mo&fran

This first thing that happened while on our last cruise was I started having issues swallowing while eating. then I felt a lump om my neck, just towards the end of the cruise. went to the dr as soon as we got home, that started the process where we are today. The bad thing is that the radiation could cause the mass to swell and i will not be able to swallow my food. The solution to prevent this from happening is to have what is called a PET tube in my belly to allow nutrition to feed into my stomach. That is done. Today, we have a telehealth call from a nutrition person whole is supposed to be able to order a supply of food that can be fed through the PET, should that become necessary. All in preparation for what may happen. Not that it all goes smooth. The person that schedules the nutrition person called yesterday and said the first appointment was the end of September. That is not going to work. If I need this, it has to be in the next week. Second call was scheduled to 200 today. This whole process from early on is that 'next available is a week' for an appointment, but cancelations occur and we got in quicker. Always a sigh of relief, but stressful none the less.

I will add one more post to this discussion. I only drink soda when cruising as a mixer to my acholic drink, and I only do that during happy hour. Back to the cup. After the restart, we were booked B2B on Odyssey. My mixer of choice is caffeine free diet Coke. I asked for it, and the bar waitress said ther only source was the freestyle machine. I had been told this before, but I had never had the only choice to buy it. WE had been getting these free drinks, I will buy the cup. At the beginning of the second cruise, I told the waitress I guessed I needed a new cup. She said the cup will still work. And it did. And so it goes. I put the cup in the machine, this cup is good till dd//mm/year, which means it is good for my whole trip. Unless it is longer, in which case I will buy another. Before the shutdown, I had fairly good success at the CF Coke being available. Not so now. We love cruising, do it as much as we can. It even got better. I now get 6 free drinks a day.

The mooring lines that really intrigue me are when two ships tie up to the same post and do it in away that they don't interfere with the other ship untying. If I watch it seems simple, then go crazy trying to remember what they actually did.

so far so good. should be a week or 2 for any bad stuff to show up.

Dental guys have talked about dry mouth, and I have a couple of products they have recommended. Oncologist has talked about the issue with swallowing food, and the GI has installed a PET tube so food and meds can bypass throat. A nutritionist is calling tomorrow to discuss sourcing the food part. Oncologist said after a week or so it could be an issue, but she said they just had a patient receive the same treatment without issue. I think the swallow issue (I hope) for our Oct 7 cruise. May find out otherwise later. Based on what I have related , any comments that I would not have thought to ask is always appreciated. I do use gmail , and i am franinpbg.

First radiation treatment completed. 10 minutes from home to Dr office. treatment takes about 15 minutes. Out side temp at midday 94 with feels like 116. we will be doing that every weekday, about 5 weeks. only issue with the time is it is prime time for afternoon popup thunderstorms, torrential rain. Although not today. Yet.

Not to worry. We rarely go to any of the lounges any more. Can't get kicked out if we are not there.

the reason I get the cup is to get soda that is only available from the freestyle machine.

Second chemo treatment and FIRST radiation today. The journey begins. Hope this works.

I actually had a crew member let me know it was still good on the second cruise. The cup actually told me how long it as good for.

Price for the cabana is not per person, it is per cabana. If you purchase pre cruise, only buy for one person, because it will charge for everyone. You are correct, prices are outrageous, but occasionally see prices similar to pre shutdown.

I would imagine the cup only becomes active when it is used for for first time and that starts a 2 week timer that the cup works. If you are on the ship for 2 weeks, it will work for the second week also. If on a B2b 6/8 . pay for the 6 days, it will work for the following 8 days also. Buy it pre cruise for a discount.

I'm ready for smooth. Enough bumps in the road.

We were Elite of Celebrity before I got on a Royal cruise, so I was a Diamond on my first cruise. DW had been doing girls winter cruises, so she already had a bunch of points, just not enough for diamond. It was her additional points that got us to Pinnacle. I still have a few more to get to 700, but not many.

So far, so good. Haven't been able to start radiation treatment. TRying to figgure out what is going on.

But you will be Elite with Celebrity.

A lot of condo associations here install heat pumps in their pools. Cools the water in the summer, warms in the winter.

October is B4B , 4th week our free PIN cruise. Then next up B2B on Grandeur in Late Jan. We do have to wonder down to Mia occasionally, I am glad we use a car service to deal with the traffic.

You had better believe I will. If all goes well, we have 4 cruises booked on Adventure starting Oct 7. Shooting for all treatments to be completed and no after effects to change plans. Should be a group of CCers' on the third cruise.

There are soo many reasons to buy the package, none due to the sugar BS. It is not that we want lots of sodas, we get choices that only Freestyle offers. Before the shutdown, my first request was for caffeine free, and hope for the best. Worked maybe 80-90% of the time. I slept much better those trips. Post shutdown, I gave up and bought the cup. Later, did it on the planner.

I want caffeine free diet Coke with my happy hour drinks. Only available in the free style Coke machines since the restart. I don't need all that caffeine. The alcohol is free. So I buy the mixer. Buy it on the pre cruise planner and get the discount.

My throat cancer treatment is finally started, Just had my first chemo. Now waiting for the radiation treatments to get scheduled, This all started when I noticed a lump on the side of my neck on our last cruise on May 20. Went to PCP the next week, who scheduled a CT scan that led to the initial diagnosis. Situation became a series of requirements that had to be completed , one after the other. Each step was with a new doctor. Because the cancer is in my throat, The process included a dentist, an ENT (ear,nose,throat). oral surgeon, GI (gastro) . We are lucky, most are booked solid, but given the situation, they found quick appointments where there were none available when we first called.

Before we got transferred to Ct in 1999, we lived in a more rural area here in Palm Beach County, and there was a vet who mostly treated horses, who would come around with his truck and take care of our dogs and cats. He wasn't expensive at all , especially compared to the fancy vet with her fancy clinic, who found ways to part her patients from their money.

I'll add a couple of notes to your comments. The hand washing facilities are only in place for the buffet since that is the only venue where you serve yourself. The suite breakfast is also a Pinnacle benefit, which I also really enjoy. It is so much nicer than dealing with Windjammer. The only exception is on Oasis class. I still like JR breakfast there. I tried the Chops breakfast there, but enjoyed JR more.

Plus,, as a diamond member, you get a discount on cabins, balcony and up, and a discount on internet when booked onboard.