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

kenmore air

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It's Time to Fly

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At last, and on the most gorgeous day, I get to fly over Puget Sound on a Kenmore Air float plane with the Department of Ecology. I am writing a couple of articles about how the water quality of the Sound is monitored. It has been delayed and delayed - weather (no surprise there) and equipment but today is going to be just perfect. There is a very light north wind and absolutely clear skies.

So stay tuned for more - photos and video!

Off I go into the wild blue yonder.

UPDATE: Here's the link to my other blog about the trip

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Getting Ready to Fly

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The views I would see from the Kenmore Air seaplane Monday, weather permitting, I get to go flying! And not just in any old plane, or airliner, but a float plane! I am really excited about it.

The last time I flew in a seaplane was back in 1970 in the Virgin Islands. I was on a Visitor's visa which kept expiring, so I would take the old Grumman Goose from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands to St. John in the British Virgins, check in and check back out and fly back to St. Thomas. That went on for a while... but that's a whole other story!

Warm boots for the flight - I hate being cold!

So the seaplane is a Kenmore Air plane and I won't know which one it is until - get this - it picks me up at the local marina! I don't even have to drive to the base. Then we will fly either over the Olympic Mountains or south of the range, out to the West Coast. The whole purpose, besides a story or two, is to test the waters in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. The trip is part of an ongoing Department of Ecology program that monitors the waters of Washington State. And because the magazine I work with is the inflight magazine for the airline, I am able to go with them, take photos and shoot videos and write an article.

Now that is a BIG adventure. And I am really hoping the weather holds and doesn't screw us up.

Talking about the weather - wow! Spectacular today. Sun, mild, calm. So I went for a walk in town to blow away the cobwebs and cabin fever. And while there I found the exact boots I need for my flying trip, as I was cautioned, "Dress warmly." The boots are waterproof and Thinsulate lined. Perfect! And I have some lined jeans that a friend gave me, so I should be fine. I hate being cold!