing as we were told to do, that is all we were there for and that we were searching for a dentist. It is so funny the difference in people and I feel sorry for whomever she gets assigned to, or the doctor she represented. Nothing like Panella and his nurses.

   Denise was quite please at what all I ate. We stopped at Shoney's and pigged out on the breakfast bar. I ate almost a whole plate of stuff. Man was we ever full. lol We called a dentist, I think her name is Amanda Green, across from Lowes. They agreed to see me at 11:15. I must be getting older, she looks so young. She seemed on top of the seriousness of working on a radiation patient. Her and her staff are good. In the X-Ray that goes all around she spotted yet another abscess, the first tooth that came out shortly after the beginning. We go the Thursday after this one to have a root canal done and she says she can save the tooth. Dentistry is a bit more expensive than I remembered. She understands the risks of a lot of work during this time, but she went over what needed to be done when this is all over. I think I like her so when this is all said and done, Denise was certainly impressed with her. I hope I got the name right. She was one of the only Dentist offices open. Doctors I think have it a lot rougher than dentists, doctors I know work all the time.


  We got back and I called my brother to see if he still wanted to go look at the Flat Bed for Big Ugly, and he did. I called the guy and he had his forklift there so I took cash and we got it. Can you say doghouse? It was cold, I was tired. and the tractor's power steering wasn't working too well, so I placed it where I could at the time. That thing weighs between 1,000 - 1,500 lbs.  It will be a long time before I can work on it and I may have to pay someone to, but it is here.

  Me and Denise went out to eat. I needed this day. I helped go over the contract I was working on before I went down over the phone. We done that until tonight my voice was gone. It's been one of those long drawn out ones. This day has gone right for a change. Now that the day's at end, Denise cleaned and dressed my neck and bottom of my feet and maybe bedtime early. Naw, lol.

  I thank God for this day. I think He knows what we need and when we need it. 

  I plan on eating everything I like while I can, while I can. As for drinks though, I think I'll just stick with Tea and water, least we forget milk. I tried a Coke again today and they just don't appeal.  

12-28

1st Post: 
Once tonight I awoke and I was numb in my feet and hands. My throat was sticky and sore feeling so I assume that I was mouth breathing. At 4:20am, Denise just woke me. she heard me mouth breathing from her room across the hall with her door partially open. Maybe my fears are unwarranted, I don't know, but I do know that it does some damage or at least it feels like it does. It's not long before we get up to go to UT so I may just stay awake. I'm not sure who to ask about this. Which doctor? If I ever had this problem before all of this started, I don't know about it or maybe it didn't have the same effect, or how to correct it. I think it goes back to even before the treatments but does it go back to before the cancer. What happens if nobody awakens me? So many questions.

  Lisa and Cody brought me some of the wonderful sour dough bread she makes. Thank you both for that. I ate 4 thin pieces bathed and toasted in Amish butter and then smothered in Applebutter. If fattening and delicious go together, I should have gain a few pounds. I can't wait to make a sandwich from it with some turkey and cheese. That bread is even good just by itself. It was also very good to meet you Cody and remember... you can do this. You have wonderful, good parents and the apple never falls far from the tree. That gives you an excellent head start in life and it looks as though you are following it well.