Category Archives: health & happiness

sick day

10 Friday Apr 2015

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sick day

This was my view most of today (vertical moments were rare as I kept having to return to my bed). No idea what this is. Went to bed last night feeling fine, woke up at 2 in the morning sick to my stomach and with violent ‘dire-rear’, which lasted until about 10 o’clock, so not much sleep. Of course I had a very busy day planned – I’d been invited to a special food event at midday and had a Flamenco & Tapas Tour booked for tonight. But clearly, as even sitting on the sofa was beyond me, I had to stay home. Lucky for me, Aldara from We Love Tapas was available to help out this evening, so she took my group and Peter took out his (both going to the same places in case Aldara needed help). Anyhow, aside from feeling like crap, I’m also bored out of my mind. Can’t hold a book in bed, can’t sit upright long enough to watch TV, everything hurts, whinge-whinge-whinge…

Whatever this is I hope it passes soon. I’m thinking some kind of bug since various muscles are aching including my eyeballs. Ick. Hope you’re having a better day! Back to bed for me.

bad back is back

18 Wednesday Mar 2015

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bad backIt’s baaaaack. And as usual my back “went out”, as they say, while doing nothing at all. It happened yesterday just before the Triana Tapas Tour. I’d gone to the market to chat to some people there and go over my route (since it was my first time) and then I stopped for a coffee before meeting my clients. I don’t know if it was because I got a chill in my back, or because I was leaning forward too much, or both, but suddenly there was that telltale AAAARRGH feeling in my lower back, and when I tried to stand up it was very painful. But after walking around a bit it seemed to loosen up and felt more “tight” than painful during the tour. Same after I got home. Ouchy without being too bad. But then I woke up in the night in agony, so I must’ve pulled something in my sleep.

Today I am on painkillers and slathering on the BioFreeze, and need a crutch to get around the house. Luckily Peter is available to do my Flamenco & Tapas Tour tonight as I don’t think I’d even make it down the stairs. Hope it doesn’t last too long this time. On the bright side, at least I’ll get some work done on the blogs, etc. Oddly, sitting at my computer (and getting up to stretch regularly) is one of the two positions that only hurts a little. The other one is standing.  😦

colonoscopy clean-out

19 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by in cancer, health & happiness, hospitals

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colon oscopy prep

It’s gonna be a fun three days… and then I get a tube up me bum. I didn’t actually remember following this diet the last time I had a colonoscopy (but apparently I did). Though I seemed less informed back then than this time (no red meats, etc). Also, I’m not on chemo this time! But the weird thing is that it’s been almost six years since my last colonoscopy, which is, well, weird. I can’t seem to get a straight answer from my “substitute” oncologist, but it looks like they just forgot to do this on a more regular basis. And so … this Friday I am having the nasty done once again and will see the oncologist on February 4th to get the results. And finally – I hope – I’ll find out what the new plan is for me. PET scans every year? Every 8-10 months? I’m also still waiting to get the chemo port out, but I understand that those waiting to have one put in have priority, and rightly so.

On the bright side, I will probably lose a kilo or two over the next few days. Tip of the iceberg, I know, but better than nothing…

the 5 year club

28 Tuesday Oct 2014

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

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pet tac

Today marked a very important milestone for me. I had my “5th anniversary” PET scan – which came back clear! – marking five cancer-free years (I finished my last chemo at the end of July 2009). I almost couldn’t believe it when Pilar texted me while I was out having coffee, saying that everything was okay. In fact, I burst into tears. This one is a game-changer. I won’t know exactly what they have in store for me now until I see the oncologist again next month, but today should be the last of the every-six-month PET scans (will switch to either once a year or possible every 10 months) and I will finally be able to get the chemo port out. That last one will be a relief and I won’t have to make my monthly visit to the hospital to get the thing cleaned out. So it’s all good.  I mean, I’m not “out of the woods” yet. The 5-year mark is kind of random and my case is more baffling than anything. Most stage-IV people don’t stay in remission for this long. But hey, I’ve made it this far and at least for now I am fine, so it really does feel like a fresh start.

As always I want to thank my amazing Nuclear Medicine team – Pilar and Isabel (Ricardo retired last year) – and also all of you for being there with me through all of this. You can all take the next year off.  😉

A side note: October 28th is the saint day of Santo Judas Tadeo (Jude the Apostle) patron saint of lost causes. Coincidence?