Update: April 2026

2026 04 02

Hi everyone –

The books arrived in the printer’s colourful van yesterday!

Gail and I had three people from Sydney with us, to share in the excitement: my sister Rosemary and cousins Martin and Jenny Jaffe. Thanks, Rosemary, for the photos, and Martin for taking a video (from which I used a still).

Wishing those who are celebrating, Chag Pesach Sameach and Happy Easter.

Lots of love 🌹❤️

 

2026 04 15

Hi everyone –

After yesterday’s blood tests gave us the go-ahead, with good blood counts, I had my fourth monthly injection today.

The one missing part of the blood test report was the section on my tumour markers (which had vanished overnight, after briefly being included late yesterday afternoon). 

When it has been reinstated, Garth will let me know what it says.

In other news:

It was good to have Rosemary visit us, her Cape Town family, briefly from Sydney – on her way to a solo trip in Europe. She landed up staying in Cape Town longer than intended, as she wasn’t well (I guess I can best describe what she had as gastric flu) for much of her time here. She rallied in time to be on her postponed flight. Bon voyage, Rosebud!

I’m currently busy with “all things book and launch”, and feeling so appreciative that I’m able to do this! If you haven’t received a confirmation of the launch from “the world of funky hats” yesterday or today, this means that – as far as I know – you’re not intending to be at the launch. If I have missed a written or verbal confirmation from you that you do intend to be there, please put me right ASAP!

Thank you.

For the people who intend to watch from afar: I’m waiting for the Zoom link to send you, hopefully very soon.

Lots of love 🌹❤️

2026 04 20

Greetings from cold and wet Cape Town (after a phase of glorious weather)!

I’m thrilled to let you know that the report on my tumour markers was eventually reinstated. The result is really good – even lower than last month! (For those who like numbers, the level is now 12.)

Lots of love 🌹❤️

 

2026 04 21

Hi everyone – I’ve just sent out the link to see my launch online. 

If anyone wants it and hasn’t received it (via email or WhatsApp), please let me know. 🌹❤️

 

 

2026 04 26

Launched my book! 

2026 04 27

Wow.

I think I used up all my words yesterday – I’m not yet finding the words that are needed to express my appreciation of all that happened yesterday. But I’m going to give it a try.

It was fantastic to see everyone arriving yesterday, to greet as many people as possible (apologies to anyone I didn’t greet!), to experience the festive clothes and a few notably funky hats, to know that people had driven through pouring rain from near and far (including Somerset West) – and were still smiling – and to have our friend Anne from Durban with us for the weekend, specifically for my book launch.

People from all the overlapping parts of my life were there, in person or on Zoom. Family and ‘adoptive’ family; friends – from school, university, work, various organisations, circle dancing, other dancing; neighbours; doctors; also friends and family of friends!

To backtrack a little: when we started planning the launch, several people offered to help with various aspects of the logistics of the day. And help they did – above and beyond! Each person did so much to prepare before the day, and/or set up, and/or clear up afterwards, that it would take an essay just to describe their contributions, so I’m simply going to list them in alphabetical order: Anne, Gail, Gail B, Jonno, Nina, Odette, Tevya, Toni and Tricia. Thank you to all of you, from the bottom of my heart!

Anne, thank you for flying from Durban to stay with Gail and me, to help us, and to be part of it all. It was wonderful to have you here.

Odette, thank you for your thoughtful planning of our conversation and the way you facilitated it. I could not have asked for better!

How amazing to have Garth Davids, my mensch oncologist, at the launch! He was on call for the weekend, but we were blessed with nobody calling on him! He joined in some of the dancing and also managed to speak with several people. My integrative doctor, David Nye, was there with his wife, Sandi. They also joined in the dancing. It’s great to have doctors who are prepared to experience the things that give their patients joy!

Backtracking even further, the person who helped me birth the book, my editor Liz Mackenzie, was there. Liz and I have been friends since we met at high school, 55 years ago, and she has supported me throughout my cancer journey. I have always known her to be an excellent editor, and she was the only person I was prepared to have edit the book. She exceeded all my expectations – surfacing and helping me examine every layer of meaning, impact, thought and emotion. Thank you, Liz, for all of it.

We’ll soon have a link to the recording to send out, as well as an album of photos to access.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all of you!

Lots of love  🌹❤️

PS: About two hours after starting to write this, I think we can now say that I found some words!

 

 Update: March 2026

2026 03 16

Hi everyone –

Here’s my book!

