Monday, August 11, 2008

Day 9 - you are not the only one

After two days without a session it's a bit harder to get back into it. Nine sessions are done but knowing there are 24 more to come and understanding the impact is exponential I have to admit I'm a bit worried. I was able to recover a bit over the weekend but I often feel tired. On Saturday I got up at around 8:30 and felt tired all day long until I went biking. Biking went well - I'd say I'm able to perform at 90% of my regulare pace. I maybe did 30 km at 1200m alltitude difference.

I still can taste some of the food but it continious to change. The eating is ok - unfortunately swallowing starts hurting. As expected with my condition the oral flora is getting damaged quicker and candida is spreading rapidly again. Over time my candida has developed full tolerance for all regular anti-fungal agents. There are only a few options left but since I'm experienced with candida, I can get the medication I need. I've decided to do a 5 day Cancidas treatment. As always these drugs are extremly expensive at the beginning. A 50 mg dosis of Cancidas costs CHF 900 and lasts for one day. Cancidas is taken as an intravenous infusion. Lucky enough I've convinced doctors long time ago to allow me managing these infusions myself. Imagine I would have to go to yet a different doctor for this too. Let's see how candida looks in a few days. It's not uncommen to get a candida infection during radiation but usually you can control it with Ampho-Moronal or Diflucan.

Initially I believed to be one of just a few people who have to undergo oral radiation treatment. I was taught differently. In Zurich they have more than 30 patients every day on the same system. Most of them are older than me. Some of them (including me) walk in and out like picking up some medication at a drug store. Others come in wheel chairs and others are being brought down from the sleeping rooms in their beds. There isn't much talking between patients. I guess no one wants to be a sick man under sick men - I for sure not.

Today before I was asked to enter the radiation room an older man just left in his wheel chair. We looked at each other for a second, turned our faces and a few seconds later looked at each other again. We smiled - not a "hey how are you doing smile" - more like a smile between two kids that just have been caught doing something forbidden. He already got his lecture and I'm just about to get it. Of course we didn't do anything forbidden but it doesn't feel right to be there and maybe that explains why people don't want to engage too much.

Breakfast
  • 4 slices of bread with jam¨
  • two cups of green tea
  • one yogurt
  • one kiwi
Lunch
  • fish and vegetables
  • some rice and some couscous
Snack
  • tuna sandwich
Dinner
  • fennel & fish & risotto

1 comment:

poxet 60 reviews said...

This post is a great resource for so many blog things. Thanks for the info. Excellent article! We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the great writing. A debt of gratitude is in order for your glorious posting! I very delighted in understanding it.