Hello family and friends! Wow, I had no idea it had been so long since I updated you. I apologize. For several of the last weeks, I was trying to get through them.  I finished my 33 treatments on 7/11. Hallelujah! You can't start to heal till you finish the treatments. So I was very thankful to put that part behind me and ring the bell! The next 2 weeks, it got progressively worse. I was completely exhausted all the time and did nothing but sleep. My mouth and throat became even more painful.  At my last appointment with my oncologist last Monday, he thought I would be feeling better by now. I am feeling a little better, but not a lot. The recovery is very slow. I was trying to add some solid food to my diet, but the back of my throat is so raw that literally everything - for example, avocado and broccoli cheese soup both burn so much it feels like I've set fire to it with a match. So, for now, I'm trying to drink 2 Premier Protein drinks, which are not bad at all and have 30 grams of protein and 160 calories, and 2 cups of bone broth with protein powder. So I'm getting between 70 and 80 grams of protein. I am confident that I will be able to add solids once the blisters and rawness at the back of my throat heal a little. I did see the "swallowing" department a couple of weeks ago and they were pleased with how well I am swallowing. It seems that some people don't swallow at all for a period of time and their throats have to be retrained. Who knew? I am so thankful that is not my experience. I see the swallowing department again in the morning. Not sure why. :). But my voice is almost normal again, and I have been sleeping in my bed for more than a week! It is wonderful! I was able to work 2 hours a day last week and will try to increase it a little each week. I am not sleeping nearly as much, although my body really wants to sleep in the morning, so I'm working around that. I am nearly not as exhausted as I was, although sometimes I have a hard time figuring out when I need to stop and rest and then I hit the wall. I'm trying to be more aware of that. I am anxious to get back to normal life - working and eating and enjoying time with friends and family. I'm not sure when that will be my reality, but I am looking forward to it!! I am so thankful for all of you!  I'm thankful for your notes, texts, encouraging calls and visits. I am thankful for the flowers generously delivered by loving friends and family, and for links to songs and podcasts and sermons that encourage me and remind whose I am and that I am loved. I am thankful that Jesus has walked through this with me!! I am thankful for Christian Healthcare that has already reimbursed me or shared the initial charges! I am thankful for progress!! There were a couple of weeks there that it felt like it would never end. And now I see light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you for sticking with me through this. I love you all so much!! Joy

Joy Kreh

Update: July 31, 2022 – by Joy Kreh