Category Archives: health & happiness

so hate when this happens!

05 Tuesday Oct 2021

Posted by in casa azahar, health & happiness, home

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deodorant

I’m sure this happens to you too. As soon as you come to rely on something never changing… BLAM… it changes. After years of trial and error I finally found this light spray deodorant (L) with no nasties and with a soft fresh scent that didn’t fight with my perfume and body lotion (body lotion! that’s another one) and so I have remained loyal. For years! Then I saw they had changed the packaging (R) so there was no longer a plastic cap on top, instead you just swivelled the top until the nozzle appeared. Fine, less plastic, whatever. Except that wasn’t all they changed. THEY CHANGED THE WAY IT SMELLED. And it smelled… awful.

Well, awful to me. There was a sharp acrid note to it, like cheap perfume gone off, and I don’t know how to say how disappointed I was. I mean, again?? It’s happened to me with perfumes, body lotions, laundry soap, hair products… you get all nice and cosy with something and then it’s gone. And for me smells are a really big deal. Actually a huge deal. So today I was in a shop and saw they still had some of the old green-cap stock of my deodorant and bought the last four they had. I know it’s just a stopgap, but at least for now I don’t have to spritz acrid shit on my pits. How’s your day going?

hair we go…

24 Friday Sep 2021

Posted by in hair, health & happiness

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hair loss

I sure hope this works because IT WAS FUCKING EXPENSIVE. Finally got to see the dermatologist this week (three month wait for the appointment) and he prescribed a six month treatment using a potion of minoxidil (3%) + finasteride (1%) mixed into this base lotion, Finastopic. And so what the heck. Actually, I went straight to the pharmacy after my appointment and was told it would take a day or two to fill the prescription as it has to be specially mixed, and they asked me to put down a deposit for it. If I hadn’t done that I may have thought twice about using it after going home and googling minoxidil and finasteride (yikes). On the other hand, I’ll find out soon enough if I have any icky side effects. And if it helps then it will have been worth every penny and all the faff.  First application was last night… wish me luck!

UPDATE below…
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mammogramming

30 Monday Aug 2021

Posted by in health & happiness, hospitals

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mammogram

So I cannot believe it’s been… 12 years!!!… since my last mammogram. Once again I had been under the impression that with all the CT scans a mammogram was superfluous. Honestly, I should read my own blog more often because it would have reminded me that this WAS NOT TRUE. Anyhoodle, today was the day. Popped over to the hospital and was in and out in less than ten minutes. Now I have to wait two weeks for the results, so fingers crossed everybody. The next abdominal CT scan should happen towards the end of October, still waiting to get the official appointment. How was your Monday?

well boo hoo and fuck you

27 Tuesday Jul 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, friends, health & happiness, musings

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virus 3d illustration

Who me angry?? Whatever gave you that idea?  🙂

I had something happen today that puts my mind somewhat at rest. For now. It doesn’t actually keep reality at bay, but it’s a much needed stopgap. Some breathing space. And it might be my last chance so I hope I don’t fuck it up.

Meanwhile I had to cancel a work trip to Valencia this week. I’d been commissioned by Decanter to do another of my travel articles for them, but with Covid cases spiking like crazy the past couple of weeks, including lots of breakthrough cases, I decided to stay put. Sure, things probably aren’t much worse in Valencia than in Sevilla, but at least here I am mostly in my own home. Five days away would mean being out and about all day long, meeting with lots of different people, eating out for every meal, staying at hotels, not to mention five hours each way on a train. And well, just… no.

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dodgy bits

07 Wednesday Jul 2021

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

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online appt

I got my CT scan results yesterday (for scan done June 21st) and it’s not a bad report. There are still some unexplained dodgy bits, but nothing has changed much since the last scan in September. At least there are no obvious signs of cancer, so that’s good. The areas of inflammation, and the spot where I was “leaking” before (ewww)  are still cause for concern but short of opening me up again and taking a proper look the best they can do is keep monitoring me with scans and x-rays.

This morning the hospital called and I have an appointment with the oncologist on Friday… on the phone! I’ve never done that before. But what the heck. It saves me a trip out there in 40º weather and perhaps it will actually be better as I won’t feel self-conscious about having my notes out in front of me. We shall see.