The blood enhancer that I'm taking comes as pre-loaded syringes in packs of 4 and as singles. The pharmacist gave me a package of 4 and tonight I went back to collect the other 2, to find that it no longer comes in singles, only 4s. At 1100€ for 4, I am reluctant to waste 2, so now have to call the oncologist and see if she wants me to stop at the first 4 or do 8 weeks. I had no idea!
Today, I got out of bed and dressed, voluntarily, for only the second time (yesterday was the first) in a couple of months. Staying inside gets depressing and I decided I needed some sunshine. At last I have been in France long enough, or find myself in circumstances such, that I go outside and sit on the bench on the sidewalk in front of the house in the sun. Like all the old people. O.K., young people, too. It's sort of like sitting on your front porch. When they redo the road and pavement in the spring, we may not be able to have benches any longer. I can't see that working.
I take Nala with me, knowing that I will feel guilty if I don't give her at least a little walk after she's been batting the back of my shins. How bad is this: she walks farther and faster than I can.
It's now the next day (I give up calculating) and my blood results have arrived. They're worse than last week. So glad I'm getting these 300€ a throw injections.
I got up again. After 3 days, I no longer have to sit and rest after the first 3 steps.
We took Nala and Van-Ly for the ride (and me, for the ride) when Nick went to pick up a friend's cement mixer today. The nice thing about everyone in the area knowing your dogs is that Jackie, the worker on the next farm, brought Nala back when she wandered up the mountain to see what there was to see. Somehow, Jackie has the impression that she's deaf.
Yikes, that's a lot of money! Isn't that paid by the healthcare program?
ReplyDeleteNever underestimate the power of sunshine. It's the #1 reason I moved to Santa Fe. It's a great anti-depressant.
I actually, really, in real life LOLd at the "impression that she's deaf". I've had 2 people ask me the same about Z. How do you politely explain that, No, he's just ignoring you. :)
Cement mixer? Pour quoi?
ReplyDeleteYes, the injections are paid for by the government. Otherwise, I'd just have to kill myself. The sunshine is a big help and I do feel much better. I even fed the animals, myself, tonight!
ReplyDeleteWhen people ask whether I speak to my dogs in French or English, I tell them it doesn't matter; they don't listen, anyway.
Having dug a thousand holes -- to clear the rear wall of the mountain, for terraces on two levels (we can't exactly get rid of the mountainà, for recuperation of rainwater, for an air circulation system (don't know what it's called in English), etc., etc., etc., -- it all has to be cemented. Then there are the new retaining walls and the new stone retaining walls. I sometimes wonder if Nick will ever get to move indoors. One day I will organise the thousands of pictures we've taken and make an album.
Hmmm, the injections must be helping whether the blood test shows it or not. You have energy... that's a by-product of more O2 carrying RBCs isn't it? Bet the next test will show improvement. Yay! that you got up voluntarily. Someone very wise gave me that advice once upon a time... good advice.
ReplyDeleteI LOLd at the non-listening Chows that don't listen in two languages.
ReplyDeleteYay for getting up and out. And yes on organizing house pictures so we can all be jealous.
I have found the easiest way of organising all our renovation photos has been to post them online. We use Flickr.com.
ReplyDeleteHave been thinking of you as friend starts own chemotherapy.