There is a light at the end of the tunnel

We hope! This will take some time but at least things are in motion. I met with Dr. Adachi on Tuesday and she has started to schedule my final series of scans starting next week. This will go on for the better part of a month but once they are all completed and we get all three Dr's to review the results, the hope is obviously to find we are cancer fee and put finally put this nightmare behind me! To say I am rather anxious is an understatement as you might well expect.

Outside of that, as far as her findings and update, it is again all positive from a visual standpoint. We discussed my recurring pain issues as well as the difficulty I have developed in swallowing occasionally, specifically when I first wake up. You may recall I use the term "seized up" previously and ironic as that is exactly what happens. She explained there are a set of upper muscles in the throat that start the whole complex swallowing process and the radiation damages them in treatment making them tight just like the jaw muscles. This causes them to literally seize up and prevent me from swallowing. That is why this issue happens more often when I first get up as the muscles tighten up throughout the night. She says there is no way to tell if this is temporary, permanent or possibly might even get worse. She has one patient who is seven years out of treatment and is just now developing this same problem-WONDERFUL!! The punches just keep on coming on what we didn't know right.

In regard to the irritation and pain I get with some food items, this is still part of the healing process and in her very matter of fact manner, tells me to figure out what aggravates my throat and "STOP IT!" Makes perfect sense right-LOL. She is not too pleased on drinking of any sort.- Her opinion, especially on my find and theory on Kettle on the rocks, is "it's poison and not worth it." She lightens her tone slightly on beer and wine in moderation but very clear that she is not a fan for her patients period. She herself admits to drinking wine nightly with her dinner but quick to point out she not a patient. I'll have to run my own personal experiment and pay closer attention to any correlation between vodka and throat issues the next day and determine if that a "stop it" substance. If so it also fails my other Dr's opinion on the matter that I have no restrictions and can eat and drink whatever I care to and the body will tell me if it is OK. That said, I seem to have isolated tomatoes and related product as a food that will fall into the immediate "stop it" category as have noticed I always seem to have problems with them. Bummer!

We also discussed the alkaline diet I was told about and the benefits there. She agrees that cancers prefer an acidic (i.e alcohol) environment and that having a diet heavier in alkaline foods can't hurt-she doesn't necessarily subscribe to the entire theory. More of the Eastern versus Western medical theories but she, like me at this point, prefer a balanced healthy diet and that is bound to include certain foods considered acidic.

Anyway-that about it for this week-I'll certainly update more next week after the first scans are completed although doubt I'll have any feedback-the tech's never say much but it is a start. Right now I'm off to Costco as need to prepare for a little celebratory gathering tomorrow-my birthday as well as Moms but considering the health, this will be quite a test-looking like more people than I've had before so crossing my fingers I can pull it off! Hell, I even have one of my best friends from college flying in for the festivities from Denver-Now that is cool!