Radiation is no fun

Hello everyone, sorry I have not kept you updated recently but it has been a tough few weeks for Pam. Pam is very fatigued and her throat is a mess from the radiation, and to top things off I threw out my back and have been hobbling around the house as well.

Radiation started two weeks ago and instantly became a worry because Pam caught a virus from Griffin. She had a fever for a few days and really felt lousy. Just as she came out of the virus, her throat really started bothering her. She has pretty bad sores due to the radiation. She has a lidicaine mixture she can take to help numb it so she can eat, but that makes her gag. She has some vicadin that she can take, but that makes her naseaus (sp?). So as you can see, we have quite a few pills flying around the house. That doesn't even count the steroids that I have been on to try and reduce the swelling in my back!

Anyway, I have stocked up on some ice cream, apple sauce, yogurt and such to try and get some things down with out severe trauma. Scrambled eggs work a little bit in the mornings. Pam has been very tired, going to bed every night around 7:30 and waking at 8 am. She also takes a nap or two during the day. This is because they are radiating such a large area and so many cells are involved. They are doing a CAT scan tomorrow and hopefully they will be able to reduce the area for the next 10 sessions and alleviate some of the effects (hopefully the throat!).
Being as strong as she is though, Pam did manage to strap on her skis on Friday afternoon and take a couple of runs at Sugarbush with her kids! They were so happy to have her there! She said it was worth the extra naps the next day to be with them for that.

We will continue with radiation for the next couple of weeks and then take a break before Pam gets the High Dose chemo and the stem cell transplant. Pam is very strong, but this is testing every bit of her. She is really pretty uncomfortable right now and is feeling pretty blue. Hopefully the change of season will help give her some energy for the next few months.

Once again we cannot thank you all enough for all of your support through this, the meals, the cards, the $, the cookies, the flowers, the surprises. It has been humbling. We appreciate it could not do it without you all. We wish it could be done, but need you all to hang in with us for a while longer while Pam continues to battle this awful disease with her power and grace that cannot lose.
Troy.