This is the proof copy, so it’s the only one in existence thus far – I fetched it on Friday, and today we sorted out a small printing problem so that it can finally be printed! An exciting moment ...

In other news, I’ve been at 10 of the 11 Saturday circle dancing sessions since the beginning of the year, and also taught a reunion session of my Thursday morning group on 5 March. Some of us hadn’t seen each other since June last year! It was wonderful to dance with everyone again.

I’m having my next CT scan tomorrow (it’s the routine three-monthly one), and will get the results from Garth on Wednesday – will send out an update after that. I’m generally feeling fine, and hope the scan will reflect that! When I went for the pre-scan blood test this afternoon, I realised that this was the first time in a whole year that I had been away from Constantiaberg  hospital for this long! (Two days short of four weeks.)

I hope whatever scanning of aspects of your life that you’re doing, is giving you the results you’re hoping for.

Lots of love 🌹❤️

 

2026 03 18

(Collage: the first iceberg rose of the new season, in our garden today; a rose with a bee at Chart Farm; the centrepiece at our recent circle dancing reunion; my current work-in-progress fun art.)

Hi everyone – I’m thrilled to tell you that yesterday’s CT scan brought all good news at today’s consultation with Garth!

The current treatment is still holding strong, and everything is stable, with all nodules either the same size or slightly decreased, and nothing new.

The pleural effusion has decreased even further – to almost nothing. (Yay – no pleural taps!)

My blood counts are good, which meant that I could have my planned monthly injection after seeing Garth, and my tumour markers are the lowest they’ve been in two years.

I’m so glad that the scan results reflect how I’ve been feeling. (It doesn’t always happen this way, which is why I do get a bit nervous in the days leading up to scans – phew!) Your fantastic support plays a huge part in my well-being – thank you, thank you, thank you!

Lots of love 🌹❤️

Update: February 2026

2026 02 04

Hi everyone!

Thanks to good blood test results from yesterday, I was able to have my second anti-oestrogen injection today. (Actually, it’s a pair of injections, as the substance is so viscous that they split the dose in half. It’s quite something, having two nursing sisters approaching one from behind with needles, like that! 😄) All going well, my next injection(s) is in two weeks’ time. After that, they will be monthly.

I went to all five Saturday circle dancing sessions in January! I’m still pinching myself to see if this is actually happening! Thank you for egging me on, every step of the way!

Lots of love 🌹❤️

(Appreciation to Gail for the photo)

 

2026 02 10

Save the date!

We have a date for my book launch! It will be on Sunday 26 April, 14:30 to about 17h00, at the Fish Hoek Civic Hall, and you (plus whoever you wish to bring along) are invited!

There will be some talking about the book and my cancer journey, plus circle dancing and light refreshments.

If you already wish to reserve your place(s) at the launch, please email funkyhats.hope.love@gmail.com, with your name and the names of the people you’re bringing (or forward this message to them and they can reply for themselves). You are welcome at the launch, whether or not you buy a copy of the book.

For those who do want to buy the book, it will become available some time in March, in three formats: print, PDF, and epub (for use on Kindle etc). I’m happy to say that all formats will be in full colour, at reasonable prices (soon to be finalised).

Nearer the time, I’ll send out the final invitation with a last date for RSVPs.

To the people who won’t be in Cape Town at the time: we’re going to try to do a live stream. If that doesn’t work out, we’ll do a recording.

Lots of love 🌹❤️

 

 

 

2026 02 18

Hi everyone – thanks, as always, for all your support, and thanks to the people who have already reserved their places at my book launch!

Today I had my scheduled injection, which is now monthly. It followed a consultation with Garth, where he told Gail and me that yesterday's blood test showed further improvements for everything, as my levels continue to stabilise after the chemo.

I had been concerned that the pleural effusion might be coming back, so Garth referred me for a chest X-ray after the injection. His medical officer phoned a couple of hours later, to say that there is actually less effusion than the last time it was checked! This means that the slight congestion I’d wondered about was probably just a result of a side effect of this treatment, which sometimes generates mucous.

So I continue to seize the day, dancing, playing with art, and being more available to see people. And I had my first "swim" of the season yesterday – actually a short dunk at St James beach, where the tidal pool was freezing!

Garth told us that it’s usual for people to respond well to the chemo I've just had, so it turns out I’m not quite the unicorn I thought I was! But it still feels like a miracle to me!

