Category Archives: health & happiness

cat grass part 2

22 Wednesday Jul 2009

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

≈ 15 Comments

cat grass 2

I ask you … could he look any less interested?

A week ago today I was going on about how fabulously the new cat grass was growing and, once I was sure it had taken root properly, lowered it so that the boys could start feasting on what I’d been assured was something they would not only love but was also necessary for their health and digestive well-being. Well, huh. I even tried hand-feeding the grass to them. They took one sniff and were clearly thinking – hey, this ain’t asparagus!

So, I give up. I’ll keep watering the grass for now, but it’s looking like I’ll have to mow it soon. Goldarn ingrates …

scarred for life

20 Monday Jul 2009

Posted by in cancer, change, health & happiness

≈ 19 Comments

my scars

Meant to post a follow up to the original scar post ages ago. I forgot to take a photo after the second op, so this one includes both second and third op scars, as well as the one for my port (the little one just there above my bra). Once again modesty prevents me from showing you the entire extent of the scars, but the vertical one goes right down to the pubes and the side one is a big J-shape that extends just past where the side seam on a shirt would be. The two horizontal scars are kind of on top of each other, but the second one also continues past the centre line for about three inches (bit hard to see in this pic).

The area where the horizontal and vertical scars meet is still causing me problems. Apparently I still have a lot of inflammation there, as well as where the original join was made in the colon after the emergency resection (first op). So there you have it. I’m not really bothered about having scars. I just hope I won’t need to get any more…

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going to málaga!

17 Friday Jul 2009

Posted by in health & happiness, holidays, tapas, travel, trips

≈ 11 Comments

malaga
… at least, I hope so.

I got a phone call from my friend/student Manolo yesterday saying he was going to be away on holiday all of August and he offered me the use of his apartment in Málaga. He has quite a nice place there right on the beach and near the centre of town. And so I got all excited because it really would be nice to get away for a few days and, other than train fare, this would be a “free holiday” as it won’t cost any more to stay there than here. So if I can arrange for someone to feed & water the boys I think I’m going to take Manolo up on his offer. Nog will come with me and I’ve also extended an invitation to my friend Lizzie in Bristol as there is plenty of room for three at the apartment and there are cheap direct flights Bristol-Málaga. Still waiting to hear back from her, but it would be wonderful if she could make it.

Quite looking forward to walks on the beach and dipping my toes in the Mediterranean …

do-it-yourself doctor

16 Thursday Jul 2009

Posted by in cancer, chemo, food & drink, friends, health & happiness, hospitals, tapas

≈ 10 Comments

diy doctor

Just call me Dr az.

I went to see the oncologist yesterday. Dr Ana is on holiday so I saw one of my original colon cancer oncs. As I mentioned in my summer holidays post, I’ve had very bad reactions to the last three infusions of Oxyplatin and so I decided that for the sixth and final round of chemo I’d just take the Xeloda chemo pills and forgo the infusion. When I told my friend/student/GP Agustín this the other day he went all doctory on me and said this wasn’t a decision I should make without the advice of my oncologist. So I gave that a shot and I’m not surprised at all how things went…

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forgiveness

14 Tuesday Jul 2009

Posted by in change, friends, health & happiness, life stuff

≈ 24 Comments

forgiveness

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”
~ Lewis B. Smedes

Mudhooks posted that quote on Twitter this morning and it really resonated. With my personal history of family violence and abuse as a child I am left with a lot of trust issues even after all these years, which is probably not surprising.  And so I got to thinking about how crap I am at actually forgiving people.  And then I wondered if forgiveness is always the best policy. I know that harbouring grudges does no good, but does one always have to forgive in order not to feel bitter or resentful about a past breach of trust? Does everyone actually deserve to be forgiven? Is it possible to truly forgive and forget?

What are your thoughts on forgiveness?