Sunday afternoon siestas

Sunday afternoon siestas are just the best thing since sliced bread. This week has passed at a rapid rate again. I saw Dr L (oncologist) on Wednesday and left with all the necessary paper work for the medical tests required in the next few months. Six weeks after this chemo round I need to have the tumour marker test done and schedule a visit with Dr V (gynae). Three months on I need to see Dr L with lung x-rays, CT scan of my abdomen and a load of blood tests to check my kidney and liver functioning, cell counts and tumour marker. This cycle then repeats itself every 3 months for one year, then we move to every four months for another year. I did not ask what happens after two years as we will face that when we get there.

Tomorrow I am dropping the boys at school and then Anet is coming to collect me to take me to the hospital for blood tests and then chemo if the counts are ok. I need to wait about one hour for the results so we will have a light breakfast at the hospital; they have a really nice café where we can relax.

Chemo Round 8 rescheduled

And history repeats itself again. My neutrophils are again too low for me to get chemo tomorrow and this time I have a double dosage of Medrol to take for a week. Last round of chemo scheduled for Monday 19 May. I am feeling quite depressed right now but will be better tomorrow.

Blood tests – chemo round 8

I have just returned from the hospital after having my blood drawn to test if chemo can occur tomorrow. Normally I have quite a firm feeling on whether it is on of off, but not this time. We should know by mid afternoon.

The beginner’s meditation workshop on Saturday was great fun and I hope that the eight people who attended now have the discipline to practice meditation for a few minutes a day. We are getting together Sat 24 May again to share progress and do a small group meditation. After all the folks left Saturday I had a 2.5 hour sleep!! Best sleep I have had in ages!

Mothers day was quiet and I was suitably spoilt by Ian Dylan and Sean. Dylan had his first driving lesson Sunday morning with Mom in the passenger seat. First thing Ian asked me when we got home is whether I needed a double whiskey! Ian left Monday morning again (04h15) to catch the 06h00 flight and will not be home for 2 weeks.

Single parenting

I am exhausted as I sit here typing this morning. The past few days have been hectic in terms of Mom’s taxi servicing. Besides the school drop off and pick up we have had extra tutoring sessions, sports training, career assessment testing and a dog that needed the vet. Our small mutt, Candy, has been limping for the past 2 weeks. Last week I took her to the vet and she was on anti-inflammatory medication to see if it would better the situation. The closing from the vet was that if she was not better after 7 days then she would need surgery to the right knee as the suspicion was that a few strands of the ligaments were torn. Yesterday morning early I dropped Candy at the vet for she scheduled sedation so that they can take proper x-rays of the joints to ascertain the exact problem. Candy is a dog that we adopted 5 years ago from Animal Anti-cruelty. At the time it was said that she was about one year old which we accepted as we are not qualified to dispute this. So, the outcome of yesterday is that Candy is OLD – she is 13!!! She has arthritis for which she is getting pain killers and a weekly injection and she has a bad ear infection. Other than that she is in good shape.

Ian has got the feedback that he will only be coming home every second week-end. I just hope he can negotiate that he comes home Thursday evenings and then departs Monday mornings before the birds rise.
On the home front: We have received and accepted an offer to purchase on our home, but this offer also has the condition that the buyers need to sell their property. The good thing is that the buyers current property is an entry level type home where there is still movement in the market. So, new deadline for off / on is 31 May.

Monday 05 May

In SA we have just had a week that contained 3 public holidays. Madness really when you think of the economic effects, but it seems to have had a positive effect on Escom (our local power supplier) as all planned power cuts have been terminated. Who knows for how long. Ian was home all of last week and we spent a lot of time together, mostly having lunches out so that I could still have my little afternoon rest. The boys were occupied with their own social lives, depending only on us for the taxi service. This morning Ian started his 5 month assignment in Bisho (a small town in the Eastern Cape) and I am waiting to hear if he will be coming home every week-end or every 2nd week-end. I am feeling good currently and am focussed on putting together a little workshop which is planned for Saturday. I have eight family/friends coming around for about 2 hours and I plan to teach them how to meditate. Should be fun and it is not too hectic in terms of effort and preparation for me.

Arie is home again and seems much better. The doctor is saying he had a virus that spread from the kidneys, into the blood and affected the brain.

Round 7 recovery

The past week has been full of the usual fatigue and nausea but worse than ever has been the pain in my ankles, knees and leg bones. It seems that with each round of chemo the pain gets worse and no amount of different pain killers seem to have an affect on the level of pain. Finally today, one week after chemo, I am feeling a bit better. I vowed today that once I am healthy and have my full energy levels back, I will never ever complain about fatigue.

Arie came out of hospital yesterday and seems to be doing reasonably. I promised my mom that I would go visit her as soon as my chemo’s are done and my blood counts are normal again. Dr L has said that I cannot fly until my blood counts have fully recovered.

Chemo round 7 Done and dusted!

As you all probably guessed, I got my dose of chemotherapy yesterday. Seven down and one to go! I am feeling quite excited about the thought of the last chemo session being behind me soon. The chemo nurse decided to use a vein in my hand again – how selfish they are as I am sure they have not needed to use the toilet with only one able hand! Down with my loose track pants, down with the panties and then the hoisting up episode again. I managed to only have to do this once and held my bladder until after all the tubes were removed. The last two chemo rounds I have been by myself for the bulk of the session. Anet dropped me at the chemo room at 09h00, she then popped around midday to give my feet and head a massage and then came to fetch me at around 15h30. Straight to bed at home, got up around 18h30 when Anet dropped by again with dinner for us. Felt really nauseas last night which is a first so early after chemo. Today I have been at home quietly and peacefully with Sanche dropping off dinner for us tonight. Thanks also to Anja acting as my boys taxi service.

My mom phoned me last night around 18h30. Arie, her hubby, had another stoke Tuesday late afternoon and was taken into hospital. At this stage he does not even recognise my mom anymore. I will phone her tonight again to get an update on the situation.