Category Archives: health & happiness

the monitor

17 Saturday Nov 2018

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Health, eh? We tend to take it for granted until something goes wrong. Which of course I learned big time back in 2008. These days I am much more cautious about thinking I am HEALTHY. Especially this year, having had 1 PET scan and 3 CT scans so far because they can’t figure out what that mysterious “cloud of inflammation” is and – so far – don’t want to cut me open to get a proper look.

Meanwhile, I have also developed a FLOATER in my right eye, similar to one I had about ten years ago. Same flashing lights, etc. My GP has requested an appointment with the eye specialist, but I am still waiting to have that confirmed. Likewise I am still waiting to hear when my next oncology appointment will be to get the results of the latest CT scan (taken 10 days ago). But one thing I do know! My blood pressure is perfect.

This surprises me, given that I am overweight and have had problems with tachycardia since I was in my mid-twenties. And so it also surprised me when skinny pal Peter’s @SVQconcierge recent medical check showed that his blood pressure was high enough to warrant daily medication and regular BP monitoring. This regular monitoring was getting to be a pain, so when Kate @sledpress recommended a wrist monitor that she uses I placed an order for it on Amazon. And well… immediately the readings were higher than those at the doctor’s (mine included!) but they will have to be taken over time, and in different situations, and then also at the doctor’s again.

My point is…. had I not been going in for various this and that anyhow, and if I hadn’t suggested that Peter get a check-up while I was there, then he wouldn’t have known about the blood pressure issue. And so boys and girls, if you haven’t had a full general check-up in the past couple of years… do it!

trial run

09 Friday Nov 2018

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So this morning I did a trial run – going to the supermarket and back – to see how The Leg is doing. Because after a couple of housebound days it was actually feeling better, though of course shuffling from room to room isn’t the same as actually WALKING. Anyhow, after about ten minutes the pain was back, but more localized, basically in the AAAAARRRGH area that the doc found on Tuesday, rather than random shooting pain all over the place.

Luckily Peter did my Triana Tour today, so I didn’t have to cancel it. Because it was clear that there was no way I could have (or should have) spent five hours walking around town. And I got so sad because DAMN it felt good to be outside again.

Anyhow, I picked up a few things to make a nice comfort food lunch. It started off as pollo al ajillo, but then I added some baby spinach leaves and made some peppercorn basmati to go with it, and then topped it all off with some chopped toasted almonds. Bit of a mash-up, but a delicious one.

What did you do today?

stuck at home

08 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by in casa azahar, cats, health & happiness, home

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So after two whole housebound days I’m kind of going crazy. The good news is that The Leg is actually feeling a bit better. Not so good news… I came down with sudden nasty cold complete with killer sore throat and ALL the mucous. Seriously, where does this stuff come from? Anyhow, am going to give myself one more day at home, though I might go out and do a bit of shopping tomorrow.

It’s helped that these past couple of days have been cold and rainy, so not as difficult to stay in and curl up with the cats. In fact, have spent quite a lot of time Netflixing with Morcilla. I’ve also got a lot done on a couple of work projects I have going, so that’s good. And it was lucky that Peter was able to take my tours out. But it’ll be nice to get back out in the world again. Let’s hope by Saturday I’m able to walk again!

following doctor’s orders

06 Tuesday Nov 2018

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So remember when almost two weeks ago I slipped and fell at home, spraining two toes on my right foot? Well, the toes were actuallly much better after a couple of days, but then I started to notice hip and leg pain (left side) which got progressively worse, to the point where I could barely walk or even sleep. I would have gone to the doctor sooner, but I knew I had my CT scan today, so thought that I would visit the Traumatology emergency ward while I was at the hospital. I mentionded the fall to the CT technician, who said they were only in charge of the job they were given (thorax and abdomen cancer screening) but said there would be no problem having an x-ray taken after the scan.

Wrong! When I got in to see the Traumatology doc she had already found my CT scan (which stopped just below hip level) up on the computer. Lucky for me it had already been uploaded into the system because it meant I didn’t have to get an x-ray done, which the doc said she wouldn’t have advised anyhow, right after a scan. She took her time going through the scan and finally said that she couldn’t see any bone damage. Then she got me up on the table and started poking around.

Does this hurt? No.

Here? No.

How about here? AAAARRRRGH!!!

Then she went through the same process while moving my leg around, until she found the aaaarrrrgh position. And then she went back to the scan and studied it some more. I was dying to ask her if she saw anything cancer related, but knew that doctors don’t like to interfere with other departments, though she did ask when I was seeing the oncologist again (gulp! will really start to worry if they call and say I have to see the onc immediately, usually it’s 2-3 weeks after the scan).

In the end she decided that the pain was most likely related to the fall (though not necessarily) and it was either a hematoma or an inflamed tendon. But she said that in either case the “treatment” was the same: ice, ibuprofen and REST. When I asked if I could still walk (ie do my tours) she said NO WALKING. Then I asked how long I had to do the treatment, and was told “as long as it takes”. Actually I kind of liked her no-nonsense attitude, and that she did the examination in a thorough, thoughtful and unhurried manner. And so I have decided to follow doctor’s orders.

I am so used to the other pain (lower back, sciatica, etc) that actually benefits from gentle walking rather than staying still, so this is why I just kept (painfully) walking the past week or so. But this pain is really different, shooting down the side and front of my thigh, reaching at times to the front of my calf, unlike anything I have experienced before. Of course it’s boring to be housebound, but luckily Peter can do my tours this week. So I have no excuse. And I wouldn’t fancy going back to the doc saying I hadn’t taken her advice and the leg STILL hurts…

oh noes! my toes!

25 Thursday Oct 2018

Posted by in casa azahar, cats, health & happiness, home

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Here is Loki giving zero fucks.

Last night after my tapas tour I was on my way to bed, but first had to give Morcilla her bedtime snack (don’t ask) and then, forgetting the cat vomit on the marble floor (I’d previously heard Loki horking up), slipped and fell FULL FORCE with my right foot twisted underneath me… OUCH. So after a quick shower and change of nightdress I hobbled painfully to bed.

This morning it still hurt, and the bruising had come out. But I am more or less able to walk, which is a good thing because I have a tapas tour this evening and cannot cancel it. Luckily it’s still warm enough for sandals, because I don’t think I’d get those swollen and bruised toes into a pair of shoes. The middle toe and the one next to it really hurt. If it doesn’t feel any better tomorrow I will go and get the foot xrayed, just in case (remembering how after my first sprained ankle, I found out when I sprained it again years later that I had actually fractured it!). And yes, I know the pedicure is looking shabby, but it’s the “end of sandal season” so not worth doing over.