Saturday, 7 August 2010
Thursday, 5 August 2010
Just back from a curry at the Akaash, just the two of us. I feel a bit overful at the moment. I'm not too bad, but still not getting my 'functions' sorted out. Nothing to complain about really, I just feel I did better than this last cycle, making jam and pickle and gardening. I seem to be working in short bursts this time, but maybe I'll have a very productive few days before the oncologists attack me aain.
The real reason for this post is that I found the $GREED score sheet from the game we played at Weybourne with Joe and Sally. Sally scored because I can't add up in my head. I made a joke that they had to let me win beca\use I have cancer, and Sally's immediate retort was 'and I'm grieving.' The fact that she could say that in the context of a game and then make reference to it on the score sheet shows how far she has come in the last difficult months.
The real reason for this post is that I found the $GREED score sheet from the game we played at Weybourne with Joe and Sally. Sally scored because I can't add up in my head. I made a joke that they had to let me win beca\use I have cancer, and Sally's immediate retort was 'and I'm grieving.' The fact that she could say that in the context of a game and then make reference to it on the score sheet shows how far she has come in the last difficult months.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Home from Weybourne
Our holiday is over for this year. Well, to be truthful , it's all holiday for me at the moment, but it was good for Dave to get away from the cementing and gardening and the daily grind of work. We stretched it out to 10 days, as we found we had made a mistake with the date and had booked the caravan site until today, Sunday.
This has been the most laid-back holiday we have ever had. Joe and Sally were exhausted and just longing to laze around and read, and that suited us well because it wasn't my best week in the chemo cycle. They thought I did very well, and my lack of motivation and energy was not evident. A bit strange really, b ecause my perception is that it has always been me who looked up the places of interest, nice places to eat or walk,local events that can be fun to join. I did cut out a double spread from the EDP but no-one was terribly enthusiastic, which let me off the hook.
We enjoyed shopping locally for food for our BBQs, fondue and snacks, had a take-out curry, and a sea-food platter at Wells. We actaully went there intending to have fish and chips on the quay, but even after walking George along the river-path we were not hungry enough to justify it, so stopped at the Fleece for a sandwich, promising ourselves fish and chips at tea-time from Holt. It really wasn't in the plan that the courtyard of the Fleece contains the Wells crab-house! It made Dave's day to see they serve a sea-food platter which includes lobster. Sally stuck to her guns and had a cheese sandwich, which was billed as a door-step and was. The fish and chips just didn't happen - that evening we snacked at the site on crisps and olives, sausage rolls and quiche. Not nutritionally our best day!
Joe and Sally made good use of a funny little caravan spares shop in Wells to replace a couple of broken bits on their motor-home, so they were well satisfied. Unfortunately George had a neurotic week, starting panting and trying to burrow his way to safety every evening. He has always been OK in the MOtorhome previously, and we were unable to work out his problem. After a couple of nights when he re-arranged the van and panted so loud that Joe and Sally couldn't watch their favourite programme, they took him to the vet and splashed out £25 on a pheromone collar. They were warned it would take a couple of days to show any effect, but even at the end of the week he was the same. There were some gun-like noises - possibly clay-pigeon shooting, possibly bird-scarers - but it seems odd he has never done it before. If it is the pattern of the future it would put a stop to Joe and Sally's caravanning, as they chose this method of holidaying specifically so they could take George with them.
My tingling hasn't been very evident since last weekend, perhaps because it has been warm. Getting my 'functions' sorted has been this cycle's problem; all a bit depressing, but hopefully I can regulate my diet better at home, and sit on my own loo!
Just a week until Mary-Ann and Dom come with the children. I am hoping to cope better with my next cycle, so we can all make the most of the time together. I don't want the boys to remember Grandma as tired and lack-lustre. I hope they'll be comfortable about going off together as a family on my worst days. We have bought tickets for the End of the Pier Show for Mary-ann and Dom. I know it's not something they would spend money on, but we hope they will be abe to enjoy sitting back and being entertained and laughing a lot, as we have done when we went.
