Hicups ...

First question, what is the most effective way to stop hicups? Any and all suggestions are welcome. This started yesterday after my chemo treatment. I know the last time I saw a rabitt, I tried holding my breath and drinking water real fast but to no avail! The headache has gone and there is no residual weakness. Slept good last night. Praise God.
I was supposed to take the Tarceva pill this morning at 7 am, but I was belching strawberries from last night - huh? So finally around 11 am I was able to take it. You have to take it on a completely empty stomach or it can lose a % of its effectiveness. Another fact is that you have to thoroughly wash your hands after touching the
pill. So reading the label is good.
Secondly, our outgoing e-mail is not working properly. When we attempt to "send", it completely kicks us off-line. Very aggravating, but just know that we are getting all of your e-mails and we are not ignoring you. Russell had a funny comment about 'no moe chemo'. I had to laugh.
Warning, medical talk ahead!
There was also a medical question about the mouth sores from Christi W. a potential side affect of the chemo. Here is what the nurse told me: Mix 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda (not baking powder) with 1 quart of water (sounds like grandma's remedy). Rinse and spit 5 small mouthfulls - 5 to 10 times per day, especially after brushing. Brush with a softbristle toothbrush after you eat anything. Do not let food particles stay in your mouth - using a waterpic set at a comfortable pressure level is also very helpfull. Make a fresh batch everyday, don't use yesterday mix.
From what I understand, this prevents the sores from forming since they start in the mouth and work their way down to the digestive tract. So the idea is to stop them before they start. If this mix does not do the trick, definitley notify your Dr. for something stronger. Do not use alchol based mouthwash either. Using dental floss may cause bleeding which, in the case of the chemo I am taking, may cause easy bleeding if the platelet count gets below normal - and then it may be difficult to stop the bleeding. Staying on top of any and all symptoms with a journal is a good idea. Don't be afraid to call your Dr. with symptoms either.

I read a really good qoute from Kirk Douglas, he said this in response to a question about his stroke and the resulting speech impediment. " So what if my stroke left me with a speech impediment? Moses had one , and he did alright." What a way to look at his situation.

If you read this and don't have a home church you regularly attend, come visit us at Hosanna on Goodwood Blvd by Airline Hwy - right across from Woman's Hospital. Service starts at 10:15 a.m. Hope to see you there. George.