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!
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.
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.
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.
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?”
It’s years since I watched a rugby game, and have forgotten (or maybe never knew) the rules! But regardless, it was so exciting as the Bokke trounced England. And what a boost for South Africa in general. The excitement, at least temporarily, united the country. Everywhere was a sea of green and gold rugby jerseys and the rallying cry, “Go Bokke!”
We arrived in Villiersdorp in the Western Cape just before Christmas and spent the few days preparing for the big meal and visiting Franschhoek Village Market and Stony Point Nature Reserve where the penguins live.
We dropped off our rental at King Shaka International Airport and I was reminded of when I rushed back from South Africa four years ago when Ryan was taken ill. This departure definitely was not stressful at all for me. But leaving KZN was a little gut-wrenching for Zoze as she flies back to New Zealand from Cape Town, whereas I go back there after visiting the Cape.
