Friday, August 1, 2008

Friday and it must be Phil visiting

Phil, Ade (skinny version) and Russ.

Friday morning Rus and I went to pick up Phil at the Station for what turned out to be a great 'sibling together' day. I had slept well and we planned to spend the day at the pool with the family and Sylvie. And that's just what we did with a little (understatement of the year) food shopping thrown in so the two of them could make sure that there wasn't actually a minute when something wasn't near or in my mouth. They even bought me a T-Shirt from The Little Shop of Horrors! Check out the picture!!! I still get very tired but it's not that easy to rest in the afternoon. Perhaps that overwhelming fatigue is lifting....We had a lovely Shabbat dinner and Phil left on the 8pm train. Great to be together!

Those eyes


Tell me our Daughter doesn't have her Dad's eyes!


Thursday, July 31, 2008

Thursday and it must be Gaithersburg

Not a great sleep last night...see how everything is measured this way...but the cable and internet were back on and so computer and telly work! What a relief.

We had the journey to Gaithersburg ahead of us and this time Rus had to drive.Really not a terrible distance and the session was short and good. Rick met my sister and did a little heal on her gammy eye so I'll keep you informed of the progress on that one you sceptics! Lovely fattening Big Mac for lunch and back home for rest and pool.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Wednesday and the Amish

Well...yes! It was a good one,the sleep,the toilet even any of the side effects of the injection seem to be manageable. I actually noticed that I am ready to eat more and I am making a note of my intake to make sure I get the required amount so as not to loose weight but start gaining.

It did make me feel good that Sylvie was 'pleasantly surprised' at how he found me..Scary to think of what he imagined.Also so great to have such a truly great friend who has taken the time out and made the long journey to see me and walk alongside these next two weeks!! I know it sounds daft but I am very lucky...must have done something right, somewhere, sometime!

We had a visit to the Amish town of Intercourse PA planned depending on how I felt and so off we set! I drove all the way there and back...yes 3 hours! We stepped back in time and marvelled at the beauty of the corn fields and the pace of life which feels slower and more relaxed. Rob was the official photographer for the day and Rus the picnic organiser...little bags of snacks that were slid into a convenient position for my hand throughout the drive. When I was slow to get the food Sylvie was in there like a shot!

We had a quick look around the farmers' market and bought pretzels and turkey for the way home...exhausted by the time we got there but I DID IT!

My doc appointment this pm was ok but the fatigue had settled in so I was cranky and beginning also to feel a little achy from the shot. Didn't help that there was a huge thunderstorm which knocked out the cable and internet again!!! Really wanted an early night but my big sis decided we should chat...can't understand why she thinks 9.30 is too early to go to bed!!??

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

My Zim visitor


This morning a very good friend (Hylton "Silvi" Solomon) arrived from Zimbabwe to visit with me. Having been traveling for 32 hours he was surprisingly awake and "compis mentice". We started catching up on the goings on currently in Zimbabwe as he owns and runs a supermarket in our home town of Bulawayo. He tried to explain the inflation rate of millions of percent to us. Huh! Did not comprehend!!! Spent the rest of the day catching up on all the news from Zimbabwe and Sylvie tagged along with me while I did all the usual chores! Dropped by Di's office,had lunch down the road which I managed very well! I am constantly bombarded with food in little bowls...does that mean they are trying to make me gain weight!?

I needed to get my shot done (the white cell helper) and so I was able to introduce Sylvie to Mary and some of the team and he was able to see the infusion center. Afterwards we all lazed at the pool...what a life hey! Sylvie was the guest of honour at a prominent Baltimorian fund raiser so we deposited him at their home and came home to relax and have dinner.

My evenings are quite routine,being the creature of habit that I am, but it's always good to watch the usual programmes with more people.I must add that I am actually feeling good! Let's hope the sleep measures up!

Monday, July 28, 2008

Chemo 5 (Round 2)

Today was a slightly easier chemo day with no Carboplatin. Russ and Diana were with me and Mary was her usual wonderful self.I felt a little better and my blood work looked good. So this week hopefully the Gemzar won't knock the crap out of me. The face situation has improved and almost stayed the same. Blemishes. What else can I say! Oh yea. I have "thrush" (in my throat). No, not some kind of bird. But some kind of infection in my throat (or something like that). It's a bit uncomfortable but the stuff they gave me should clear it up. It was caused by the anti-biotic and not me frolicking with some tart. One more thing. I didn't loose any weight. Thanks Di and Russ. But here is some weird bit of info. Sorry it has to be in Kilos. When I went in for the treatment I weighed 58.3 kilos (yea, I know it's light!!!). But on the way out I weighed in at a whopping 60.1 kilos. Nearly 2 kilos of chemo??? Oh shit.

Swim in the afternoon, dinner with the gang and then silly shows on TV. I feel OK to good.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Comments to the blog

I know there are quite a few people that have tried to post comments to the blog but unfortunately they have not showed up!!! I ask you please, if you are having problems or suspect that the comment never went through then email the comment to me at:

asuskin@hotmail.com

and I will be happy to publish it for you. It seems that there are lots of comments that have gone askew. Many thanks.