Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love.......

.....instead of all the other minor nasties life has thrown at me in the last 24 hours and since my last (the 5th) bout of chemo on Thursday. It has been a right old mishmash of trials and tribulations both on the medical and the social/domestic side of things:


Bearing in mind it usually takes a week or so to recuperate from an infusion of chemo I suppose I'm a little surprised this last one is taking it's toll more doggedly. I have felt much more fatigued and the pain in back and sternum has been more persistent. A very bad tummy upset yesterday morning is still lingering and for the first time ever since starting treatment I was sick a little while ago after a drink of lemon and ginger tea. There are of course numerous reasons for this, none of which a particularly alarming unless I fail to get things under control soon. Following the good advice of Liz Martinez I visited my GP earlier and he prescribed Tramadol for the pain which is proving much more effective than the proprietary analgesics I have been using up until now. But I do wonder whether or not they are responsible for the nausea and whether they eventually will counter my current spate of chronic diarrhea (reaches for more immodium and another glass of water).


On the matter of the run up to Christmas all was looking good until yesterday when, reports from Windsor regarding my daughter's heating system, and the combination of my brother's flight from Jo'burg being cancelled simultaneously as his son Chris had a serious accident involving an under-construction swimming pool in Cape Town, have put our plans for a family reunioun on hold. Contingencies are in place but much, like everything else at present, depends on weather and circumstances beyond our control.


Determination to get out and about for a blow in the fresh air, even when snowing, is still very much a priority as it is more beneficial than being cooped up inside with the central heating on full blast to combat the current icy weather conditions. So excursions with Chaka are not curtailed as long as I wrap up nice and warm.


Most of the Christmas shopping is done but the Xmas cards I designed and had printed have still not arrived so we took emergency action tonight to send out replacements and so apologise to friends and family for the inevitable lateness of our Seasonal Greetings! In the meantime Chemo the Snowman wishes you all a truly festive holiday and says a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (just gotta love his blue suede shoes - Uh huh huh.!):