Three Things I leaned today

Magic Mouthwash is a (prescription) compound available from your pharmacy that typically includes Benadryl, Maalox, Lidocaine and sometimes other antifungal medicines. Cancer patients that have received radiation therapy often develop irritation in their esophagus called esophagitis and Magic Mouthwash can be of real benefit if you start to have problems swallowing.  

Magic Mouthwash is swished around in your mouth and held for a moment and then swallowed. The Maalox pulls the Benadryl and Lidocaine down with it and coats your throat.

Then you wait a couple of minutes while you go numb from the neck down and basically lose the ability to taste all food. Yes, it sucks. It is better than not eating.

I am very fortunate, and my case is very mild. If you have ever swallowed a bit of air just before you take a big drink of pop and then feel that pain as the gas expands that is exactly that I have been feeling for about a week. It is better with room temp drinks and foods and softer foods don’t seem to bother it much. Tonight I had ordered a lot of soft food, Cottage Cheese – Check, Mashed Potatoes – Check, Fruit Cup – No problem-o. Pizza – Uh oh. Set it aside and sent Denise out for ice cream. I know I said cold is bad, but you can let ice crème sit in your mouth and eventually it isn’t cold J

Genesis East has both Whiteys Ice Cream and a Starbucks

Each day that I have been here my loving wife has started my day by arriving to my room with a nice cup of Starbucks and a Yogurt with Granola. It is a great way for me to start the day and I rely less on the kitchen which frankly, for an all-inclusive resort, is pretty bad. During the bad times like when I say this pizza sucks or when you can’t get the attention of the nurse to bring you any Magic Mouthwash – Denise can simply run down and get some Whiteys Ice Cream. Somehow that is never a problem for me J

Virtual – When you are at the hospital and you see those little signs that hang out of rooms labeled Virtual – those are rooms that need a sitter, except they don’t pay a sitter anymore. Now they put a video conferencing device in the room so that one person can watch 18 beds or god knows how many so that they can use their limited resources to their fullest extent. Progress.