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

Nevada

On the Road Again

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I managed to blast out of Los Angeles traffic around 11 this morning, missing any congestion . As soon as I  got on the 210 freeway, I turned on an audiobook and cruised. Harry Bosch kept me amused most of the day.

I did manage to drive a short section of Route 66 in Victorville, which was very uninspiring. In fact, most of the scenery, until I reach northern Nevada was desert, desert, and more desert with a lot of cactus breaking up the monotoned scenery.

When I reached Las Vegas, I decided not to stop - I think I want to pick a "special" and go for a weekend and see a show and take in the sights. It needs more than a quick drive by - especially if I want pix.

There was a huge solar plant, I think it's called Searchlight and I wasn't the only one slowing down to check it out. And by slowing down, we slowed to 70 instead of 80!

Then I got to the good part! Amazing rock formations and cliffs, striated layers of various hues and colors formed on both sides of the highway and it was the perfect time of day - late afternoon and it just glowed. The tops of some of the bluffs were frosted with a light snow glaze which shimmered in the golden light.

I know I was driving erratically; it was hard to keep my eyes on the road, surrounded by such spectacular beauty. I actually hadn't realized how close the highway is to Zion National Park and that what I was seeing on my right, was the western border of the park.

As darkness fell, it became apparent I wasn't going to get to Richfield for the night, but figured 500 miles was a good day and pulled in to Beaver, Utah for a good night's rest.

Barring anything untoward, I should be in Eaton tomorrow evening.