Dr. I. Won Feelgood will see you now. Won't you come in ?

 It's Tuesday and I went to dental surgery for the initial exam.Fifteen teeth to be pulled. In January of 1987 I had a truck wreck where I went off of a bridge. That took care of most of the rest. I still have three of my wisdom teeth and the dentist back in '87 said I have some of the longest roots he had ever seen. I asked today if they were going to put me out and he said no. They were to concerned about my airway being blocked so it would just be local. ( I need a fifth of Diazepam stat !!!). The dentist in '87 took 2 1/2 hours to pull five teeth that were too broken to save ( the rest having been left in the snow and asphalt in Kansas). Hmmm.  15/3=5   5x2 1/2 = 12 1/2. So I'm hoping and praying that something goes right and I'm able to get out of that chair before dark. No eating or drinking after midnight. I hear that before almost every procedure, but the nutritionist says I need to fatten up before I start radiation.
 We left the dentist and went to the ENT clinic to talk to them about my pain. It's been three weeks since my tonsillectomy and I still have a hot spot in my throat. The Dr. there said that it was the cancer coming through into my throat. So after a quick look in my mouth to confirm this, the Dr. ordered more pain meds and told me in no uncertain terms that if I wanted to manage this pain I must take it AS PRESCRIBED. After a knowing glare from the Dr. ( I think that they think that I think I'm the man of steel or something ) I promised I would. This pain is like a glowing red hot steel ball or sometimes just as if they had scraped it with a scalpel on the side of my throat. And God help me if I drink something cold. It's like an ice cold nail that goes into my neck an inch or so and then goes straight up into my brain. Man of steel be damned, gimme the damned meds.
 Next stop was nutrition to let them know we had received the nutritional supplements, but no syringes to put the stuff in. They said they would give me a few from the pharmacy if they didn't show up soon and then they would reorder. Teresa asked her what would happen if some liquor was to wind up in the tube ( she knows me all too well ). They assured us that it would not damage the tube but to be careful what meds are mixing with it and to check with chemo when I get to talk to them about alcohol in general.
 Then we went to radiology-oncology to find out when I might be starting that. Half of the office was out so the nurse took our phone no. and called later to say I was set up for Mar.5th for the initial exam. There they will measure my head to figure out exactly where to aim the glow in the dark machine. I've been told that if the chemo doesn't get my hair the radiation damn sure will. At least in the area to be irradiated, and if it ever comes back it will be around five years. Thankfully it's on my neck and not in the middle of my head. I remember what I looked like in basic training after the buzz cut and it's not a good look on a big white guy. Looks more redneck than anything.
 Last stop was the pharmacy and after an hour wait I picked up my meds. The ENT doc had asked me if I wanted pills or liquid for the hydrocodone and I had said liquid. It coats my throat and gets to the source much quicker. And believe me when you're putting out this fire you want it out now, not in 45 minutes. The liquid comes in a 16 oz. bottle and I wound up with three of them and some stuff they call Mary's Magic Potion. I'll let you know just how magic it winds up being.

 Thursday    PEG tube installed