Category Archives: health & happiness

chemo port cleaning

06 Tuesday Mar 2012

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

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It was that time of the month again today – chemo port cleaning time! It’s actually been a bit better since they changed their system and I go to the blood lab next to the main hospital building rather than the room where everyone is getting their chemo infusions done. Doesn’t *quite* feel so much like going to the hospital. But I still taxi there and back. A bit of a splurge, but it takes the edge off by going in comfort rather than having to get on a crowded bus, etc.

So after today’s procedure (you can see a tiny white bandaid in my cleavage there – dig that crazy shirt!) I decided to pop over to the Nuclear Medicine department to see if either Ricardo or Isabel were there and ask them if I could get a copy of my last PET scan results. Ended up having a nice visit with Ricardo, talking about travelling and this & that. Finally got around to discussing the whole cancer thing and when he asked how I was feeling I said I felt quite okay, but also felt I should be taking better care of myself. His reply was that we all should and that, although I still have this thing looming over my head, something else could come along and “get me” so probably best to just get on with things and not dwell on it. And you know what? He’s right. He’s also one of the very few people on the planet who could actually say that to me and not make me want to rip their head off.

But the chemo port cleaning is a monthly reminder that I have this port imbedded inside me FOR A REASON. Which is that I’m still considered very high risk for recurrance. Hard not to think of that sometimes, but today talking with Ricardo helped.

Now I’m off to meet a group of 8 people from Thailand and take them on a tapas tour!

What did you do today?

happy dance

14 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by in cancer, change, health & happiness

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Turns out yesterday wasn’t a slow news day after all!  🙂

Just after lunch I got a text message from Ricardo saying that he and Isabel had gone over my PET scan results and everything was all clear. Yay!

These past few days of waiting have been so hard and so stressful and I didn’t even realise how much until I got the good news. I am so relieved and absurdly happy and have been doing this happy dance ever since!

So, look out world… I have a whole six months ahead of me until the next scan and I am going to make them count big time. Have already dropped some dead weight crap out of my life that’s been dragging me down, and am looking forward to new opportunities.

But first I just want to dance a bit more…

jump start

19 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by in fitness, gym, health & happiness

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After what was probably one of the best Christmases ever, by the time my birthday was over and done with I’d had quite enough of holidays and celebrating… I’d also put on 1.5 kilos of the 5 I lost in September! So it was back to the gym big time. I decided that what I needed was to jump start my metabolism and for the past almost two weeks have been going to the gym every day (except Sundays). Not really sure if it works that way, but an hour of sweating it out on The Bike and light weight-machine workout has to be doing some good. And Sledpress has told me that after getting my heart rate up like that my body burns more calories for several hours afterwards.

In fact, I feel like I’m getting hooked. Originally I was just going to do this for two weeks and then go back to my usual 2-3 times a week routine. And I may have to do that soon if/when work picks up. But instead of plucking up some enthusiasm to get me out the door I find myself planning my mornings so that I can squeeze in my hour at the gym.

Which was an hour and a half ago. Now must dash out to meet a new client. Go me!

plz sir, we can haz sum more?

13 Tuesday Dec 2011

Posted by in animals & pets, cats, diet & nutrition, health & happiness

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It’s official. Since last week’s visit to Yolanda the vet Loki & Luna are now on a diet. Or better said, their food intake is now being strictly monitored so that they end up getting the required amount and nothing extra.

To my chagrin, I knew Yolanda was right when she pointed out the obvious – that Loki was way overweight at 7.1 kilos and that even little Lunita was getting a belly on her. Thing is, I do measure their food every day and they don’t get more than they need of their own stuff, but they hang around like vultures when Azar gets treats and scoff whatever he leaves behind. And yes, I am guilty of leaving out food for Azar. I didn’t think it was that much but when you think about it, a few extra biccys several times a day can really add up. Obviously. Duh.

So now Loki & Luna are being fed three times a day and when Azar is given snacks (really, an all-day activity) either Peter or I grab a piece of string and keep the other two occupied. This has two benefits – L & L don’t eat Azar’s food and they get some exercise chasing the string. And they don’t even seem to mind. I mean, they are hardly going hungry, and after just a few days Loki has stopped begging for food (an annoying habit that he picked up from Azar), plus they seem to know when real mealtimes are now and start hanging around their bowls then.

I’ve always been a bit envious of people who can just dish out the cat biscuits in the morning and that’s that. Though with Sunny and Azar I noticed that the times both Peter and I were away for a few days and a big whack of food was left out, they barely ate anything. If I did that when we were at home they’d binge eat themselves into a cat food coma. Cats, eh?

two for one

09 Friday Dec 2011

Posted by in animals & pets, cats, health & happiness

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Today I did something I have never attempted before… I took two cats to the vet’s at once! Well, with the help of Peter. And I have to say that I couldn’t have done it without him. Not only was it a two-person job getting both cats into the carrier but I never could have lifted the thing. Turned out there was 10 kilos of cats in there (Loki 7.1kg and Luna 2.9kg). Luckily there’s a taxi stand just a couple of minutes from the house.

It was also less traumatic than I’d anticipated. Luna was her usual quiet self – I have never known a cat that didn’t scream blue murder when going to the vet’s. And although Loki was clearly upset and made a fair bit of noise, he seemed to be comforted by Luna’s serene presence. Though I did worry he might crush her to death as he was all over the place in the carrier.

Anyhow, got there and back again with quite a few things done. Both cats got their vaccination booster shots and a check up. They were also both treated for all kinds of parasites (Luna’s worms came back a couple of times and I was concerned they weren’t totally killed off) with a pill and then a topical solution that got dabbed on the backs of their heads. I now have to do the same here for Azar. Oh, and Yolanda also clipped everyone’s claws, which isn’t something they easily let me do at home. So, 112 euros later we were back home and everyone was relieved to have the ordeal over and done with.

That’s it now until mid-January when I’ll be taking Luna in to get sterilized… €€€!!!