Dev has just left, and I'm feeling a lot better today. No, it has nothing to do with Dev leaving. Actually I want to thank Dev for spending so much time over here, even though I spent most of the time sleeping. 3 mobile have picked my phone up today to get it repaired, the battery doesn't seem to last more than 30 minutes. So please call Shirin if you want to get in touch, my phone should be back by Tuesday/Wednesday.
Also, the new American fridge freezer turned up today. It's a monster with built in ice dispenser...okay, I'm trying to get excited about a fridge, but I can't. It's just that Shirin is so excited about it. Maybe I'll buy her another one for Christmas. The guys delivering the fridge were really nice. They reminded me of the two Ronnies. They would have made a good comedy act.
Went to Bluewater today to have a stroll and buy a few more books from Waterstones. I spent 2 hour looking for books and ended up not buying any. I've just finished Prey by Michael Crichton, what a great book. I would recommend it to anyone who likes an easy page turner with action all the way through. At the moment I don't have much patients, so I am avoiding books that only get exciting half way through. Can anyone recommend any books? I also read State of War, which is pretty exciting too. I like books where there is an element of real life, so at least I'm picking up some worldly knowledge whilst reading. I was surprised that the store did not have a book club, with all the spare time I have, I thought it would cool to try a club out. On the other hand, I can imagine a book club being far too serious and I'd get kicked out after the first session.
A lady from the Lions Hospice visited today to assess me for the 'young persons cancer group' they hold every Tuesday. She said I was doing very well and that I can join the group. There are about 9 attendees, all at different stages of their therapy. Some are not handling the issues with cancer very well. She said I would bring some enthusiasm to the group. I can't wait to meet them all, it would interesting to see how they are handling their issues.
I'm quite enthusiastic about raising some funds for charities and have contacted the local newspaper in the hope that they might be able to help. I'm also going to try and visit the cinema at Bluewater and ask for some comp tickets for the group. Hopefully they will say yes.
It's finally started to happen, the hair on my head is starting to fall out. I noticed it on my pillow this morning. Not really that fussed about it to be honest. It'll grow back after the chemo stops. You'll be glad to hear that I think the cancer tumor in my food pipe is getting smaller. I can tell because I am finding it easier and easier to eat. On the down side, I seem to be getting more tired every day. I thought that this was due to me getting a little lazy, but the lady from the Lions Hospice said that it is normal for me to get tired. She also said that the effects are accumulative. How am I going to feel by the final week of chemo? Well I'm going to try and fight the tiredness as much as possible by eating lots of fresh food, taking my vitamin supplements, getting lots of fresh air and generally keeping active. Hopefully this will improve my energy levels. I am finding it harder and harder to do my yoga exercises every day. I just feel too tired to do them, but I need to persist and I'm sure I will build up my stamina and it will get easier.
Just wanted to say thanks to the two lousers...Sameer and Guv for the games. You better get your arses around here and teach me how to play these modern games. Why are there so many buttons on these darn controllers? I think Jayaram is visiting today, hopefully he will be able to give me a few tips.
I was wondering if everyone would like to meet up in central London for a meal one evening? It would be much easier for you all, rather than having to trek all the way to deepest, darkest Kent. It will not be for a couple of weeks as I am going for Chemo on Tuesday. Really not looking forward to it as I will be feeling pretty sick the following week. I am going to take all the anti-emetics (anti sickness drugs) I can in the hope that I will stave off the sickness feeling. I wish there was a way to plot my sickness and energy levels on a graph on this blog. Any ideas? Is there an online calendar that I can link to this blog as well?
I have decided to put all questions in bold so that readers of this blog will know when I am really asking for help, or whether I am just writing a rhetorical question.
I have found out about the Willow Foundation, they are a charity that try and make a dream come true for the seriously ill. You can find previous examples of days out at http://willowfoundation.org.uk/sd_prev.shtml. Have you got ideas for what I should ask for? I can't really think of anything I would like.
By the way, a few people have asked me whether I read the comments by everyone. The answer is Yes, I read them all. So please keep them coming, they do make a big difference to my day.
Energy Level : 6/10
Sickness Level : 3/10
Eat : bread and butter sandwiches with tea, curry with 4 chappaties, veggie Lasagne (Shirin makes it from scratch, it is fantastic.
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5 comments:
Hey Jay,
Glad you're feeling better.. keep it up..
Count me in for the meal.. I look forward to it.
I won't suggest any books for you.. they'd be too girly for you.. sorry!! But on the other hand if you do decide you'd like to take a nose into girls world.. just let me know and I'll bring them all round for you (be warned - I have a lot of books!!)
In the meantime I'll keep thinking of a dream for you..
Veggie lasagne.. from scratch?? Why am I just hearing about this?? Get yourself better and bring your family round to mine for a lasagne night!!
Speak soon
Donna
Hey Jay
Super-sized American fridge eh? that would be to support you mammoth appetite would it? So it was a gift was it? For who exactly? :)
Quite a big fan of Crichton myself, if you haven't read it already I would really recommend 'State of Fear'. Not a perfect novel but a good, provocative read. Another one in the vaguely geeky vein is http://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-History-Nearly-Everything/dp/0552997048 it’s a bit of 'look how much clever stuff I know’ vehicle but pretty amazing otherwise.
Really like the idea of making non-rhetorical questions bold, simple and effective. Definitely in on going out for a bite to eat. :)
On the little graph thing representing your sickness level have a look at:
http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0001OR&topic_id=1&topic=
and
http://ewbi.blogs.com/develops/2005/08/sparklines_23_f.html
Not sure how you are hosting this but you might be able to twist your ISP's arm.
Take it easy
Try http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/
looks like you've sorted out the online calendar by linking it to your hotmail calendar. There's a link on one of your blog pages to "My Website".is there anything that you want from Paris - cheese or chocolate?
I've got some more Michael Crichton books somewhere, so I'll bring them around next time.
Monster fridge with ice dispenser?
Reena will love that. And think of all the ingredients that you can buy to make all the recipes we found.
and where was my lasagna?
It was good to spend some time with you, Shirin and Alyssa.
It was also the first time that I had a chance to speak to you, Shirin and your mum individually about the events of the past few weeks and the cancer.And also a chance to talk about other things apart from it as well.
Meena was highly envious that I spent so much time with Alyssa!!
She is growing up fast.
The little trainers are cute.
Google offer a video share service, but the best private one appears to be Kodak gallery.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Welcome.jsp
http://www.boingboing.net/
and only two lines about my vist!!!
Anyway ,see you soon.
Dev
Hi Jay,
Your blog is excellent, its great to know how you're doing and to see that you're so full of positive thoughts and ideas. Keep up the good work, and I'm definitely up for the meal.
Regarding books - I really liked David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, very thought provoking and the only book I've read recently that doesn't seem girly. Jess recommends Isabel Allende's House of the Spirits, I've just read the back cover and it does seem good, I'll have to read that myself now.
Maybe you could start up a book club blog.
all the best,
Jackie
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