Lots of love and appreciation 🌹❤️

 

 

 

 

Update: January 2026

 

2026 01 02

Hi everyone –

I hope your year is off to a good start.

Mine is, as this course of chemo is now completed!

Today’s blood test showed high enough counts for me to have chemo, although a reduced dose because my platelet count was still lower than optimal.

I rang the bell!

And I can be part of gatherings of people again!

In about two weeks’ time, we start a further hormone treatment.

 

Lots of love 🌹❤️

2026 01 13

Hi everyone!

I hope you’re doing well, as you ease into 2026 and return to various activities – work and others.

I had a consultation with Garth this morning, to hear whether I would have the first of a series of anti-oestrogen injections. Yesterday’s blood tests showed: not yet. This confirmed my intuition that today would be a bit soon – it’s less than two weeks since I finished chemo. Also, I’ve been feeling so normal, during the past few days, that I was a bit nervous about ‘upsetting the apple cart’.

The chemo has had a major cumulative effect on all my blood levels. The most important measurement for my forthcoming treatment is my platelet count, which is too low right now. The other counts are on the border of ok and not ok – good enough to let me feel normal. Two other levels are lower than they should be: sodium (which explains my slightly swollen ankles) and protein (together with some of the other counts, this explains why I take long to get started each day). These will eventually correct themselves, and I’ll also eat things that help.

The best news is that my tumour markers are the lowest they’ve been since Garth started tracking them!

And my good news to tell Garth was that I’ve been to circle dancing the past two Saturdays and have also started doing a bit of fun art. This all feels like a new lease on life for me – a miraculous surprise! (Noting, at the same time, that this not remission but rather a good phase.) My heartfelt appreciation to all of you for walking alongside me on this journey.

I’ll have a blood test again next Tuesday. If my counts show we can go ahead, then we’ll start the treatment the next day.

I look forward to hearing how 2026 is treating you, thus far.

Lots of love 🌹❤️

Photo: The first time I’ve seen flowers on this particular spekboom in our garden

 

2026 01 22

Hi everyone –

I was able to have my first injection of the new treatment this morning! It’s called Fulvestrant. All going well, my next one will be in two weeks’ time, and we’ll soon move onto monthly injections. So far, so good ... I hope that lasts.

Today’s photo is of my latest fun art. (It’s A5 size.) The wing in the middle is my rendition of a cicada wing, which Gail, Tricia and I found on the table last week when we were having lunch outdoors. I took the little wing (an inch long) home and used Google Lens to find out what kind of wing it is. Then I looked up the symbolism of cicadas and found that their transformative life cycle means that they represent change, rebirth and renewal (setting up clear new pathways). They also represent joy, hope and creativity. All of this feels really encouraging!

May you also find things in nature that feel meaningful to you.

Lots of love 🌹❤️

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Update: December 2025

2025 12 01

Hi everyone – thanks, always, for your support and wishes!

In the past week, I’ve had the usual post-steroid energy surge, dip and then lesser resurgence. It was enough to complete the content of my book! Next steps: the editorial page, info for the back cover, and ensuring that all photos are high resolution. Then it will be ready for printing (probably only next year) and self-publishing.

In other good news, our wonderful friends Jimmy and Alec from England are in Cape Town for a brief visit, and Gail and I spent time with them over the weekend. We intend to see them (in safe environments) this week as well.

Frustrating news: my blood counts this morning were too low for Day 8 chemo, and we have to wait a whole week to try again. This also means that the earliest that Cycle 6 can start will be 22 December! When this chemo treatment began, I had thought that Cycle 6 might end round about now, but I had reckoned without the delays from low blood counts. I learned today that those injections don’t have a lasting effect, and also that my white count is not so dire that I need more injections. 😅

Love and appreciation to all of you 🌹❤️

Collage from our visit to Little Stream with Jimmy and Alec

2025 12 08 

Hi everyone –

Here we go again!

After this morning’s blood test and the usual wait for results, I found that my red blood count has dropped further and I now need three units of blood. My other counts have increased slightly, but I can’t have any treatment until they rise further and I’ve had the transfusion.

They needed to admit me early this afternoon, while a bed was still available, even though the blood for the transfusion will only arrive this evening. It will then be done overnight.

I’m in the Medical ward this time – getting to know yet another part of Constantiaberg hospital. The Haematology ward is still my favourite, even though my stay last time did have some challenges (in terms of other patients) – I didn’t write about those!

I have been low on energy for a few days, and am hoping that the transfusion will be as helpful as usual.

