Health, South Africa
Susan Colby
Accentuating the Positive

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!

Accentuating the Positive
Health, South Africa
Susan Colby
Chemo is Doing its Thing

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.

Chemo is Doing its Thing
Susan Colby
There’s Hot, and Then There’s HOT

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.

There’s Hot, and Then There’s HOT
Health, South Africa
Susan Colby
Chemo #4 Done, 2 to Go

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.

Chemo #4 Done, 2 to Go
South Africa
Susan Colby
A Massive Immune Booster

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?”

A Massive Immune Booster

Everyday Life

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Spanning Two Worlds

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Spanning Two Worlds

It’s Thanksgiving in the States but of course, not here in South Africa.

And it really brought home the reality of my life - I’m living with each foot in two different worlds; here physically, in my ancestral world and digitally in the world I spent most of my life in, the US.

It’s difficult to compare the two and even more difficult, sometimes, not to! When I’m here, I miss being there; when I’m there, I miss being here but I have always called South Africa home.

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Can’t Avoid the BS

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Can’t Avoid the BS

Here I am on the other side of the world, and getting bombarded with the election BS. I have been trying to avoid the majority of the news, but it’s not easy. And it’s terrifying to even think that that man can get in for another four years. It absolutely blows my mind that anybody wants to vote for the him. To me, he is the epitome of evil.

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More Midlands Meander

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More Midlands Meander

It was hard to top Saturday’s meander visiting the brewery out in the country and the cafe that serves coffee with a side of pot. But I was completely blown away by Netherwood Farm, which literally took my breath away, I can’t remember ever being so enthralled with a location.