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?”
I sat here on the diametrically opposite side of the world on Wednesday, 6 January 2021 and was appalled at the events live streaming into my granny flat in South Africa. In real time, I watched as rioters and what people are calling domestic terrorists heeded the call of the person still in the White House. It’s the place I called home for almost 50 years, where my boys and grandkids are. Where my friends from those years are. A place always considered safe and until 4 years ago, sane.
It’s been an interesting few days, surprisingly! Not event-wise, but as an introspective time that was foisted on me unexpectedly.
We’d been going along merrily, doing as normal a life can be these days when I was notified that I had been in contact with someone who tested positive to the plague. Then a good friend I visited notified me she had tested positive, so I extended my quarantine for the full 10 days. Which led to a meltdown and a lot of introspection.
What can I say? Other than a string of expletives that would probably get me banned!
First of all; No, I DO NOT have Covid. But apparently, according to the SA Covid Alert app, I was exposed to someone (anonymous) who has reportedly tested positive so I have to quarantine for 10 days from the exposure date, which was 19th December. As I was just alerted yesterday, I only have 6 days to go.
It’s feeling almost normal here in South Africa and I cringe when I see what’s going on in my other country!
The mayhem Trump has and is causing and the disaster of the pandemic is making me feel very grateful for being here - despite the mayhem in the South African government with huge corruption and currently dozens of arrest being made, a good thing.
Is this the new normal? It’s actually quite comfortable. Maybe we have just been so brainwashed and constrained for the last 5 months, this easing up feels like a whole new world and maybe we’ve completely forgotten what it’s like to live any other way! (Or maybe it’s a conspiracy to control us!!!!!)
Life is easing up here in South Africa with the move to Level 2 restrictions. This allows for the sale of alcohol, cigarettes (for those who must have them) and interprovincial travel. Restaurants will be able to open and serve liquor! Level 2 also allows us to visit family and friends! But nothing international yet and there is no indication when flights will open up. So will make the most of my time here.