May you receive a transfusion of whatever you need – be it joy, energy, kindness, love ... my ongoing appreciation to the people who donate blood (and thereby joy, energy, kindness and love).

Much love to everyone reading this 🌹❤️

 

2025 12 09

Good morning, everyone! Thanks for the lovely wishes.

The transfusion is still going – it will only finish by about 9:30 or 10!

Then there’ll be a blood test to see what comes next.

Lots of love 🌹❤️

 

Afternoon:

Home!

With a much improved red blood cell count.

Thanks for all the support and the transfusions of good vibes.

This was quite a marathon: the transfusion only started quite late in the evening, and lasted until 11:40 this morning – almost 15 hours in total (the expected time had been 12 hours). Then came the blood test and the wait for results; then the news that the counts were good and I was being discharged and must go straight to the chemo room for an hour of chemo ... which became almost two hours (no idea why), ending at about 15:15!

But all is good, and it’s wonderful to be home – if somewhat tired.

Appreciation to Gail for all the fetching and carrying!

Lots of love 🌹❤️

Photo: red salvia “hotlips” this time!

 

2025 12 23

Hi everyone –

Really, really good news today!

I had a CT scan yesterday and received the results from Garth today:

Everything has either improved or stayed the same, and there is nothing new!

This mirrored how I’ve been feeling lately. I had been a little anxious in case the scan results might contradict that, so this news was wonderful to hear. Garth was amused when I said I’d wondered if he was having me on, when he’d told me – while I was really struggling a few months ago – that he was trying to get me back to the point that I’ve now actually reached. Back then, that felt unimaginable!

My blood counts are currently also excellent, so I’ve just had chemo session 1 of Cycle 6. All going well, I’ll be having my last session of this entire chemo treatment next week, and will get to ring the bell!

Today Garth, Gail and I also needed to decide on our next steps:

Two weeks after ringing the bell, I’m going to start a "holiday" from chemo (and low blood counts) – we’re switching over to an injectable anti-oestrogen hormone, for as long as that works. (It will be one every two weeks for a shortly while, and will then be monthly.) Then possibly back to chemo, depending – in Garth’s words – on my "appetite for treatment" at that stage.

In other news:

• Gail’s daughter Jessica, Jess’s husband Tim, and their sons Will and Ali are visiting Cape Town from London for a month. We’ve already had some great times with them, and are looking forward to many more.
• Gail and I had a wonderful time at circle dancing on Saturday. I danced 13 of the 18 dances that were done while I was there. Huge appreciation to all the dancers for the fantastic welcome!

In case Gail and I don’t get to send a further message before Christmas: we wish all who celebrate it, and those who don’t, joy and peace at this time.

Lots of love 🌹❤️

2025 12 30

Hi everyone –

A quick update on what could have been my last day of chemo ... but wasn’t.

My blood test showed a white count that was way too low for chemo. So we need to try again on Friday.

I also have to stay away from gatherings of people, so no New Year’s Eve circle dancing for me! 😢

Over the past few days, the tummy bug that’s going around paid a visit to me and left me rather washed out, to the extent that I thought a transfusion might be necessary, but my red blood count was extra high – a pleasant surprise.

So a mixed day, like the bougainvillea we spotted when we stopped for some waterside fresh air before I came home to go back to bed.

Lots of love to all of you 🌹❤️

 

2025 12 31

Update: November 2025 

2025 11 01

Home! With a decent blood count!

Thanks for all the love and support. 🌹❤️

 

2025 11 07

Invitation to the launch of Zapiro’s 30th annual!

To those who are accepting the invitation: please email rsvp@jacana.co.za with the subject “CT Zapiro launch”.

🎉🎉🎉

 

2025 11 09

Hi everyone –

Yesterday, Gail and I went to circle dancing! I’ve been feeling really well for the past few days, and managed to participate in 11 of the 17 dances we did!

This is what I’ve just sent to the circle dancing group:

“Thanks for the wonderful welcome, yesterday! I hadn’t been to a Saturday session [actually, any session] for 12 weeks, and Gail slightly longer. We both loved being there. Appreciation to everyone who chose dances, for choosing ones that were so accessible for me. Just magical!”

Lots of love 🌹❤️

2025 11 17

Hi everyone –

Thanks for all your support, as always!

Picking up the story of those endless blood tests:

After a very quiet weekend at home, I went for my blood test this morning, waited almost two hours for the results, and ... still not ready for chemo! (My white blood count isn’t ready.) The next blood test has now been scheduled for Thursday. A good result will lead to chemo on Friday morning.

