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

brave

,

Being Brave

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I've been a real slacker, not posting in the last month. Now I will try to catch up. So my adventures may not be in chronological order and I might do several shorter posts.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Do one thing everyday that scares you."

A couple of weeks ago, Ryan came to visit for the weekend and as he just can't sit still, we were on the move ... a lot! And the first thing he wanted to do was to ride the Seattle Great Wheel. Ferris wheels scare me. Heights scare me. So to get on that thing took a lot of talking to myself! And of course I did it because Ryan wanted to, and Mum's usually end up doing what their kids want, regardless of age!

Ryan-wheel-sm wheel-and-ferries-sm wheel-sm

I had no idea we would do that many revolutions! At the start, the attendant pointed out the red panic button in the gondola and I was sorely tempted! As the wheel started to move, my knees went weak and I thought I would either throw up or pee myself! Lucky for me, I did neither. But I could not look down! Looking out the side was ok and each rotation, it got a bit easier. When I was able to look out, the view was phenomenal! From the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound in the west, north up the Puget Sound and east looking out at the beautiful Seattle skyline to the Cascades. Then south over the dock area and the big cranes and ships that line the waterfront.

But I did it and I could probably do it again - if I absolutely had to.Finally, after five big long times around, we were released and boy, was I glad to be on terra firma.

Hours of Operation:

1301 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA

Monday-Thursday      11 AM-10 PM Friday                               11 AM-Midnight Saturday                          10 AM-Midnight Sunday                             10 AM-10 PM

Adult $13 Child $8.50 And if you are very brave you can get the VIP package - Great Wheel VIP $50.00 / each The VIP gondola is the special luxury gondola with four leather bucket seats and a GLASS floor.