Today I went back to HBOT. The Colonel wasn't there again, he is still ill. We got a new person in today, his foot exploded. He is a diabetic. HBOT went well, a bit long but then again they had to go over what to do with the new guy. Funny, it is now second nature to me, all the things we do each day. Popping the ears, wearing the hoods, placing the cushions, the water... it is all too familiar. downing was in rare form again today, Gary set him off again. When people talk at me and get in my personal space I thank God that Lewis Byrd trained me to stand there and take it. Picture the Marine Sargent in the movie "Full Metal Jacket". Applicable in that condition but not this one. Perhaps that is why Jesus said "Physician Heal Thyself".
My hair is still curly and has grow slower than I'd like but it is growing, I still don't need a haircut. Denise still hates my beard, lol. My fingernails and toenails are slowly growing the rings out of them. I am told that Chemo even stops your nail growth and that is what caused it. My skin is back dark again but I still have to wear sunblock on my neck plus a big hat.
The neuropathy is an anybody's guess as to how bad it hurts and when it hurts... but it is for sure it will. Usually it in later in the day when it gets bad but occasionally it starts out that way. I would imagine that another dose added each day would help with the pain but it also kills my balance even more. The current level of pain is tolerable until it gets wound up and the balance lost I can compromise for as far as walking. I did discover that I cannot stand for too long.
The energy level after HBOT is exhilarating most days but short lived. Until this oppressive heat set in I was able to get some things done. In the heat though I cannot breathe, so I am confined to only short burst outside. Most of the people I know who have had throat or mouth radiation say the same thing. I still hit these walls, we all hit them only this is a hard wall and the second wind never comes.
My strength is picking up some, actually quite well. Unfortunately so is my weight. While I have grown a garden I really don't like anything except the green beans and melons, everything else is like by everybody else... I just like growing one.
My voice still sounds like "The Godfather", lol, but it beats "Sling Blade". My throat still hurts, sometimes in a way I have to take something for breakout pain, sometimes not. The thing is though... sometimes not, something that wasn't just a few months ago. I have pains that my body send I would imagine from the Chemo or all the abuse this treatment has done but it isn't nothing that I can't live with.
Going to the beach always clears up my NHL and so that part is normal, thing is, it is clearer than ever before and staying clear. I am not sure but this HBOT could work and indeed seems to work on CTCL. Oxygen kills cancer so I see no reason why not.
I turned in my application for retirement to UPS/IBT to get it started. I hope I get back to where I was but somehow I doubt that will happen. we are 1 month away from having the scan run to see if I am clean and if my lymph nodes are clear.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
7-1-2010
Happy Birthday Misty April Henry!!! Big 31.
HBOT went well today but the colonel was awol, he got sick yesterday and hopefully he is ok.
Me and Charlie ate a LJS... big mistake, lol. But we thought we'd try something new.
Megan and me watched a movie then I got up and picked about 2 bushels of green beans, greasyback and 1/2 white runners. Megan is breaking them and tomorrow Denise will can them. The rest of the beans are spotty and not full. Off to be again. My pain level has dropped to an ok level, leg cramps hurt though.
HBOT went well today but the colonel was awol, he got sick yesterday and hopefully he is ok.
Me and Charlie ate a LJS... big mistake, lol. But we thought we'd try something new.
Megan and me watched a movie then I got up and picked about 2 bushels of green beans, greasyback and 1/2 white runners. Megan is breaking them and tomorrow Denise will can them. The rest of the beans are spotty and not full. Off to be again. My pain level has dropped to an ok level, leg cramps hurt though.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
006-30-2010
HBOT went well despite I am feeling poorly still. The Colonel got sick today but almost made it through it. I have once again, this time stepping it up, had pain in my joints, lightheaded, an d soft bowels with fresh blood in the once again.
My intentions were to pick beans but that didn't happen. The virus that was on the computer was one thing I got fixed, but in the 20 minutes to run it I fell asleep and slept until Charlie called. This has to stop. I slept the whole day away and got nothing done. I'm not sleepy tonight yet it takes all my energy just to type this in. Twice I have had to take something for break through pain, and I'm about to do it again. On the bright side, my computer is fixed, lol.
Happy Birthday Misty... big 31!
My intentions were to pick beans but that didn't happen. The virus that was on the computer was one thing I got fixed, but in the 20 minutes to run it I fell asleep and slept until Charlie called. This has to stop. I slept the whole day away and got nothing done. I'm not sleepy tonight yet it takes all my energy just to type this in. Twice I have had to take something for break through pain, and I'm about to do it again. On the bright side, my computer is fixed, lol.
Happy Birthday Misty... big 31!
Monday, June 28, 2010
06-28-2010
I am a bit late logging in, I had to use IE instead of Firefox since Firefox wouldn't log into the account for some reason.
I hit a heavy fatigue after starting out so well. I even fell asleep in the tub, lol. I haven't had to use anything though for break through pain, already I am pretty much use to it after a few days. The next step will be the final one though, can't wait. My neuropathy is worse tonight after a calm morning.
