Routine

We are falling into our new routine.  Each day, Monday through Friday, we leave the house at 7:10 AM to catch the bus to Johns Hopkins.  On Monday, Ernie has his blood drawn in addition to the radiation so we are home by 10AM.  On Tuesday, radiation treatments are supplemented by chemo.  This is our longest day, arriving home by 2:30.  Wednesday and Friday are radiation only so we get back to the apartment between 8:30 and 9:00 depending on if the radiation machine is running on time and how lucky we are in catching the bus.  Each Thursday after radiation, Ernie sees the Radiation Oncologist so we get back between 10 and 11.  On the weekends, we catch up on our sleep. 

It is harder to pretend we are on vacation now.  In addition to spending more time at the hospital, Ernie has all of his swallowing and jaw exercises to do, plus a twice daily skin care regime for the radiated area and all of the teeth cleaning to do the job that saliva used to do.  Eating also takes longer as he must take small bites and chew his food well. 

Despite all of this, he never complains.  His courage and fortitude are unbelievable.  If the shoe were on the other foot, he would be very sick of my whining by now.