The good news is that my red count has gone up, so I'm no longer borderline as to whether or not a transfusion is needed – it isn’t. And I'm generally feeling fine, with just a hint of fatigue every now and then.

With no chemo to go to, Gail and I went to breathe a few lungfuls of sea air at Muizenberg and then headed home.

I do need to be careful in situations where I could catch a bug, so if you have one and you see me, please tell me to keep my distance!

Lots of love 🌹❤️

 

2025 11 20

Hi everyone –

Thanks yet again for all your support!

I’m glad I managed to get to Jonno’s launch (albeit all masked up), two days ago. Wow – what a buzz! (I had to rest, yesterday.) It was wonderful to see so many friends and family there. Huge thanks to Jonno for dedicating this particular annual to me – what an honour! (For people who are unable to get to any of his in-person launches, there will be an online one on Wednesday 26 November at 18h00 SA time. Register at: https://events.dailymaverick.co.za/events/2025/11/26/zapiro-2025-annual-launch-what-else-could-go-wrong )

Today was the blood test to check whether I’m ready for chemo tomorrow … still not! My white blood count is now extremely low, so I have to inject myself with something to raise it, on three consecutive evenings starting today – I’ve just given myself the first one. My appreciation to Gail, who fetched the injections from the pharmacy.

We’ll do the blood test again next week. I asked what was causing the low white cell count, and the answer was surprisingly simple: the chemo itself. I learned that this often happens to people who have had chemo in the past, and some types of chemo cause it more than others. Always something new to learn.

So this is a further “holiday” from chemo for me. But I can’t go and paint the town red, even though I’m feeling fine, as I have to avoid people as much as possible. So I’m putting the finishing touches to my book, with the help of two fantastic people – my editor and my cover designer.

What’s your news?

Lots of love 🌹❤️

Photo: These roses are tiny. They were already here when we bought the house.

2025 11 24

Hi everyone –

The injections worked! But I was surprised by how much they knocked me: headaches, aching bones and nausea. I spent three days in bed – dosed up with Panado – sleeping, reading, and playing Lexulous on my phone. (It’s online Scrabble, where one can take hours or days to do one’s next move. I play a one-on-one game with each of six friends.)

Today was a morning of blood tests, the usual wait for results, and then a full afternoon of chemo (Cycle 5, Session 1), 10 days after originally planned.

I’m nicely pumped up on the steroids from my drip ... let's see what happens next! 🎆 Only joking – no plans to overdo anything.

Lots of love and appreciation, always 🌹❤️

Photo: White Salvia "Hotlips" to celebrate my increased white blood cell count

Update: October 2025

2025 10 07 

Hi everyone -

Thanks for all your ongoing love and support!

Greetings from Constantiaberg hospital, where I’m waiting for a blood transfusion late today, as the chemo has changed my blood counts yet again. 

I had hoped not to have a post-chemo “crash”, but it happened anyway, starting late last week.

I’m glad to be receiving some blood, as it helps me enormously.

If you don’t want all the details of how this arose, then skip the next message!

Huge appreciation, always,

Lots of love 🌹❤️ 

 

Next message:

Yesterday, when I went for my routine pre-chemo blood test, the counts were borderline, meaning that it wasn’t clear whether or not we could go ahead with today’s planned chemo (the second session of Cycle 3).

So they asked me to have a further blood test this morning and told me it should be at 07:30 (which is when I usually wake up!) in order to have results well before the 10:30 chemo appointment.

Gail got me to Pathcare Tokai just before 07:00 (their opening time), and then back home by 07:30.

The results took ages to come through, anyway! By 10:30, when we arrived at the chemo room (in case chemo was going ahead), there was still nothing (apparently the results might have come through more quickly if we had come to Constantiaberg for this morning’s test).

The results were only released at almost 11:00. Everything was slightly worse than yesterday. This meant that there was no way I could have chemo today, with the counts still borderline as to whether I should have a transfusion.

I’m glad that Garth decided that I should get two units of blood. This meant taking more blood, for the blood bank’s exact match with me as of today, and I’ve been admitted for the night. The blood will arrive much later today, and the transfusion will probably be overnight - just like a month ago. For the first time ever, I’m not in my favourite ward, though - it’s so full in Haematology that I’m now with the overflow in Neuroscience, in a three-person ward.

We’ll check, tomorrow, whether or not the post-transfusion blood counts show that I’m ready for chemo.

