Wednesday Jan 17

As of late, I have been drinking about 60-70 ounces of fluid a day. Mostly water, but some milk and juice in there as well. I thought I had been doing pretty well. Apparently not. I still wake up with a dry throat (even though I thought I just got over having a sore throat, it seems to have stuck around). I had been using NyQuil to help me sleep through the night and not wake up constantly from coughing and that dry mouth and throat feeling and once the roughest part was over, I stopped.

Then I brushed my teeth and all of a sudden my toothpaste made my mouth feel like it was on fire. I could barely make it through the brushing. Strangest thing. I've been using the same stuff for years. A minty scope one that is supposed to help with teeth whitening too or something like that. Never had a problem. Until today. Then I brushed them again later on and the same feeling happened. I could barely stand it. At this point I decided to look inside my mouth and see what might be the matter.

My tongue. It was disgusting. It looked like all those bumps had turned into razors and were ready to cut something. I googles "rough tongue" and came up with dehydration. WHAAAT?? I already felt like I was floating and couldn't possibly up my hydration. But. I guess. Challenge Accepted as Barney would say. I'll bump it up. My water bottle holds about 35 ounces (conservative guess as it goes to 32 ounces, and another inch or so to the top, so I'll guess 35). I'll drink two of those a day, 70, then a glass of milk somewhere, some juice, there's fluid in my fruits and such, and I'm sure it'll get close to 100. Seriously, 100?? Since when should someone drink that much fluid to stay hydrated. These chemo drugs sure do a number to people. And I barely have any issues compared to most. So here's to floating away!

Also...Chayse's office staff is pretty amazing. They have been working their tail feathers off to get a race together for me!! Can you believe it?? Most of the time I keep thinking "Why would someone do this for me? For us?" It's just an incredibly thoughtful thing for the Belle girls to be doing for our family. As soon as they found out I had cancer and why Chayse was gone so often to take me to all these scans and such, they set to work. It's been in the works for almost 2 months now and they have just done so much. I am in awe with their kindness. I am glad he has these wonderful women working with him at Belle Medical.

I also think I forgot to say they left me a sweet surprise on my doorstep for my birthday. Well, the worst one on record I think. But also one that was filled with more love, care and concern than I have ever received. So many loving friends reached out on the terrible biopsy day and let me know how much they care and they were just thinking of me. But I remember they left a loaf of delicious cinnamon bread (we used to make french toast, yum!), 12 cake bites, a birthday cream soda and some flowers. It was so thoughtful and I loved it all.

After listing all those delcious things, maybe I should eat something along with a big glass of liquid. And maybe not having to wake up in the middle of the night after all this fluid. Sure hope this cures me waking up each night with a dry throat too. Hmm.. Dreams?