Update: October 2023 

2023 10 01

Hi everyone - time for an update!

After some prompting from me, I've eventually been given my slot (Tuesday morning, 3 October) for the planning scan that is necessary before I receive the radiation to my hip.

There are usually 10 working days between a planning scan and the start of the treatment. But as I told someone the other day, I threw my toys around when I heard that, and they then said they'd see whether I could start on 9 October (finishing on the 20th) - which is the latest that Garth wanted, anyway.

I continue to be fine (other than hay fever and itchy eyes that are dragging on, and occasional fatigue), and am enjoying doing a small amount of editing work again.

I hope you are enjoying your change of season, wherever you are!

Lots of love to all of you 🌹❤️

2023 10 05

Hi everyone –

Just letting you know that I will indeed be starting the radiation treatment on Monday (9 October).

The planning scan went very smoothly. They can even use my pinprick tattoos from last time, so no needles were involved!

I so appreciate that this was picked up now, and we have the opportunity to prevent it from becoming a problem.

The Cape Town sky has been amazing recently, especially yesterday. Here's the link to a little album of my photos from yesterday: https://photos.app.goo.gl/c7vYS2ZhCrvjN4EM8  

Lots of love 🌹❤️

2023 10 09

Hi everyone – the radiation went well today (it's only 15 minutes each time, and one doesn't feel a thing).

I also happened to have a long-scheduled check-in with Danie just beforehand: he confirmed that everything is on track and my blood counts continue to be good. He also told me that it takes at least 6 months to get over the chemo that I had. I don't recall hearing that before, and I did need to hear it now, as I sometimes feel impatient with the niggly things  that still happen all the time!

Gail and I went to Kirstenbosch – my first time there in more than 7 months – to celebrate our 24th anniversary, which is today. (Photo: Colonel Bird's Bath, which was the fullest I've ever seen it.)  🌹❤️

 

 

 

2023 10 17

 

Hi everyone – I hope you're all coping in these difficult times.

I've just had radiation treatment number 7 of 10, and I'm hoping the last three will be as easy as these have been! At the moment, it's only about 5 minutes each time. Yesterday I would have said that there no noticeable side effects, but some have started now (they did warn me) – my digestion is somewhat upset, but nothing like what I've had under various other circumstances in the past! The radiation isn't making me tired, though, and I've been able to continue dancing and walking and editing.

I was prescribed allopathic meds for the hay fever that was niggling me so much recently, and it's both amazing and a little frightening to experience how well they work! Medically, I'm back in a world that I last inhabited about 35 years ago. I don't even know where to start with a cost-benefit analysis of it all, so I'm just taking each day as it comes.

So very much love to all of you. 🌹❤️

 

 

 

2023 10 20

Hi everyone – just letting you know that my radiation is done! The last three sessions were also short, and at the end of today's one I rang the bell!

(I hope you don't mind receiving a video, just this once!)

I'm a little tired now, but that's to be expected and it's not particularly bad. The slight digestive issues have mostly stabilised.

In four weeks' time I'll have a CT scan and see Garth. There are no other planned checks until that one.

I wish you the very best of whatever is important to you right now, and I hope and pray that everyone can find their way to peace.

Lots of love 🌹❤️

 

 2023 10 26

Hi everyone – I hope your week is treating you well, and that you're managing to balance your personal wellbeing with the current chaos out there.

Almost a week after ringing that bell, I've been mostly fine, other than two days of after-effects of the radiation (Sunday and Monday).

They had warned me! But I have to admit, I wasn't expecting the effects to kick in so thoroughly, and so after the fact: nausea, cramps, digestive upsets and general malaise. I waited it out, being gentle, mostly in bed.  

Back to mostly fine, now!

Lots of love to all 🌹❤️