67%

Ernie now has 18 treatments out of the way and only 9 more to go!  It is great to be in the single digits.  We did have a bit of a scare this AM (just in time for Halloween) but, luckily, it was nothing that will interfere with his remaining radiation.

Ernie was breathing hard and was shaking during the night so I took his temp when he got up:  102.2!  It dropped to 101.2 before we caught the bus so we decided to do the radiation treatment and then have a nurse check his temp.  I was hoping that my $5.99 CVS thermometer was on the fritz. This time his temperature was 102.9. 

Everyone went into "hope for the best but plan for the worst' mode.  They immediately started IV fluids and scheduled a chest x-ray to determine if he had pneumonia.  In the meantime, we went for the previously scheduled swallowing study, which confirmed that he is, indeed, aspirating when he drinks water.  Since aspiration can cause pneumonia, this made the chest x-ray even more important. 

Thankfully, there was no sign of pneumonia.  Even better, the swallowing doctor cleared him to take liquids by mouth again, provided he swallows in a specific way that she taught him to prevent aspiration.

Ruling out pneumonia left the mouth sores as the likely cause of infection.  Of course, there is a pill for that too.  Ernie's meds are now so complicated that he has me check behind him after he fills the box.  However, this part won't last long.   Perhaps we will have a pill box smashing party at some point to celebrate his freedom from the meds.