12 Saturday Oct 2019
Posted in casa azahar, home, seasons, sevilla
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I’ve been enjoying the lovely weather this week with still quite warm daytime temperatures (30º) but with cool breezes, and overnight temps requiring the light duvet for the first time. Next week will be a whole other story as the forecast in Galicia is for RAIN all week and daytime highs of just 16-17º, which is like January in Sevilla. It also means that I will have to wear (gasp!) TIGHTS & SHOES. Let’s hope there are still at least a couple more weeks of sandal weather when I get back…
04 Friday Oct 2019
Posted in health & happiness, home
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Remember when I got a mystery lower abdominal pain a couple of years ago? It began mid-November and lasted until I had a PET scan near the end of January, and was similar to something that occurred a couple of years previously. WELL IT’S BACK!
The abdominal pain (lower left hand side) started up again on Wednesday. I’m not talking about the usual discomfort I have due to adhesions, hernia, etc. I’m talking PAIN. But fuck it, rather than race to emergency again, I decided to leave it until I see the oncologist on Monday (FINALLY got an appointment). Then I was talking to my friend Ann about this and she said “sounds like when I get diverticulitis”. Say what? So I googled diverticulitis and there were my symptoms to a T. But I mean, wtf? You’d think the many doctors I have described this problem to would have also heard of diverticulitis, no?
Anyhow, learning that this is a fairly normal disease and is rarely life-threatening (though it can be) helped me relax a bit. And now I have a bit more “ammunition” for getting the scans I need when I see the onc. I had an ultrasound done a couple of weeks ago – a month later than it should have been – and they recommended an MRI because they found a couple of dodgy bits in my liver they want to check out further. So now I have to press for the MRI and probably another colonoscopy. DYI post cancer revisions.
And another amazing thing! I casually mentioned to Ann that the radiating pain in my right upper arm had also returned, and although I was sure they couldn’t be related I also thought it was weird that I had this exact same arm pain during the two months I had the belly pain. And good ol’ Ann sent me this…
Referred Pain in Right Arm from Abdominal Wall Pseudoaneurysm
I mean seriously, who’da thunk it?? Especially as I mentioned the arm pain to the oncologist two years ago and she said it had nothing to do with the abdominal pain. I know I know… diagnosing yourself on the internet isn’t often accurate (or advisable) but it sure does seem like these two problems have been explained, and that they are related. So now I just have to get through the next few days and maybe also get a blood test done to check for infection… it’s always something.
03 Thursday Oct 2019
Posted in casa azahar, cats, home
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Quiet time with my girl. Nothing better.
11 Wednesday Sep 2019
Posted in casa azahar, cats, home
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It was time. The previous cat tower, which I bought in March 2018, had been ripped to shreds. Mostly by Luna (Morcilla prefers to scratch my office chair, and Loki the back of the sofa). So when I saw this one already put together at El Corte Inglés yesterday I asked if they could deliver it as is.. and here it is!
I was actually a bit shocked when I checked back and saw the old tower was only a year and a half old. I mean, look at the state of it. You’d think they’d sell replacement posts, since those are really what get ruined. Well, let’s see how long this one lasts. So far all the cats are loving it and even Loki can fit into the cubby hole at the bottom (the last one was too small for him).
06 Friday Sep 2019
Posted in health & happiness, home
I’m usually pretty good at walking every day, though during the summer heat it’s more difficult to reach that 10,000 step goal (and even then it’s mostly strolling, not WALKING). After I moved I stopped going to the gym because there isn’t one close to me here, and I’ve really been missing some sort of daily exercise. And so this morning I decided that this was the day to start serious walking again. By that I mean doing a proper fast(ish) paced uninterrupted walk for an hour each day.
To be honest, I’ve been planning to start doing this for ages, and thought that having most of August off would be a good time. But in fact I used August to learn how to sleep again, giving myself “permission” to get an extra hour or so in after feeding the cats first thing in the morning (anytime between 6-7 am). Which also means I’ve got better at falling asleep again after being woken up, so more sleep for me!
I’ve worked out a nice morning walking route along the river that is similar to what I used to do on my bike, but it finishes in the city centre so if I need to do any shopping or errands I can get that done after the walk. Perfect! Not quite the Camino de Santiago, but it’s a start. 🙂
