GER'S BIGGEST PROBLEM

Getting a cancer diagnosis isn't easy no matter how you coat it. Between chemo and radiation and endless endless doctor appointments and surprise side effects from all the drugs the whole experience takes great courage and fortitude.  All of which Husband is doing great with. He keeps chugging on and is fighting his natural instincts to withdraw into his shell where he can watch Fox News 24/7 and not deal with anything. He is still fighting to get in ALL the fluids. He is forcing himself to eat when he really wants nothing to do with food. He is being civil when I am sure all he wants to do is tell me to "shut the hell up for heaven's sake!". And so it goes day after day. He is fighting his hardest and really really hanging in there.

EXCEPT . . .

He can't get the names of these drugs straight in his head and forget even coming close to pronouncing their names! The man has gone from taking ONE pill every morning, know to us as "THE THYROID PILL". Forget that this pill actually has a name. It is just known as "THE PILL". Now we are up to
 7 pills a day, 2 liquid meds, 1 nasal spray and 2 shots. That is a grand total of 12 medications in a day! (No wonder H isn't hungry!)

Ger still can't keep track of what to take when.  We have 2 medicine baskets. One in the kitchen and one in the bedroom to separate the morning and night pills. That has helped. But he still gets confused as to what to take when. I have made endless lists but he looses the lists.
But the biggest problem comes with the names of everything. I have my note book to refer to but then the nurse will give something a different name and we are thrown for a loop. There is the generic name and the REAL name and the name for the same drug put out by a rival drug company.  And WHY can't drug companies name their drugs something easy? I would love it if we had drugs like ABC1 or XYZ3. Instead we have ONDANSELRON, LEVOTHYROXINE AND TAMSULOSIN. When the nurse asks what drugs Ger is taking it takes 20 minutes to say the names and then decide what that is a substitute for. For instance, I give Ger a shot every day. The name on the box is FONDAPARINUX SODIUM. Translation . . . . ARIXTRA.  The FLUTICASONE PROP is actually FLONAISE. Our heads are spinning!
But the very best part is when Ger tries to come up with the name of the drug.
Cath . . . "Hey Ger, did you take your meds this morning?"
Ger . . . "Yea, I took the SENSA" (Senokot)
Cath . . . "What else?"
Ger . . .  "I also took the MUSCLEX" (Musinex)

There is no way he is even trying to say the names of these other drugs. I guess I should be happy that he gets my name straight . . .    most of the time.