Week Two - Meet One of the Team

So I'm through my second week of the 7-10 week haul.  The second week is NOT a chemoT week.  The second week is good!

I mentioned previously that I came good on the Saturday (12 May), and that form has stuck with me the whole week, through to today (Sunday 20 May).  The nausea and resulting lack of eating caused me to lose a fair bit of weight over the chemoT week, about 4-5kg.  I now have chicken legs and no butt.  I wear a belt, so the 'no butt' is not a problem, and frankly I won't miss the wolf whistles every time I wear shorts, so the chicken legs can stay.
I have been eating like a teenage boy on a growth spurt, and have used my PEG tube 3-4 times this week to really make sure my weight stabilises.  I've managed to claw back a few kilos from my metabolism, which I think is racing along in a justifiable panic about the toxins and radiation attacking my body.

The week-daily radioT is starting to build up and cause some symptoms, with some mouth ulcers, mild throat pain, reduced salivary function and adjusted taste, taking some of the joy out of eating.  On the other hand, it is also building up and opening a can of 'whip-ass' on my neck tumours, which I feel are down below the size they were when I first detected them.  So that is encouraging.

Highlights this week include some awesome soup donations, sleeping through the night and my father and sister replacing my rented recliner, which you sat 'on', with my parents old recliner which, if you get too close, reaches out, grabs you and gives you a big hug.

This week I introduce my new single-episode segment; 'Meet The Team'.  I have my awesome team of medicos, but I also have my self-assigned support team.  Today I would like to introduce you to Sean Bushby from The Physio Studio at Goodwood. When I asked my Radiation Oncologist if there were any complementary therapies patients had used, which he felt had some anecdotal merit, regardless of any scientific evidence, he referred me to Sean.  Sean is a physiotherapist with a holistic approach to his discipline.  He also has advanced training in dry-needling. 

I was referred to Sean, because over the last 10 years he has been working with head and neck cancer patients to minimise, or reverse the effects of the radioT on their salivary glands.  He cautiously steps beyond the localised focus of dry-needling and into the realm of acupuncture, needling points in my ear and pointer finger in order to stimulate my salivary glands.  Most of Sean's patients to date, have come to him post radioT, looking for reversal of symptoms. and he has had some wins there.  Over the last six months, and in my case, we are looking to stimulate function weekly, through the course of the radioT and then work on reversing any reduced production in the weeks following treatment.  I have had some success with dry-needling for other injuries and I feel very lucky to have come across Sean and the team at The Physio Studio.

So next week is another chemoT-free week, and a chance to try and get back to my starting weight.  Just to add to the load on my Primary Support Team (which is my formal name for Alison), Ned is having surgery on Tuesday, to correct a small hole (fistula) in his palate.  He will be in Women's & Children's overnight and will then have to prise me off of the recliner for a few days of convalescence.  All he really cares about is that he should only miss one week of footy, with the added bonus of not being able to practice his trombone for a month.  So looking forward to some shared time on the couch with the little fella - he is studying WWI, so there may be some war movies lined up.

Bring on Week Three!

Me and my second-favourite RT Nurse Michelle - c'mon I have known Sammy for a while!

 If a man eats a really oily focaccia, but no one is there to see him eat it, does it add calories? 

(Hence the photo evidence).

 Thanks for the soup! With very thickly buttered toast!

 Sean Bushby - like Pavlov's dog, I now only have to say his name.

Now that's a recliner - good luck getting me out of this Nedder!