My voice started weak this morning but it is a little better tonight. That is the norm though.
Happy birthday Dale, Dennis, & Debbie. Glad you all hit 50 before I did, lol.
I hit a heavy fatigue after starting out so well. I even fell asleep in the tub, lol. I haven't had to use anything though for break through pain, already I am pretty much use to it after a few days. The next step will be the final one though, can't wait. My neuropathy is worse tonight after a calm morning.
My voice started weak this morning but it is a little better tonight. That is the norm though.
Happy birthday Dale, Dennis, & Debbie. Glad you all hit 50 before I did, lol.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
06-27-2010
Yesterday was a day of pretty much sleep. I did wake up and maintained a decent voice for the first time in a long time, but it didn't last long after eating a spicy whatever. Today has been a day of laying around... just no energy.
Friday, June 25, 2010
06-25-2010
After another pretty much sleepless night Denise woke me up for HBOT this morning. My throat had swollen enough to block taking my pills as usual only now I have this rush of pain in as my patch has been cut in half. This makes it dangerous enough to take all the regular meds but for some reason the Lortab will not go down, so I measure out about 10mg of liquid Morphine. One would think this is a large amount and indeed it probably is but that makes the pain tolerable. My voice was weak and painful.
HBOT went well but it wasn't until afterward that I regained a partial voice, only to be gone in a few hours. The pain slowly edged up again but rather than take another dose I just sat and turned on the TV. I decided that was safer after going to the tomato garden to get Misty some Tommie Toes and Matt some regular tomatoes and spent 10-15 minutes wondering where I was passing out at after I fell. I eventually came to the conclusion that I couldn't direct where I would be or how long it would be before anybody found me. I did have to wait while the world spun around. This was looong after the booster had expired and the pain was back. That is when TV looked pretty good. I eventually made my rounds with the veges to them and Charlie before I stopped though. I stayed there until Denise came home.
we went to Walmart to exchange the weedeater she had bought, they didn't do it even though the sales lady said with additional insurance it would be no problem if anything happened to it. Lessen learned, do not buy Walmart's insurance plan... it is a joke at best, a crime at worse. I did take 10mg to be able to tolerate going there and semi-speaking.
Tonight, after more TV junk, I will take 10mg to sleep earlier, maybe. I may have to start out wit it tomorrow and I hate to take it but 2-3 hours sleep a night just ain't cuttin it. I believe this has happened on each step down. Thanks to Kim, each step has been less severe... they could have been worse. Within a few days my body should get use to the lack of it and advance in pain.
HBOT went well but it wasn't until afterward that I regained a partial voice, only to be gone in a few hours. The pain slowly edged up again but rather than take another dose I just sat and turned on the TV. I decided that was safer after going to the tomato garden to get Misty some Tommie Toes and Matt some regular tomatoes and spent 10-15 minutes wondering where I was passing out at after I fell. I eventually came to the conclusion that I couldn't direct where I would be or how long it would be before anybody found me. I did have to wait while the world spun around. This was looong after the booster had expired and the pain was back. That is when TV looked pretty good. I eventually made my rounds with the veges to them and Charlie before I stopped though. I stayed there until Denise came home.
we went to Walmart to exchange the weedeater she had bought, they didn't do it even though the sales lady said with additional insurance it would be no problem if anything happened to it. Lessen learned, do not buy Walmart's insurance plan... it is a joke at best, a crime at worse. I did take 10mg to be able to tolerate going there and semi-speaking.
Tonight, after more TV junk, I will take 10mg to sleep earlier, maybe. I may have to start out wit it tomorrow and I hate to take it but 2-3 hours sleep a night just ain't cuttin it. I believe this has happened on each step down. Thanks to Kim, each step has been less severe... they could have been worse. Within a few days my body should get use to the lack of it and advance in pain.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
06-24-2010
HBOT went well today despite a rough nite of sleeping. I slept everywhere, lol. I woke up once because I crashed into the closet, once into the door, man did those hurt. I ended up this morning with Denise waking me up in my recliner and my right shoulder killing me where I must have slept on it wrong. In a recliner??? John dove with us this morning. Did I spell that right?
I'm at 12mg now and tonight I had to take extra before bed, the pain level went up. I done a lot of talking today. I think I'll do just fine, I just need to get adjusted to this.
My after treatment nap didn't work out too well, actually it didn't happen. I move so slow and I am so behind that before I know it it's bedtime. Have you ever been so behind that it looks like you are ahead, lol. Before my friends ask, it is nothing that is pressing and I do appreciate the offers of help. I have to push myself so that maybe I can rebuild.