 

2025 10 08

Thanks for the cheering on that you’ve all been doing for me!

The blood transfusion was from early evening until some time after midnight, and I slept through quite a lot of it.

The early-morning blood test showed that I could now have chemo today, so greetings from the chemo room, where I’ll be for an hour or so. And then home!

Lots of love 🌹❤️

 

2025 10 13

Thanks so much for all the messages and photos!

The blood transfusion gave me a fair amount of energy, which has lasted over the past few days, and there hasn’t been a grey blanket. (A friend had written, “Hoping the grey blanket if it’s there is lifting.”)

This was extra helpful, because Gail had day-patient surgery on Friday to remove polyps from inside her nose and sinuses. She’s had to take it very easy since then, so we’ve had a gentle weekend together (Neria is ensconced at her “doggy hotel” until tomorrow).

This is my week without any chemo. My next chemo is scheduled for Thursday 23 October (if my blood tests the day before show that I’m ready).

Lots of love and appreciation, always 🌹❤️

 

2025 10 23

Hi everyone –

I hope you are enjoying the turn of the seasons, with the different features of autumn and spring in the northern and southern hemispheres.

For the first time in a while, my blood test results were clearly fine, so I had chemo today (Cycle 4 of 6, Session 1).

As I wrote in the WhatsApp group of my former Thursday-morning circle dancing group:

“I am feeling quite pepped up from the steroids in the drip! I could fool myself that I could even teach a session this evening 😄, but that’s actually an illusion 🙄.”

I continue to be in awe of all that CancerCare at Constantiaberg offers.

Just one small example is that when I saw Dr Mikaela Esau (one of Garth’s medical officers) before today’s chemo, she persuaded me that the horrible ulcer under my tongue really did need their "Magic Mouthwash". I had decided never to try it again because of its weird gooey consistency, but now I’m glad I changed my mind and decided to give it another go, because it’s no longer making me nauseous – it feels like it could help me after all.

Gail is doing well after her nose and sinus op, although she did feel awful for a while after last week’s follow-up appointment with her ENT specialist, as he worked on it all a bit more! 🥴

On a completely different note, if you’re in Cape Town:

Save the date!

The launch of my brother Zapiro’s 30th album of his cartoons is on Thursday 13 November (I think early evening), and I will send you the invitation as soon as it’s available. 

Lots of love and appreciation 🌹❤️

2025 10 30

Hi everyone –

I would so like to find that “still point”, but right now I feel more like a hamster running on its little exercise wheel!

Today should have been chemo Day 8 of Cycle 4.

But yesterday’s pre-chemo blood test indicated that I was fighting an infection (although I didn’t feel like that, other than low energy) and would not be able to tolerate chemo until my susceptibility decreased. My red blood count was also low. Everything was considered borderline (although the red blood count was the same as three weeks ago, when they did give me a blood transfusion).

So I had to go to the hospital for a further blood test this morning, with my overnight bag packed in case I might have a transfusion instead of chemo. I arrived at 9:20, wearing a mask as instructed. After 50 minutes in the queue for the blood test, and a further 70 minutes waiting for the results to go through to CancerCare (Gail and I spent that time in the hospital courtyard drinking tea and coffee), the results were the same as yesterday. So: no chemo and no transfusion.

Now we have to repeat the whole process tomorrow morning, starting at 8am. Sjoe!

At the same time, I do appreciate CancerCare (Garth’s team) trying to protect me from potential hospital bugs if I were to be admitted overnight, susceptible as I am currently.

In other news, the “Magic Mouthwash” hasn’t done much for the ulcer under my tongue, so I now have two homeopathic remedies to try, from my integrative doctor, David Nye. Let’s see ...

Yesterday, at Gail’s follow-up with the ENT specialist, he confirmed what she had thought: swelling and pain of her left eye meant there was an infection (probably not the same one as whatever I may or may not have). She’s now on antibiotics and already looks and feels better than yesterday.

Last piece of information: the launch date of the Zapiro annual has been changed, due to a clash with another event. It will now be on Tuesday 18 November. Invitation to follow, as soon as it’s issued.

Lots of love and appreciation to all of you 🌹❤️

 

2025 10 31

So here I am in the chemo room, having chemo! My white blood cell count was good enough for it!

After this, as my red blood count is further down today, I’ll be admitted for a blood transfusion that will start late today.

Such a relief! 

Thanks for all the support, love and kind messages.

Lots of love 🌹❤️