03 Tuesday Jun 2008
Posted in cancer, friends, health & happiness, hospitals
I found this rather poignant graffiti on a wall next to the train station in Jerez, just two days before this whole mess started, and I was moved to take a photo of it. At the time I sure never thought I’d end up using it on my blog in a personal way . . .
31 Saturday May 2008
Posted in health & happiness
. . . looking like this?
Seriously, I’ve lost about 9 kilos (20 pounds) since my operation three weeks ago. I don’t expect that the weight loss will continue to be so dramatic but I also don’t want to end up looking like someone let the air outta me. I can’t do much exercise at the moment other than some gentle walking. And I can’t afford any ‘magic creams’ to make my skin more elastic. But I’m sure there must be something I can do.
Any tips or suggestions?
29 Thursday May 2008
Posted in food & drink, health & happiness, home
My latest vice . . .
I mean, I gave up smoking a week or so before the pneumonia episode in April and I haven’t touched a drop of wine since May 4th (but who’s counting?) so it was really just a matter of time before a new vice came along.
For the record, I’m not really one for sweets. I usually (but not always) have a couple of ice creams during the summer months, vanilla being my favourite flavour. But then the other night I suddenly got an urge to murder a Magnum! Since then I’ve moved on to Häagan Dazs strawberries & cream (pictured above) and want to get some vanilla next. I don’t know what’s come over me. Luckily it hasn’t affected my weight loss. I’m now down eight kilos since the operation.
I’m sure I must still have some other vices that aren’t related to things I put into my mouth.
What are some of yours?
23 Friday May 2008
Posted in culture, health & happiness, hospitals, rants
Now this is my idea of a hospital room!
In fact, probably the only good thing that the private hospital had going for it was that all the rooms there are private, painted a pretty yellow and have an extra bed in case a friend or relative wants to stay with you.
At the general hospital where I ended up there are two patients to a room. My room was pretty basic, but there was a balcony with a nice view and it would have been quite tolerable if my roommates had had better manners. . .
22 Thursday May 2008
Posted in health & happiness, hospitals, life stuff
I’m no stranger to pain, what with my dodgy back and all (have had seriously painful sciatica/lumbago episodes since I was 22). And when I had a hysterectomy in December 1999 I experienced a totally different sort of pain. But I have to say that this latest operation has opened up a whole new world of pain to me.
The main thing I noticed while I was lying in my hospital bed was how isolating pain is. The whole rest of the world disappears and all that exists is a pain-wracked body that you happen to be attached to. This is accompanied by fear and an awful sense of helplessness … but again it all comes down to you you you.
I hated that. And I still hate it on bad pain days (like yesterday) when absolutely everything else stops mattering. All you want is for the bloody pain to stop. And all the recently made resolutions to be a better person and focus on what really matters go right out the window. No chance for positive thinking as thinking in any clear manner at all becomes impossible. It’s a very lonely place to be.
What are some of your experiences with PAIN?
casa azahar 