The pain medications are working well to manage the throat pain. It's not going to "feel good" until I'm finished, but the feeling of swallowing broken glass is not as prevalent as it was last week. However, my throat feels more dry than ever, another common side effect from the radiation treatments. This results in a hacking cough that gets very close to nausea. I walk around with low-calorie Gatorade all day long, trying to get as much liquid in me as possible. I also set aside a couple of times of day to just eat, knowing that I'm never going to feel like eating with this throat, but eating for nutrition.
Radiation fatigue has set in and I now need to take a nap each day. In addition, I find myself needing to go to bed earlier each day. This, too, is temporary, and will recede almost immediately after the end of treatments.
My neurosurgeon called yesterday and he's got me set up for follow-up x-rays on the 25th. I will also see the oncologist on the 25th.
I will receive my second monthly bone strengthening injection on Saturday, as well as my second monthly shut-down-the-ovaries injection. After that, Art and I will spend the day in the city, celebrating my 50th birthday.
Yes, I get to turn 50 on Friday! I am so excited! I know that it's only a number and that the number in and of itself doesn't mean much, but it's a nice number. I will be hosting a cake party from 11:00 - 2:00 at my house on Friday, featuring a poppy seed cake from Prolific Oven! Anyone and everyone is welcome . . . let me know if you need the address. (No lunch . . . just cake and coffee/tea, etc.)
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:6-8)
Regardless of whether I live 50 years, 52 years, 60 years or 90 years . . . they are "grass" years. They will wither and fall, but God's word is forever. It is still my prayer that I respond to God's call to "love my people" because HIS love is eternal.