Category Archives: health & happiness

the port

22 Wednesday Apr 2009

Posted by in cancer, chemo, friends, health & happiness, hospitals, yoga

≈ 34 Comments

the-port

So it’s in and done … no more chemo arm!

My yoga buddy Lola came with me to the hospital yesterday afternoon, even though it meant she had to give up her (very expensive) seat at the evening bullfight. I felt really guilty about that, but from the minute I asked her if she might come with me there was no arguing with her. She was taking me and that was that…

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don’t be sad because it’s over…

04 Saturday Apr 2009

Posted by in change, family, friends, health & happiness, home, hope, love

≈ 8 Comments

pip_kidlet

… be happy because it happened.

You may have noticed that my sister Susan (aka Pipocas, international woman of mystery and popcorn mule) hasn’t been around much the past 2-3 weeks. I’ve barely seen her myself and we’ve mostly kept in touch by emails and phone calls. First she had a friend from the States visiting for a week, then she had a bunch of legal and work stuff to take care of, and this past week her boss was in town to work out some solutions because … here comes the punch line… Pip will be moving back to the States this summer.
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no more chemo hand!

03 Friday Apr 2009

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

≈ 12 Comments

chemo-arm

… well, after today’s session.

And wow, as I sit here with my throbbingly painful “chemo arm” and weak & useless achy “chemo hand”, I am convinced that getting the port is the right way to go. It is seriously going take away one of the worst side effects I get from my present chemo regimen (Xelox/Oxiplatin infusion; Xeloda chemo pills). And so,  if the new whack of anti-nausea pills also work, then I’ll only – ha! – have to put up with the cold thang (not being able to touch, eat or drink anything cold), and feeling really really tired for about ten days out of the three-week cycle. “Razor throat” and “metal mouth” are also quite unpleasant, but they usually only last for 5 and 10 days respectively, and they don’t stop me from doing stuff (just from doing them pleasantly) …

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