ENRICHMENT

This is Radiumhospitalet - the Norwegian National Hospital for Radiotherapy and Cancer Treatment. This week we've visited on two occasions, and both times I've walked out with a feeling I can best describe as RELIEF. Not happiness, no - but yes, relief mixed with a small hope that at least some things are going to take a turn for the better now. Always pleased when I learn something new! For me all knowledge is an enrichment, and what I've been taught these days is also incredibly useful!

Talking about enrichment - "enriching food" is not a term I'm used to, and not something I've ever done purposely. But I'm doing it now! The dietitian at the hospital's patients' centre - Vardesenteret - yes, we finally met with her - told us what to mix in my husband's food to make him put on weight. Protein powder to mix in soups and purées, carbohydrate powder to mix in sweeter food and drinks, oil-based shots to take three times a day. All this stuff is packed with calories and will both add weight to his thin body and hopefully increase his appetite as well.

I'm over the moon about this "break-through," but at the same time I'm upset because I can't help feeling that this should have been done a long time ago. My already burdened conscience shouldn't have to deal with these emotions - I should have been told that these food enrichment possibilities were available the minute my husband started his rapid weight loss. The doctors only told him to eat more! But when he wasn't able to get food down this should have been the option straight away! The dietitian explained to him that if he didn't start with the weight increase now, the next step would be hospitalisation with intravenous feeding. I think this motivated him because he's already accepting all my "enriched" food AND seems to be knocking it back! (Well, "knocking back" might be an exaggeration, but maybe "tentatively swallowing?")

Our second visit to the radiotherapy hospital took place this afternoon - to receive the results from my husband's first brain scan since his six-week long treatments in November and December. I was dreading this. Three possible answers: 1) Yes, the treatments have worked and the tumour remains have stayed quiet, 2) No, the treatments have not worked and the tumour has begun to grow again, 3) The operated area in the brain is still so swollen that it's difficult to interpret the condition from the scan picture. Answer number 1 it was! Huge relief!

The Monolith, in my park

Sky on fire

We have finally seen a touch of spring here in Oslo, and I will do anything to cheer it on, including wearing colourful accessories. But spring is known to be capricious and whimsical and basically lives it own life. Sun was replaced by snow this morning! It was more or less gone by this afternoon, but will appear again tomorrow morning as lethal road ice, according to the forecasters. 

My husband's treatments seem to have bought us some time, at least temporarily. I think we're on the verge of making a change here, of turning our despondency around. My heart is set on making the most out of the time left to him - and us, with him.