This has been the most laid-back holiday we have ever had. Joe and Sally were exhausted and just longing to laze around and read, and that suited us well because it wasn't my best week in the chemo cycle. They thought I did very well, and my lack of motivation and energy was not evident. A bit strange really, b ecause my perception is that it has always been me who looked up the places of interest, nice places to eat or walk,local events that can be fun to join. I did cut out a double spread from the EDP but no-one was terribly enthusiastic, which let me off the hook.
We enjoyed shopping locally for food for our BBQs, fondue and snacks, had a take-out curry, and a sea-food platter at Wells. We actaully went there intending to have fish and chips on the quay, but even after walking George along the river-path we were not hungry enough to justify it, so stopped at the Fleece for a sandwich, promising ourselves fish and chips at tea-time from Holt. It really wasn't in the plan that the courtyard of the Fleece contains the Wells crab-house! It made Dave's day to see they serve a sea-food platter which includes lobster. Sally stuck to her guns and had a cheese sandwich, which was billed as a door-step and was. The fish and chips just didn't happen - that evening we snacked at the site on crisps and olives, sausage rolls and quiche. Not nutritionally our best day!
Joe and Sally made good use of a funny little caravan spares shop in Wells to replace a couple of broken bits on their motor-home, so they were well satisfied. Unfortunately George had a neurotic week, starting panting and trying to burrow his way to safety every evening. He has always been OK in the MOtorhome previously, and we were unable to work out his problem. After a couple of nights when he re-arranged the van and panted so loud that Joe and Sally couldn't watch their favourite programme, they took him to the vet and splashed out £25 on a pheromone collar. They were warned it would take a couple of days to show any effect, but even at the end of the week he was the same. There were some gun-like noises - possibly clay-pigeon shooting, possibly bird-scarers - but it seems odd he has never done it before. If it is the pattern of the future it would put a stop to Joe and Sally's caravanning, as they chose this method of holidaying specifically so they could take George with them.
My tingling hasn't been very evident since last weekend, perhaps because it has been warm. Getting my 'functions' sorted has been this cycle's problem; all a bit depressing, but hopefully I can regulate my diet better at home, and sit on my own loo!
Just a week until Mary-Ann and Dom come with the children. I am hoping to cope better with my next cycle, so we can all make the most of the time together. I don't want the boys to remember Grandma as tired and lack-lustre. I hope they'll be comfortable about going off together as a family on my worst days. We have bought tickets for the End of the Pier Show for Mary-ann and Dom. I know it's not something they would spend money on, but we hope they will be abe to enjoy sitting back and being entertained and laughing a lot, as we have done when we went.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Managed to get away without emergency treatment yesterday, by the skin of my teeth. My voice went very croaky and tight just as I came to the end, but no difficulty breathing or swallowing so they just kept me an extra half hour and even walked me outside to make sure I didn't react to the cold air. As it was degrees warmer out there then in the hospital, I did that test very well!
My white count was below the requirement at about 1.3 on Monday so I had to have an on-the spot check before they gave me anything. I had jumped to 8.5! Apparently it dips very low and then climbs back up, and they find that last little bit after the end of tablets and just before the next infusion can be a rapid improvement. Interesting that I am at my lowest ebb when I am just beginning to feel better, and we stop worrying about the possibility of having to make a dash to the hospital if I get an infection!
Had a lovely day with Mary on Tuesday. She came on Moonday evening after her duties with Charlotte's after school care, so was able to eat with us and have nearly all day on Tuesday. The day was broken up by by teleclinc call at 12.15, but we just pottered and dealt with soft fruit and salad, talked and drank tea and coffee.
My white count was below the requirement at about 1.3 on Monday so I had to have an on-the spot check before they gave me anything. I had jumped to 8.5! Apparently it dips very low and then climbs back up, and they find that last little bit after the end of tablets and just before the next infusion can be a rapid improvement. Interesting that I am at my lowest ebb when I am just beginning to feel better, and we stop worrying about the possibility of having to make a dash to the hospital if I get an infection!
Had a lovely day with Mary on Tuesday. She came on Moonday evening after her duties with Charlotte's after school care, so was able to eat with us and have nearly all day on Tuesday. The day was broken up by by teleclinc call at 12.15, but we just pottered and dealt with soft fruit and salad, talked and drank tea and coffee.