Missy, the way the dives work is the Chamber holds 10 people at a time with very comfortable seats and even a TV. It is usually too loud in there to hear so closed caption is used along with audio. We call it diving. Before the dive begins, while we are in the waiting room either and usually as a team Chad, John, or Gary will take each person's blood pressure, temperature, and have a series of questions they ask and then we sign the form. For those that are Diabetic they take a reading by sticking the finger. We are all clothed in scrubs and no metal, glasses if not titanium can be worn, mine are titanium which heat up, and no shoes. We load in the Chamber. The Chamber is pressurized slowly until you at 45 ft of pressure. Like diving 45 ft below the water, henceforth the term Diving. They place two foam pads to take pressure off your legs and feet. Blankets are distributed and they cover up up if you want them like in the Chemo Hut, except the Chemo Hut's were warmed up in a dryer first. They pass out water. Then they had the bottom portions of a hood that fit with latex sealing your neck they put on and attach the air lines, 2, to the bottom of the ring. Once pressure is stabilized a plastic hood is placed over and snaps to the ring and the O2 is turned on inflating it. We look like those bobble head dolls, lol. Each dive is about 2 hours give or take and nobody is compromised, anything goes wrong or even remotely looks like it and the dive stops. After we reach pressurization if anything goes wrong they can depressurize you in the decompression chamber pretty fast, but when you enter Dr Downing is already there waiting for you to enter. The EMT takes care of you until the decompression chamber is pressurized for you to enter. In my case that day Chad, GG's cousin.
There is a small room attached that is an emergency decompression chamber and the the observation room on the other side of it where monitors, cameras, and audio are ran. We are accompanied by one of the EMTs (John, Gary, Chad). They constantly watch and assist and monitor everybody and another EMT, plus either Dr Downing and a lot of times Sherry is in the observation room watching and listening as well, if her other duties are fulfilled. Nothing gets by these people. I would say that ICU or in my case CCU is not watched over as well as here. They pull off a treatment like it is a piece of cake... smooth. They are probably the best team I have ever seen in action. It is nothing short of amazing how observant and compassionate they are, but funny and smart at the same time.
They would have to drug me even more than when I took radiation in one of the single person chambers, probably knock me out, lol. Even though I am extremely claustrophobic, I seldom have a problem with it. The Bulkhead Door seals and still there is plenty of room in there. It almost looks like Portholes in places, but they are fake ones, lol. They do an early dive and a midday dive.
I'm at 12mg now and tonight I had to take extra before bed, the pain level went up. I done a lot of talking today. I think I'll do just fine, I just need to get adjusted to this.
My after treatment nap didn't work out too well, actually it didn't happen. I move so slow and I am so behind that before I know it it's bedtime. Have you ever been so behind that it looks like you are ahead, lol. Before my friends ask, it is nothing that is pressing and I do appreciate the offers of help. I have to push myself so that maybe I can rebuild.
Missy, the way the dives work is the Chamber holds 10 people at a time with very comfortable seats and even a TV. It is usually too loud in there to hear so closed caption is used along with audio. We call it diving. Before the dive begins, while we are in the waiting room either and usually as a team Chad, John, or Gary will take each person's blood pressure, temperature, and have a series of questions they ask and then we sign the form. For those that are Diabetic they take a reading by sticking the finger. We are all clothed in scrubs and no metal, glasses if not titanium can be worn, mine are titanium which heat up, and no shoes. We load in the Chamber. The Chamber is pressurized slowly until you at 45 ft of pressure. Like diving 45 ft below the water, henceforth the term Diving. They place two foam pads to take pressure off your legs and feet. Blankets are distributed and they cover up up if you want them like in the Chemo Hut, except the Chemo Hut's were warmed up in a dryer first. They pass out water. Then they had the bottom portions of a hood that fit with latex sealing your neck they put on and attach the air lines, 2, to the bottom of the ring. Once pressure is stabilized a plastic hood is placed over and snaps to the ring and the O2 is turned on inflating it. We look like those bobble head dolls, lol. Each dive is about 2 hours give or take and nobody is compromised, anything goes wrong or even remotely looks like it and the dive stops. After we reach pressurization if anything goes wrong they can depressurize you in the decompression chamber pretty fast, but when you enter Dr Downing is already there waiting for you to enter. The EMT takes care of you until the decompression chamber is pressurized for you to enter. In my case that day Chad, GG's cousin.
There is a small room attached that is an emergency decompression chamber and the the observation room on the other side of it where monitors, cameras, and audio are ran. We are accompanied by one of the EMTs (John, Gary, Chad). They constantly watch and assist and monitor everybody and another EMT, plus either Dr Downing and a lot of times Sherry is in the observation room watching and listening as well, if her other duties are fulfilled. Nothing gets by these people. I would say that ICU or in my case CCU is not watched over as well as here. They pull off a treatment like it is a piece of cake... smooth. They are probably the best team I have ever seen in action. It is nothing short of amazing how observant and compassionate they are, but funny and smart at the same time.
They would have to drug me even more than when I took radiation in one of the single person chambers, probably knock me out, lol. Even though I am extremely claustrophobic, I seldom have a problem with it. The Bulkhead Door seals and still there is plenty of room in there. It almost looks like Portholes in places, but they are fake ones, lol. They do an early dive and a midday dive.
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