Health, South Africa
Susan Colby
Accentuating the Positive

With the Russian madman causing mayhem in the world, I am really trying to maintain a positive outlook.

The war news is dominating and it’s difficult to avoid. But am very aware of how my mental health can affect my physical health, so I am attempting (and so far succeeding) to limit my news watching/viewing. I look at just enough to get a very superficial overview but even that is more than I want. I feel so sad for all the people affected by this megalomaniac!

Accentuating the Positive
Health, South Africa
Susan Colby
Chemo is Doing its Thing

Time flies by, even the chemo treatments. Yesterday was #5 of the planned 6. The results of my blood tests continue to be good. The cancer marker went from 301 to 187 this week. But not low enough to move on to the next stage. Dr. McCleave said they want to see it at around 30 which is quite a long way yet.

Chemo is Doing its Thing
Susan Colby
There’s Hot, and Then There’s HOT

When I came back to South Africa in 2019, I naturally gravitated to where I was born and grew up. And actually ended up in the what we used to call the village of Kloof. (It’s no longer a village!) Kloof is about 18 miles/29km from Durban and just on 1600ft/500km above sea level, giving the area a more moderate climate than Durban, usually being a good 10F less which was the case when I took Rodney to the park this afternoon. Plus less humid.

There’s Hot, and Then There’s HOT
Health, South Africa
Susan Colby
Chemo #4 Done, 2 to Go

The fourth treatment went as planned. Mick came with me so he was able to meet my doctor. It’s always good to have another set of ears in a consultation but this one was very straightforward because everything is going so well.

Chemo #4 Done, 2 to Go
South Africa
Susan Colby
A Massive Immune Booster

November 16 last year is the fateful day I got the definitive news that changed my life.

By then I ‘d been in hospital for 8 days going through tests and everything else that goes along with a cancer diagnosis. I’d just had laparoscopic surgery for a biopsy and the GYN/surgeon came to visit me after I had very gently been given the diagnosis. He’s a lovely man and from reading his bio, a pretty religious one as well. He said to me as he sat at my bedside, “Have you considered end of life?”

A Massive Immune Booster

Living in South Africa

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Flying 11494 Miles for a COVID Vaccine

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Flying 11494 Miles for a COVID Vaccine

Remember there’s the old song “500 Miles” by Peter, Paul and Mary? Well, I’m flying 11,494 miles, not to a lost love, but to get a COVID vaccination in California. Because if I stay here in South Africa I might be waiting until next year - or even maybe for ever - as the rollout has barely started here. I was planning to go back in June, anyway, so I just brought it forward a month.

Putting Plans in Place

Putting Plans in Place

With just 4 weeks til I leave, I’m slowly putting plans in place. Well, actually mostly planning and figuring where and when I will be anywhere!

First week is completely sorted! Quarantine at Betsy and Barry’s! My vaccine shot and from there, probably south to San Diego for a few days to see Georgia before heading north - in increments. I’ll probably spend considerable time in Washington before going east to Montana.

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Life on Hold

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Life on Hold

They tell us - we should be getting vaccines soon. Again, how much we can believe that, is another story. Supposedly the first plane load arrives tomorrow, Monday, headed for first responders and essential workers. But when the second batch will arrive is a mystery and that is probably the batch that I could possibly, maybe get! It could arrive sometime soon, but more like not for a couple of months.

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As the World Shrinks...

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As the World Shrinks...

I sat here on the diametrically opposite side of the world on Wednesday, 6 January 2021 and was appalled at the events live streaming into my granny flat in South Africa. In real time, I watched as rioters and what people are calling domestic terrorists heeded the call of the person still in the White House. It’s the place I called home for almost 50 years, where my boys and grandkids are. Where my friends from those years are. A place always considered safe and until 4 years ago, sane.

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This Shit is Everywhere!

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This Shit is Everywhere!

It’s been an interesting few days, surprisingly! Not event-wise, but as an introspective time that was foisted on me unexpectedly.

We’d been going along merrily, doing as normal a life can be these days when I was notified that I had been in contact with someone who tested positive to the plague. Then a good friend I visited notified me she had tested positive, so I extended my quarantine for the full 10 days. Which led to a meltdown and a lot of introspection.