Yesterday, another test and follow up visit at Rush Medical was our outing for the week. With Covid finding new and unusual suspects lately, we have been pretty much hermits trying to keep Suzanne safe.

First up, a video fluoroscopic swallowing exam. The goal was to see what damage the radiation did to Suzanne’s ability to swallow. It uses a special real-time form of x-ray called fluoroscopy that records what she swallows.

I was able to watch as Suzanne swallowed a variety of items ranging from thin liquid barium to barium covered gram crackers. When the study was complete, the Doctor reviewed the videos with us and shared how Suzannne’s swallowing has not been impaired at all from her treatments and expressed his delight in the results.

Depending on whether you are a coincidence person or a God Wink person, our Tuesday visit to Rush was good timing. As it turns out, I had noticed over the weekend that Suzanne’s breath had developed an unusual order. Not a fun thing to tell your wife, but her breath was horrible.

On Sunday, I emailed the Radiation staff and on Monday, they made arrangements to meet us after her throat study. As it turns out, Suzanne has Thrush, a yeast-like fungus that grows in the mouth and throat and is very common with throat cancer patients. So I’m calling FS tomorrow to get her a fungicide (actually Hudson’s in Paxton).

Along with the diagnosis, a quick review of her current progress provided some new ideas to help with her dry mouth. Suzanne was also given some optimistic views on the timeline to returning to normal.

Our trips to Rush are not the highlight of our week as they always end up being a full day from early morning to early evening. But if these visits are what ensures our lifetime of happiness, what’s a day or two out of the next 9,125 ?

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
Psalm 6:2