With the Russian madman causing mayhem in the world, I am really trying to maintain a positive outlook.
The war news is dominating and it’s difficult to avoid. But am very aware of how my mental health can affect my physical health, so I am attempting (and so far succeeding) to limit my news watching/viewing. I look at just enough to get a very superficial overview but even that is more than I want. I feel so sad for all the people affected by this megalomaniac!
Time flies by, even the chemo treatments. Yesterday was #5 of the planned 6. The results of my blood tests continue to be good. The cancer marker went from 301 to 187 this week. But not low enough to move on to the next stage. Dr. McCleave said they want to see it at around 30 which is quite a long way yet.
When I came back to South Africa in 2019, I naturally gravitated to where I was born and grew up. And actually ended up in the what we used to call the village of Kloof. (It’s no longer a village!) Kloof is about 18 miles/29km from Durban and just on 1600ft/500km above sea level, giving the area a more moderate climate than Durban, usually being a good 10F less which was the case when I took Rodney to the park this afternoon. Plus less humid.
The fourth treatment went as planned. Mick came with me so he was able to meet my doctor. It’s always good to have another set of ears in a consultation but this one was very straightforward because everything is going so well.
November 16 last year is the fateful day I got the definitive news that changed my life.
By then I ‘d been in hospital for 8 days going through tests and everything else that goes along with a cancer diagnosis. I’d just had laparoscopic surgery for a biopsy and the GYN/surgeon came to visit me after I had very gently been given the diagnosis. He’s a lovely man and from reading his bio, a pretty religious one as well. He said to me as he sat at my bedside, “Have you considered end of life?”
So said wise guy Heraclitus and it really is true!
For me at this point, the only constants I feel I have in my life are the underwear site and Ryan! The other people and events are ephemeral, changing like the clouds over Discovery Bay, here one minute, gone and back again. Absolutely nothing feels permanent, or even a little solid.
I have felt helpless this last week, watching the mayhem and seeing South Africa implode. The destruction is so hard to see unfolding and fearing for my friends and family. And feeling so guilty not being there to help the communities and specifically, the little community where I was living. It’s such a helpless feeling, seeing the disaster unfold and being powerless to do anything.
I can’t believe how fast the time is going by! I’ve been here more than 5 weeks already and as of Monday, will have the full force of the Pfizer vaccine protecting me! But I am still cautious being around a lot of people and in enclosed spaces and wear a mask, as do about half the people I see here in California, where things are sort of going back to “normal.”
That long flight was worth it! Second shot done and I feel so relieved!
And it was so easy! I had to change the location for this shot as I am in Newport Beach, kitty sitting and didn’t want to have to drive down to Laguna Niguel where I had the first one. As I used the same pharmacy chain, they had my info. I responded to the alerts sent to remind me the day before, then half an hour ahead and then to “Click Here to Check In.” With California “opening up” tomorrow, I feel like I got my shots just in time!
Initially, being here felt strange, probably just the time difference and jet lag. Now, it’s almost like I was never gone - until I go to buy anything and then I almost fall over backwards! Prices have skyrocketed these last couple of years. I knew things would be more expensive, but never imagined they would be so much higher than I anticipated! I can almost see my savings shrinking…
What a mammoth flight!
The lead up to the trip was a bit nerve wracking as I had to have my Covid test within 3 days of landing here. And with all my flights and connections booked, and my anticipation and excitement growing, it would have been a real blow to get a positive test result a day before leaving.
