Category Archives: health & happiness

hump day

29 Wednesday Jan 2020

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A couple of years ago (or more?) I noticed that I “suddenly” had a hideous hump on my back. Well, between my neck and shoulder blades. At first I thought it was what’s known as a Buffalo Hump, which is usually caused by (amongst other things) being overweight. Then I heard about Dowager’s Hump, which looks similar but is basically caused by bad posture that leaves one with a curvature of the spine at shoulder level.

So I got online and also checked with the amazing @sledpress, and now I have a few stretch & strength exercises I can do at home. I’m also watching my posture when I sit in front of the computer. But the most challenging thing I’ve tried so far is simply walking (my almost-daily 10,000 steps) with shoulders and chin held straight. And OMG it’s hard. To consciously stay erect, no slouching, while walking. I had no idea I was so slouchy. Anyhow, this gives me over an hour of holding myself up properly and so perhaps I will see some improvements – hunchwise – soon.

Happy Wednesday (AKA Hump Day)

mirror mirror…

28 Tuesday Jan 2020

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So there I was having lunch with Lucy @sparkybakewell the other day and she happened to mention how she spent a Christmas gift card from El Corte Inglés on an 8x magnifiying LIGHT UP make-up mirror. At first I thought… whaaaat? I barely wear make-up and so don’t inspect my minimal make-up that closely… but then I went …. oooohh! Because I suddenly remembered THE FUCKING RANDOM SPROUTING HAIRS.

This first started about 15 years ago (?) when I would be happily going about my morning “getting ready to go out” routine – which is seriously basic, I have never worn much make-up, etc – and then would spot ONE MASSIVE black hair growing out of my chin, wicked-witch style, that FOR SURE hadn’t been there yesterday. Anyhoodle, out came the tweezers and – out damn hair!

Fast forward to now. I have next to no body hair anymore, possibly a result of my genes (my maternal grandmother was Cree Indian) or perhaps a combination of that and being OLD along with all the post-chemo stuff. Whatever. I have no visible body hair on my arms, legs, pits… which is fine by me. BUT… wtf is it with me suddenly noticing I have “cat whiskers” growing out the sides of my mouth, or rando hairs above my lip and on my chin?? NOT okay.

And so I got this magic mirror (on sale now! 20% off! the cheaper 5x version). And I have to say that the ol’ tweezers got a good workout the first day. Lucy did warn me that it’s knowing when to stop that may cause problems. Ha. I am actually a bit shocked at what I couldn’t see in my normal bathroom mirror. Anyhow, all gone now!

so that was… ick?

23 Thursday Jan 2020

Posted by in health & happiness, hospitals, sevilla

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Who knew mint green was my colour? Here I am rockin this gown … and wearing a diaper … like a QUEEN. Yep, got the barium opaque enema done today. To be honest it wasn’t that bad, more uncomfortable than painful, but the lead up to it!

You may recall I picked up the dread SOLUCIÓN EVACUANTE at the hospital before I saw my oncologist on Tuesday. It comes in a box with 16 envelopes of powder that you mix with water (and/or one of those lemony sports drinks). Usually they give you a print out of instructions, but I assumed it would be the same as for a colonoscopy so I just took the box and left. That was my first mistake.
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here we go again…

22 Wednesday Jan 2020

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Actually, this will be the first time (I think) that I’ve had the Opaque Enema procedure, using a barium contrast. But apparently the prep is the same as for a colonoscopy. Oh joy. So have spent the past couple of days on a low-fibre diet and today it’s clear liquids only, until I start taking the SOLUCIÓN EVACUANTE around 6 pm. Bleh.

The worst part of liquid diet day is how boring it is. Sure I’m a bit hungry, but it’s more that I’m not preparing a snack or going out to meet someone for a tapa. Just feels weird. At first I thought that, today being a cold rainy day, it would be easier as I’d have an excuse to just stay in and be cosy. But now I’m thinking that doing my 10,000 steps in the sunshine would’ve been a better diversion. Oh well. It’ll all be over by this time tomorrow and this evening I plan to binge watch The New Pope.

UPDATE: Went to start the “Evacuation Process” this evening only to discover that there were only 9 envelopes in the box I picked up at the hospital yesterday. There should be 16. So I am taking the 9 and hope that does the trick. Sure don’t want to have to go through all this again!

honestly, what are the odds??

21 Tuesday Jan 2020

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People always say that things happen for a reason, but I don’t actually believe that. I think that things just happen, but that sometimes they happen with such incredible serendipity that it’s hard not to wonder if there is some “reason” out there. My favourite Spanish word for this is “azar” (“happenstance” in English). Anyhow, YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE what happened today.

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