Monday, 19 July 2010
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Where does the time go? Every day I wake feeling there's a whole untouched day in front of me, but although I feel I am busy all the time I never get through everything I intend. Yesterday we shopped around for an archway on the internet after a leisurely breakfast, found one at B&Q and went off and bought it. It only fitted in the car because I don't mind sitting upright - well, a few degrees forward of upright if the truth is told. We happened on a 20% off garden sale, so that was good. Then we went to Taverham for jam-jar labels and fruit and veg, and found gorgeous cheeses in the farm shop as well as elderflower wine and natural liquorice. We had coffee and cake there, so when we got home started work on building the arch. It was divorce material in the style of erecting the caravan awning, but we thrive on argument and we got it done in time for drinks on the patio, where we were joined by Steve and KAte. They were gratifyingly impressed with our work, and invited us to their BBQ on Sunday. When they had gone it was time for promised drinks in the summer house with Dot and Rodney and Anne and John from the new bungalow. Then Dave made curry, we watched the beginning of Phantom on DVD, fell asleep and went to bed.
This morning I picked a big bowl of blackberries from the fruit cage after breakfast. After church Dave cut back the forsythia on the pightle that hasn;t been touched for years and filled the two brown bins, while I pitted the last 2 1/4 lbs of cherries and simmered them before going to Steve and Kate's. We had a lovely relaxing afternoon there, then came home and watered the garden and pulled up some weeds.
No word about symptoms, because there aren't any. We are enjoying the rest of Phantom. A lovely weekend,
This morning I picked a big bowl of blackberries from the fruit cage after breakfast. After church Dave cut back the forsythia on the pightle that hasn;t been touched for years and filled the two brown bins, while I pitted the last 2 1/4 lbs of cherries and simmered them before going to Steve and Kate's. We had a lovely relaxing afternoon there, then came home and watered the garden and pulled up some weeds.
No word about symptoms, because there aren't any. We are enjoying the rest of Phantom. A lovely weekend,
Friday, 16 July 2010
Two days without chemo tabs and feeling pretty good. Two things made my fingers tingle today: re-organising the freezers and pitting some more cherries outside while the wind was blowing. It wasn't cold, but the cherries are juicy and I suppose the evaporation cools the skin. I still have loads of cherries to do - I begin to be less delighted with the quantity we had this year! Anyway, there were redcurants and blackberries as well, so I added another margarine tub of last years raspberries and cooked them all with sugar with the idea of freezinbg them in quantities suitable for summer puddings.
We have managed to reduce our freezers to three, and the new one isn't yet full. Mum's old freezer which we took over when she moved into the annexe (mainly because it was full) had started to freeze up on the outside of the top, and with the hot weather and the porch getting so hot our electricity was soaring. They are increasing our monthly payment by more than £10. The little monitor supplied by British Gas was telling us our daily consumption was far higher than last year, and this was the only cause we could think of. Hope it proves to be effective. At this stage of our lives we need to be cutting down on regular expenses, not using more.
I am trying hard to regulate my functions by diet, but Dave hates vegetables. I complained that the courgettes we had with our lasagne yesterday had not done anything for me, so today he bought pork steaks, then went down the garden and came back with potatoes, sweeetheart cabbage, courgettes, peas, baby carrots and a few mange-tout and runner beans. Mmmm! What a feast! (curry tomorrow. I had better make myself a salad¬
We have managed to reduce our freezers to three, and the new one isn't yet full. Mum's old freezer which we took over when she moved into the annexe (mainly because it was full) had started to freeze up on the outside of the top, and with the hot weather and the porch getting so hot our electricity was soaring. They are increasing our monthly payment by more than £10. The little monitor supplied by British Gas was telling us our daily consumption was far higher than last year, and this was the only cause we could think of. Hope it proves to be effective. At this stage of our lives we need to be cutting down on regular expenses, not using more.
I am trying hard to regulate my functions by diet, but Dave hates vegetables. I complained that the courgettes we had with our lasagne yesterday had not done anything for me, so today he bought pork steaks, then went down the garden and came back with potatoes, sweeetheart cabbage, courgettes, peas, baby carrots and a few mange-tout and runner beans. Mmmm! What a feast! (curry tomorrow. I had better make myself a salad¬
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