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

sad

Almost Packed Up and Ready to Go

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3 lawn chairs $5 ... 3 ladies...priceless! Especially Mardelle and Susan who spent all day Saturday helping me with the garage sale. I couldn't have done it without them.
3 lawn chairs $5 ... 3 ladies...priceless! Especially Mardelle and Susan who spent all day Saturday helping me with the garage sale. I couldn't have done it without them.

It's a long haul... clearing out the house completely; finding a home for my kitty boys; garage sale; tenant... It's difficult to keep foucused on the prize - South Africa for Christmas and Belize in March - with so much upheaval around. And my To Do list doesn't seem to get any shorter!

But it feels like it is all coming together now, with a lot packed up and more stuff gone, either sold through Facebook marketplace or the garage sale on Saturday (with another this coming Saturday).

Sad Echoes

The house echoes and footsteps are extra loud with it being almost completely empty now. Of course, I still have the kitty corners and their special sleeping areas. The sad thing is, they will be going to their new home this coming weekend and they know something is up! Such intuitive little creatures. I've tried to keep their routines consistent but when they see "their" furniture and stuff going out the door... well, they look at me in dismay! But they will be fine, I keep telling myself. They will probably adjust better than I do!

This week is more cleanup, trash runs, hazardous waste disposal, for sale signs for my car. And then I will move myself to Mardelle's for the last few days here, while the house is cleaned and prepared for the tenant.

The few days up in Port Townsend will give me the time I need for two articles I need to get done and which I am already late on! And Susan and I will probably go over to Ballard as I am not happy with the photos I took while I was there. Maybe by then, I will have my new camera!

Cute cafe in Port Gamble
Cute cafe in Port Gamble

Sanity Break

Susan whisked me out of here yesterday for a break from the mayhem and we went to a little cafe across the bridge called Butcher and Baker Provisions. Very cute place with good food, good coffee and good service. Then we strolled around Port Gamble and took in the dahlia garden which is spectacular and reminded me of Mum's passion for them. Growing up, there were always rows of dahlias leading down to the cottage. The Port Gamble ones are brilliantly colored and all with different shapes and styles and really brightened up a very dull day (weather-wise).

The Belize article in All at Sea just went online and I am very happy with it. They did a good job posting it and it's always a vailidation for what I do! I'm really looking forward to doing a lot more writing once all this stuff is done and dusted!