• about azahar (that’s me!)
  • my cancer story
  • azahar’s kitchen
  • azahar’s sevilla
  • sevilla tapas
  • personal trip planning

casa azahar

~ my life in sevilla

casa azahar

Category Archives: health

compression

22 Wednesday May 2024

Posted by azahar in health, health & happiness, knee saga, knees, sevilla

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

health, knees, sevilla

compression

Well look at these sexy fuckers. Can I tell you? I’ve been looking for a compression knee sleeve since last year when my left knee gave out on me big time in May 2023 (now both knees are fucked). Could I find one? Well obviously no I couldn’t (or I wouldn’t be posting this now). All the ones I tried out cut off all circulation in a matter of seconds and then proceeded to just roll down my leg when I tried to walk.

Why? Because… legs too fat! Or so I was told. I didn’t fit into the acceptable size range, even the biggest XXX ones. And, while I acknowledge being fat I also know there are way fatter people out there. I mean, what do they do? Considering that many people with knee problems probably also have weight issues… wouldn’t there be a market for this?

It’s all been terribly discouraging because everyone tells me how wearing the sleeve makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE in pain relief. And since I have been denied any useful help from the various doctors I’ve seen lately  I’m kind of on my own. Been using an anti-inflammatory cream, been doing my chair yoga/pilates, and I keep on walking. But dammit it hurts.

And then these ones suddenly popped up on my Amazon page (while I was actually shopping for something else) and I thought… wait a minute, those look like they might actually work. The measurements were in keeping with mine, so I decided to give it a go. And so far… I can actually get it on. Will let you know how it goes.

protection

30 Tuesday Apr 2024

Posted by azahar in health, seasons, sevilla

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

protection, Sun

protection

Gotta admit I’ve been pretty lax about using proper sun protection so the other day I dug out some Nivea spray stuff (originally bought for Peter’s head) from the back of the bathroom cupboard and gave it a try. And uffff… way too strong a smell for me to have anywhere near my nose (Peter doesn’t notice it). I started looking around for another brand and was immediately overwhelmed by choice, so it was Twitter to the rescue. This came up a couple of times when I asked for some advice and it sounded like just what I was looking for… then I had to either find it here or order it online. Turns out my favourite neighbourhood pharmacy stocks it, and so now I’m all set for the longer summer days. What sun protection do you use?

black monday

26 Monday Feb 2024

Posted by azahar in health, health & happiness, sevilla

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

health, sevilla

black monday

Nothing really to do with it being Monday since, as a freelancer, there aren’t actually any weekdays or weekends (or holidays). And as far as my work goes, I love it, so I don’t fall prey to pre-work dread. So what is it then? Good question. I know this has been building up for a while now with my usual tools of denial, deflection and determination getting me through. But something feels wrong. I feel like I’m in a dark place that is scaring the fuckity out of me and every day it gets harder to get out of bed and care about anything. So every day is an exercise in going through the motions in the hope that my… what? will kick back in.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m still going about my life, working, seeing friends, doing stuff I like, making plans… but it kind of feels like I am actually missing while all of this stuff going on, like I’m not really there. The detachment is what’s scaring me. Feels like I’ve been here before and it didn’t go well. I wish I could be more clear about this but as about 90% of my childhood memories don’t exist I’ve always felt like I am playing it by ear. Day by day.

Believing in myself has always been a challenge and there is a propensity to believe the worst and not have faith in the good stuff. What can I say? I know I’m a complicated person. But it turns out that for many people out there I’m kind of a “marmite” love-or-hate person. Honestly I’d rather just be liked and respected on a mutual individual basis… don’t require unanimous love and sure don’t do well with hate.

Anyhow, just blowing off some steam as I am sitting here at home unable to go outside because… can’t.

too much pain

23 Friday Feb 2024

Posted by azahar in fitness, health, health & happiness, knee saga, knees

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

health, knees

knee pain

So I’m pretty much desperate now. I’ve had KNEES for the past few years, meaning that I became physically aware that they existed rather than previously when they just functioned without making their presence known. But it was only last year May-June when I started having serious knee pain. So I got it checked out, got x-rays and an MRI in September (on the left knee, though by then it was the right knee that was giving me more grief). In fact I ended up at emergency when the pain got so bad it scared me. Doc just said I should stay off it and prescribed pain meds, including Nolotil which is BANNED IN 20 COUNTRIES as one of its many nasty side effects is DEATH. Needless to say I eschewed the drugs.

I haven’t gone back to my GP about the MRI results because when I tried a phone appointment a few months ago she was on holiday and I got her replacement who just told me to take painkillers and ride a stationary bike. The fuck? For what it’s worth I’ve set up another phone appointment for next week to see if she has anything more helpful to say. Like, I should probably be seeing an orthopaedic specialist at this point, plus I think the right knee also needs an MRI. And then, you know, maybe some helpful advice?

Meanwhile, I can barely walk anymore. It’s shocking to me how things went from “gee my knees kinda hurt” less than a year ago to screaming pain whenever I have to get up from a seated position (once I get moving it eases up a bit, but only a bit). Needless to say this affects my job which involves a lot of walking. But it has also affected my life in general because walking is what I do! I’m always out and about, getting my steps in, just being out there. Now it takes all my effort to put myself through the pain it takes to just walk a few blocks. It’s exhausting. I’m exhausted.

shades of grey

26 Friday Jan 2024

Posted by azahar in hair, health

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

grey, hair

shades of grey

Got a haircut this week! Since my peluquero of more than 20 years sadly died of Covid in early 2021 it’s been tricky because I am an annoying drop in client and Joaquín never minded that. All I ever want is a quick wash and trim (dos dedos), no blow dry or styling, it takes less than 15 mins. BUT I have to be on my way home (wet hair) and so I drop in when the timing is just right. These days it usually takes a couple of tries, and this week I lucked out.

Looks like I am one trim (maybe two) away from being all natural, which unfortunately isn’t the stunning pure silvery-white I’d been hoping for… apparently I am “dove grey” with white at the temples. I like the white bits but hope it doesn’t make me look like Grandpa Munster! But it actually feels good not to be bothered about hair colour anymore. Just one less thing, you know?

← Older posts
Newer posts →

patreon (1)

OR

comments

sledpress's avatarsledpress on sunday song – the vietna…
earnestlydebra's avatarearnestlydebra on caturday march 14th 2026 (lock…
sledpress's avatarsledpress on dafuq
azahar's avatarazahar on caturday march 14th 2026 (lock…
sledpress's avatarsledpress on caturday march 14th 2026 (lock…
azahar's avatarazahar on dafuq
Unknown's avatarnew sherry class! |… on Pam & Gibert
Unknown's avatarnew sherry class! |… on katie & co
Unknown's avatarlockdown | casa azah… on momentos coronavirus
Unknown's avatarcaturday march 14th… on lockdown

meta

  • Create account
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

visitations

  • 968,985 peeks

categories

archives

Enter your email address to subscribe to casa az and get email notices of new posts.

Join 2,235 other subscribers

azahar on Instagram

No Instagram images were found.

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • casa azahar
    • Join 1,968 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • casa azahar
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...