Phone calls almost every day now . . . nurses, health technicians, nutrition specialist, social workers, insurance company advisors, counselors and so on. Dr. Wahl said the chemo drug selected for me (Cisplatin) may affect aspects of my central nervous system, specifically my hearing. So I will be having hearing tests regularly before and during the time I have chemo treatments.
Nancy sent me a book – “Middlesex” by Jeffrey Eugenides. It's about an intersex person. I read it in two days. Not that I have had such an experience as Mr. Eugenides, but I am accepting that I may very well have some degree of intersex syndrome. Some day I'll have my hormone levels evaluated to substantiate the possibility but for now I'll just keep clutching the mask of manliness despite my boobs and girly butt.
. . .
I met with specialty nurse Bhark and Dr. Spiegel about radiation treatments and went to the radiology clinic to have a mask made for my face that will hold my head still during treatments. Also, Dr. Spiegel told me to see a dentist before radiation treatments. My old peridontal bones will be compromised by the radiation and the resulting damage could lead infection and festering bone sockets that take years to heal. Apparently I can avoid that horror if I have the weaker teeth removed before radiation.
. . .
Had my pre-chemo hearing test and my friend Bunk took me to my belly-tube appointment but while I was there I asked Dr. Rama why I was having the procedure done six or eight weeks before I would need tube feeding. He agreed that it seemed premature and let me leave unmolested. So Bunk and I went shopping at the Value Village thrift store. I got a really cute top.
September 28 - Dr. Brown (Keano Reeves) removed six teeth from my lower jaw that he felt would not survive radiation treatments. I cried myself to sleep when I got home.
No comments:
Post a Comment