Category Archives: health & happiness

colon club

29 Friday Aug 2008

Posted by in cancer, friends, health & happiness, progress

≈ 10 Comments

Today I joined the Colon Club.

I’d first checked out this site shortly after being diagnosed and read some of the stuff on the ‘Colon Talk’ message board, but somehow didn’t feel like I could talk to ‘total strangers’ about what was going on. I think in part because it hadn’t really sunk in yet. Then this morning I had another look at it and decided to take the plunge and become a member.

When I was talking to raincoaster on the phone the other day she suggested that I look for a support group, or even start a private blog to vent if I needed to, which were both good suggestions. But I’m really not a group person and I find the stuff I post here about cancer stuff supplies enough venting  (and the wonderful caring responses I get really help me a lot).

But the Colon Club online support group seems perfect for me because there is no physical commitment for me to be somewhere – I can stop in whenever I like for as long as I like.  Also, as this site is specifically about colon cancer, I’m already learning a lot by reading about other people’s experiences.

I’ll still be writing about my progress and experiences here, but it feels good to have another outlet where I can talk to people who have been through similar stuff.

progress report (3)

22 Friday Aug 2008

Posted by in cancer, friends, health & happiness, hospitals, progress

≈ 14 Comments

This morning it was going to be another early morning bike ride to the hospital – this time for pre-op blood tests and two xrays – but I woke up feeling quite queasy and tired so had to go by taxi instead (though I did cycle back). My appointment with the anaesthetist is for September 2nd, the same morning I see the oncologist again (will definitely have my travel scrabble game with me for that one!). And it is supposed that sometime between now and then I will be told the date of the liver surgery.

As for progress …

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what a day!

13 Wednesday Aug 2008

Posted by in cancer, health & happiness, hospitals

≈ 22 Comments

And such a long one. Left home yesterday at 9.00 am and got back at 7.30 pm … all for a ten-minute chat with the oncologist and a two-and-a-half hour chemo session. Do the math – that’s a helluva lot of waiting. I’d gone prepared with a book and a Hello magazine, and Nog & I tried staying entertained by playing Fashion Police (not nearly as fun as it had been in the emergency waiting room) as well as playing Hangman and watching some Olympic events on the big tv there, but it was pretty damned tedious nonetheless. On the bright side, I didn’t have to subject myself to cafeteria food . . .

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chemo prep (2)

11 Monday Aug 2008

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

≈ 14 Comments

Getting ready for round three. This time will be very different than the first two sessions because Nog is here. He wants to come with me tomorrow for the FULL DAY just so he can see exactly what I’ve been going through. For future sessions I will probably still do two ‘shifts’. One person to come with me for the oncologist appointment and another for the chemo session…

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sunday snack

10 Sunday Aug 2008

Posted by in food & drink, friends, health & happiness, photos, spain, tapas

≈ 13 Comments

Across the street from the rental bike station.

It was another scorcher today. The original plan had been to get up early and go out in the morning while it was still coolish. And well, although I was up early to feed the cats at 7, after checking blogs, email and twitter, I went back to bed around 8.45. To my surprise I actually fell asleep again until about 10.30, which felt great. So after having coffee and catching up on my Scrabble games it was well after noon before Nog and I went out for a bike ride.

Needing a destination – and since Nog wanted to take me out for my weekly tapa treat – we decided to go on a hunt for a curious little restaurant/bar we had come across on one of our Sunday walks a few months ago. The only thing we remembered about it was that it was near the Alameda and it was called Cruji Pollo (Crispy Chicken). After parking the rental bikes in the general area and walking down several little side streets we finally found it. . .

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