Dip

Zac is entering the post chemo dip now and his blood cell count is crashing.  Mucositis is starting and there is a lot of vomiting and diarrhoea.  Because he can’t tolerate the tube feeds anymore, he is placed on TPN again and will be solely reliant on this for his calories and nutrition.  He is on a mixture of 3 anti-sickness medicines which help to ease the vomiting somewhat.  His mouth is a mess; dry and ulcerated, and he spends most of the time awake spitting out thick, viscous saliva into a sick bowl as it’s too sore to swallow.  The red blood cell and platelet infusions start, as does the background morphine.