Monthly Archives: November 2008

operation: postponed!

17 Monday Nov 2008

Posted by in cancer, friends, home, hospitals, rants, wtf?

≈ 24 Comments

operation

I mean, is this some sort of game … or what ?

Right after I published that last post a couple of doctors came into my room and said, “Oh, hasn’t anyone told you yet?” Turns out they had an emergency liver transplant this morning and so today’s scheduled ops have been postponed until Thursday. Which means on Wednesday evening I’m going to go through this whole damn rigamarole again. Gaaaaa!

My main regret is that I know I’ll never find such a perfect roommate as María … and I’m sure she won’t be too happy to wake up with some TV-watching señora in the next bed.  Anyhow, I left her a note and a link to my tapa blog, so maybe I’ll hear from her again.

Back home now enjoying some coffee & digestive biscuits.

Here are a couple of check-in evening photos…

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waiting…

17 Monday Nov 2008

Posted by in cancer, friends, health & happiness, hospitals

≈ 7 Comments

waiting

So there’s not much to do but wait.

Nog left awhile ago to go home and shower, snibble the cats and make some sandwiches for later – he should be back in a couple of hours. My roommate María went off to have her operation done about an hour ago. I sure hope we both end up back in the same room after we’re done as we really are a hospital match made in heaven. I heard her talking to someone on her mobile last night, saying how lucky she was to have me as a roommate. She’s happy with her iPod and book and, thanks to Pipocas, I have internet here so I can happily while away the hours online or reading.

I’m feeling a lot more relaxed today, possibly due to having slept very well.  I should get the name of the sleeping pills they gave us last night. María was already asleep when the nurse came and so he had to wake her up so she could take her sleeping pill (duh). Anyhow, I woke up feeling very well rested and saw Nog, who was still fast asleep in the reclining chair beside me.

The Team came to visit me first thing this morning and said that, as I’m up second, this could happen any time after 11am, even though I’m scheduled for 3pm. The sooner the better. I don’t mind not being able to eat (last meal was lunch yesterday) but I also can’t drink any water, which is hard for me. I usually drink 2-3 litres a day. Also, the smell of coffee wafting in from the food trolley is making me drool. Ah well…

Time for some scrabble, I think.

It’s very nice knowing you guys are out there, wishing me well. 🙂

hospital check in…

16 Sunday Nov 2008

Posted by in cancer, friends, hospitals, life stuff

≈ 29 Comments

Checking in this afternoon around 6 pm.

Unlike the last time I won’t be bringing all my stuff at once. I had shown up with everything I’d packed for the week (mobile phone, iPod, camera, laptop, DVDs, books, travel scrabble game, notebook, pens, toiletries, bottled water, dressing gown, slippers…) only to be told that, depending on how long I spent in the ICU, I might be moved to another room afterwards. So Nog had to drag everything with him to the waiting room. As it turned out, they didn’t complete the operation and I didn’t spend any time in the ICU, but I’m hoping for better results this time. And so today I think I’ll just bring a book and travel scrabble. Nog can bring the other stuff on Tuesday, once I’m settled into a definite room for the week.

If anything I’m even more scared than last time. I’ve tried to be reasonable and logical about it, but I’m just terrified about leaving my home today and never coming back. I was lying in bed this morning with Azar in my arms and tears streaming down my cheeks, thinking it might be our last cuddle together. He always comes for a cuddle just before I go to sleep and after I wake up. No matter how I try to distract myself, my mind keeps going to dark places. It’s pretty awful.

I think it’s going to be a long day …

hey, thanks for lunch!

15 Saturday Nov 2008

Posted by in food & drink, friends, restaurants, sevilla

≈ 5 Comments

mejicano

It’s been another pre-op special lunch week.  First Pipocas invited me out to a new place (for us) called Oporto and we had a wonderful meal. Then Nog took me out for a tapa snack at one of our favourite places, Enrique Becerra (scroll down to photos 42-44) and the boys there treated us to drinks and a tapa as well as hugging me and saying they’ll see me in December. So I was feeling quite nicely spoiled.

And so yesterday I * decided to spoil Nog a bit and take him to a Mexican place called La Chaparrita that we’ve been wanting to try, ever since my friend Judy recommended it a couple of months ago.  Nog had never had Mexican food before (well, other than the stuff I make at home) so we ordered a special menu for two that came with a selection of various dishes. And he loved it. We cycled there and walked back and it was indeed a very pleasant afternoon.

* of course when I say “I”  treated Nog I mean “you guys” did (you know who you are) as I had to use donation money to take us out.  And so, just wanted to thank you for a fab lunch and a special treat.  Especially as it’s going to be broccoli & green tea at home for the next couple of days and for who-knows-how-long after I get home from hospital.

Some lunch pics below.

And more over at Sevilla Tapas.

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travel plans

13 Thursday Nov 2008

Posted by in friends, health & happiness, holidays, trips

≈ 16 Comments

transportation

Last month, after I was told I was inoperable and there was no chance of a cure, I was tempted to max out my credit cards and take dream trips to London, New York and the Greek Islands. I was especially wanting to go to London for Christmas, but now that I have been given the chance of having a future again, I’d rather not spend that future being up to my eyeballs in debt.  And so, while London is sadly no longer an option, there are some inexpensive travel possibilities that have come up recently . . .

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