This week has been rough for Caleb and crew. The side effects of the chemo are brutal!!! He is pretty miserable and it is almost unbearable to watch him be so miserable! The chemo has caused really horrible sores in the mouth and that does not couple well with the outrageous appetite the steroids create. He stays really hungry but he can't eat well - just imagine how that plays out! His body is really achey and he just feels lousy. The reality is - it has been brutal.
Today is Monday and so it is chemo day again. Cal is back for another round. Crazy how this medicine that is making him well makes him so miserable in the process. PLEASE pray for Caleb. Specifically pray for Caleb's mouth to get better and for all the side effects to lessen. Also pray for his sweet parents as they care for him and hurt with him. It is just rough not matter how you look at it!
Prayers to Caleb (lots and lots) to heal his mouth and also for his family so they can continue to support him.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the sores. It's a pretty common side effect to chemo and sometimes covers the lips, mouth and even throat of the patient. Definitely not fun. They probably already told you this on Monday when you were in there but there's another type of "mouthwash" they can give you that helps a little. It's a specially formulated medicine that combines lidocaine with some other medicine like pepto bismol or milk of magnesia (I forget which). Whatever the second ingredient is, it's something that helps coat the mouth and throat and keeps the lidocaine in contact for a little longer.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't last that long but it's something that might help him feel better long enough to eat. Another bad thing with the mouth sores is that if they get bad enough and in his throat his mouth fills with saliva but it hurts too much to swallow. Some kind of a gentle way to suction the saliva out of his mouth is very helpful. In the hospital they have suction devices in every room but you may be able to find something at Walgreens if it gets that bad. Even if it's just one of those baby nose things, it might help.
Good luck to you guys. It's painful and tough to watch but doesn't last forever. hopefully his will clear up soon.
PS - thanks for the shout out to Devin. We're pretty proud of her
The Duncan's