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~ my life in sevilla

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Tag Archives: health

it’s just a cold, right?

02 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by azahar in coronavirus, health & happiness, home, hope

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

casa azahar, coronavirus, covid-19, health, home

Exactly three weeks ago today I woke up to birdsong in the lovely guesthouse next to Bodegas Bentomiz. I also woke up with a killer sore throat that felt like I was swallowing shards of glass. Another cold? Or was it that virus we’d been hearing about? This was two days before the national lockdown so most of us still had little idea how serious the situation actually was. Anyhow, since then this “cold” has persisited, and has been having quite the journey, visiting various parts of my body. The sore throat morphed into a very sneezy sinus thing with blocked ears and tinnitus, loss of sense of smell and taste, back to the throat, then a cough (not a dry one!) with slight tightness in the chest, then whatever. I can’t remember all the pitstops it’s made. Anyhow… IT’S STILL WITH ME.

But this morning was the first time I worried because the Throat is back (really ouch!) this time with a very distinct heavy feeling lower down, just below the clavicle, and at this moment I’m not sure if the chest tightness I’m feeling is due to illness or anxiety. Still no fever though so fingers crossed.

Because I always have sinus issues going on it’s not that uncommon for a cold to take root like this and take forever to go away, but this usually happens mid-winter not spring. Meanwhile I’m keeping my hands away from my face as much as possible (seriously, not easy!) and washing the hands way more with each passing day. I’ve also stopped going to the supermarket, with my only outings a quick five minute rubbish dump every 5 days or so. And yet this damn thing persists and keeps upping its game. I’m not kidding guys, if more than a day or so goes by without a post on this silly blog of mine, please get in touch, just in case.

Stay home. Stay safe.

ouch!!

05 Thursday Mar 2020

Posted by azahar in health & happiness, hospitals

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

ct scan, health, hospitals, sprains

So THIS happened yesterday. At the second winery in Ronda I was being led down a pebbly slopey path and …. whoosh! …. suddenly I was down. And dammit, I knew something was wrong right away, but what was I going to do? I still had another bodega to visit and wasn’t going to get home any quicker because my bus didn’t leave until 6 pm. But by the time I got home last night my foot and ankle were all swollen and hurt like a mofo.

Once home I applied a large bag of frozen peas and considered cancelling my CT scan that was scheduled for 8.30 the next morning. But in a way it was “lucky” that I had the scan because I may not have gone to get my foot looked at otherwise. So after the scan I hobbled over to emergency to have it x-rayed. Turns out nothing is broken, and I was given a tension bandage, so that’s all good. Except for the hurting like a mofo bit.

Also looks like tomorrow I’ll be doing a sherry tour on crutches! I know I should be staying home but I also have to pay my rent.

ufff…

12 Wednesday Feb 2020

Posted by azahar in cancer, health & happiness, hospitals

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

cancer, colonoscopy, health, hospitals, sevilla

So for the second time in two weeks I am going through the hideous colonoscopy prep, which is usually something people only have to endure once every few years. My last colonoscopy was two years ago but recent findings (looking for leaks!) have led to me having another one sooner than usual. Unfortunately that barium xray a couple of weeks ago also required this same prep so here I am again. But with a difference.

Previous tests were either in the morning or at midday, so the “clear liquids only” day was the day before the procedure, starting the dread EVACUANTE the evening before, dividing the 16 doses (10 in the evening, 6 the next morning). This time my appointment is at 4 pm, so I  have to start the liquid diet after lunch today and then GET UP AT 7 AM AND TAKE ALL 16 DOSES before 11 o’clock. I dunno… have never managed to get more than 10 down in a row, and am always – literally – gagging on the last two. Six more (one every 15 minutes) means an extra hour and a half of this liquid hell. Uffff….

The “good” news is that (well, so my onc says) they aren’t checking for cancer this time, even though all my test reports since November (CT, ultrasound, endoscopy, barium xray) mention a suspicious area of inflammation and state that they cannot completely rule out neoplastic pathology. Whatevs. More news as it happens…

hump day

29 Wednesday Jan 2020

Posted by azahar in fitness, health & happiness

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

dowagers hump, health

A couple of years ago (or more?) I noticed that I “suddenly” had a hideous hump on my back. Well, between my neck and shoulder blades. At first I thought it was what’s known as a Buffalo Hump, which is usually caused by (amongst other things) being overweight. Then I heard about Dowager’s Hump, which looks similar but is basically caused by bad posture that leaves one with a curvature of the spine at shoulder level.

So I got online and also checked with the amazing @sledpress, and now I have a few stretch & strength exercises I can do at home. I’m also watching my posture when I sit in front of the computer. But the most challenging thing I’ve tried so far is simply walking (my almost-daily 10,000 steps) with shoulders and chin held straight. And OMG it’s hard. To consciously stay erect, no slouching, while walking. I had no idea I was so slouchy. Anyhow, this gives me over an hour of holding myself up properly and so perhaps I will see some improvements – hunchwise – soon.

Happy Wednesday (AKA Hump Day)

mirror mirror…

28 Tuesday Jan 2020

Posted by azahar in friends, health & happiness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

beauty, health, makeup mirror

So there I was having lunch with Lucy @sparkybakewell the other day and she happened to mention how she spent a Christmas gift card from El Corte Inglés on an 8x magnifiying LIGHT UP make-up mirror. At first I thought… whaaaat? I barely wear make-up and so don’t inspect my minimal make-up that closely… but then I went …. oooohh! Because I suddenly remembered THE FUCKING RANDOM SPROUTING HAIRS.

This first started about 15 years ago (?) when I would be happily going about my morning “getting ready to go out” routine – which is seriously basic, I have never worn much make-up, etc – and then would spot ONE MASSIVE black hair growing out of my chin, wicked-witch style, that FOR SURE hadn’t been there yesterday. Anyhoodle, out came the tweezers and – out damn hair!

Fast forward to now. I have next to no body hair anymore, possibly a result of my genes (my maternal grandmother was Cree Indian) or perhaps a combination of that and being OLD along with all the post-chemo stuff. Whatever. I have no visible body hair on my arms, legs, pits… which is fine by me. BUT… wtf is it with me suddenly noticing I have “cat whiskers” growing out the sides of my mouth, or rando hairs above my lip and on my chin?? NOT okay.

And so I got this magic mirror (on sale now! 20% off! the cheaper 5x version). And I have to say that the ol’ tweezers got a good workout the first day. Lucy did warn me that it’s knowing when to stop that may cause problems. Ha. I am actually a bit shocked at what I couldn’t see in my normal bathroom mirror. Anyhow, all gone now!

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