Second Weeks Up

The second week has gone by and we have got medications running a bit more efficiently. We are a third of the way through the first course. Which is seeing the best of that side of things. I have used google calendar to keep in touch with companions and carers - thanks so much to them. Google calendar is proving to be a great tool. I recommend it to anyone who needs to manage things like this.

When she is tired the dysphasia is worse. She was saying that when she tries to conceptualise on deep level things go blank. It's the first time she has seemed to try to analyse it. When she tries to imagine or see things that aren't related to the present surroundings it becomes harder to call things up. She says reading seems even more distant

She has been more tired and has been sleeping quite a bit. The Chemo and Radio is obviously setting in. On Saturday we went for a great walk along Cornelian bay in the warm morning sunlight. We waved to some friends who had sailed up from Nubeena and caught up with one of them later in the day.

The weeks are vast oceans between distant islands of weekends.

A book of friends and family are being put together so that it is easy for my partner to describe people that are being talked about in conversation. If you can send images of yourselves to me this would help.

Good Weekend But Little Movement

We had a good weekend. Specially Sat'dy with a walk almost to Cornelian Bay and a drive down to Sandfly to visit Mr M who wasn't there on Sunday.

Unfortunately things started to clog up down below and was contemplating another hospital visit on Monday night. The log jam was breached on Tuesday morning with a smile coming to my partners face. She is getting very tired during the day now with the R & C but managing and seemed well this morning. She has a speech therapy session this afternoon and we have had lots of friends and family send photos of themselves for her photo journal to help with her dysphasia

Had a great massage on Tuesday night - Thanks Little Buddhist! Days are busy and start at 5:30 and go to 10:30. Google calendars and docs are proving to be a a good way to keep in contact with carers. Thanks to them all.

Oncology Week One

First week of oncology treatment is completed. Had meeting with oncologist and everything is going pretty much as expected. My partner had a bit of fluid build up on the left side of her face but this has dissapated with some massage with sorbolene. She also had issues with symmetrical movements which aren't as symmetrical as they used to be last week. This is attributed to the amount of fluid built up in the brain which the Dex Meth looks after. There is the option to up the dose to counter this. We are at the typical dose of 4 mg per day at the moment.
We were going to go to our block of land at the weekend but thought the better of it. Just relax and take it easy at home.
Things seem to be more under control compared to the beginning of the week.

Day 1 Radio & Chemo Treatment

Had first day of Radio and Chemo yesterday. The 10 minute session predictably turned into and hour and a half while we searched for the pharmacology unit at the hospital. A few hours after taking the Temodal nausea and full on vomiting set in. Got home from work at six and immeadiately had to call around the hospital to get a doctor to tell casualty that we were coming in. Casualty was chockas. Had to drop my partner and go and park the car. They were pretty quick in getting the tablets to her and a rehydration icy pole. In 20 minutes we were right to go home. A friend who had cooked dinner for us had not been able to collect our son from basketball. I set off to find him bouncing in the dark at the local high school gym. We had tea and went to bed.
She is good this morning. Up early while I write this and making breakfast for herself.

Green tea facts from a 5th Year Cancer Survivor

I became interested in green tea after reading "Foods thet Fight Cancer" written by 2 Canadian cancer researchers, Richard Beliveau and Denis Gingras. According to them it is the catechins in tea which are responsible for the effect. The tea with the highest concentration of catechins is Japanese Sencha which can have up to 5 times the amount of other green teas. I buy mine online from a shop in Brisbane but I think there is a good tea shop in Hobart you could it at. The rolls royce of Sencha teas is Senca Uchiyama or Gyokuro.

The researchers recommend brewing for 8-10 minutes. Anything under 5 minutes results in only 20% of the extraction of catechins. A short brew of an inferior tea can result in 60% less catechins.