Another Side Effect

Of course, one side effect is being tired.  This evening, I am exhausted as I woke up at 2 a.m. and could not get back to sleep.  (Did you know Cheers is on the Hallmark channel from 2 to 4 a.m.?)  And as we ran errands today - haircuts for boys, library, lunch, and BJ's - and Abigail power napped on the way home, my nap was not to be. 

But right now I am also struggling with mouth sores.  Not canker sores, per se, but a very sore throat and roof of the mouth as well as the sides of my tongue.  I have had it before but it is worse this time.  The oncologist's office was out of ice as I got the adriamyacin.  I usually crunch that as I get the infusion, the theory being the cold constricts the blood vessels to the tongue so it doesn't get as much of a reaction (sores) from the chemo.  This oncologist's office doesn't think much of the theory, but I didn't care.  And since my mouth is more painful this time, I am thinking there is something to the theory.

I am rinsing with my baking soda, salt and water.  And I am using my Magic Mouthwash (vile stuff).  Abigail will even say as she sees me take it, "That medicine is yucky, right, Momma?  You have yucky medicine."  It's some concoction of benadryl, maalox, and a numbing agent and who knows what else. 

And spicy and sweet foods irritate my mouth.  Of course, guess which two types of foods appeal to me most because I can taste them without some funky aftertaste?

Oh, well.  This too shall pass.  I keep repeating, "Halfway, halfway, halfway."  But if you choose to pray that my mouth would not be sore, I would appreciate it.