Purple

Week 5 is done!  This week it has been touch and go all week as to whether or not the treatment would even go ahead.  The doctors have been concerned due to the severity of my reactions to the treatment and have been assessing it every day.  At the beginning of the week there was discussion about possibly pausing the treatment for the week to allow my body to heal.  As the week progressed though and the burning and ulcers in my mouth didn't appear to be getting much worse the discussions changed to suggest only a few days down to maybe just Friday be a rest day.  In the end I've been able to withstand it all week and starting Monday the treatment area will be reducing down to focus just on the primary cancer site.  I feel so happy about having been able to keep going!  Now there are only 8 more treatments to go!  8!

You know how some mornings when you wake up, you stumble to the bathroom and you go to look at yourself in the mirror and you see that your face is missing? Well, I actually had that happen this week. I got up yesterday morning and found half my face on the pillowslip. I know, I can hear you saying, "Karen, stop, that's just nasty!"  My skin on my neck and chin, as you know, is burnt.  It has now started peeling and weeping.  In some spots it is also bleeding.  After treatment today I had a very lovely nurse gently, oh so gently, clean it all up before she applied some stuff to help it heal quickly and  to dry out the weepy spots.  Some Crystal Violet (Gentian Violet).  The only draw back is that it's purple.  (Check out my picture page!)  Now some of you that know me well will know that purple is a favourite colour of mine, but really, even this is pushing it!  We've tried a few different dressing options too but it's such a tricky area to dress I've just left it au naturale. 

So as week 5 finishes and week 6 approaches there are new challenges, hurdles, and yes, positives.  I have found the feeding tube to be the best decision made.  It has made drinking my cans and taking all the medications so much easier.  The pain in my mouth and throat has continued to worsen however the  morphine dosage has been adjusted accordingly.  My skin is so burnt and sore but is also being well looked after.   

We farewell my mother in law this weekend. She has been at our home for the last 5 weeks, helping to look after the boys, and doing general household cleaning.  As she goes my folks arrive.  They've booked into the caravan park around the corner from us until the end of January.  I'm really looking forward to spending time with them and having them around to help us out. They are both very practical people so I have no doubt the boys and I will be well cared for once Steve has to head back to work early in the new year.