Change O' Plans

and still no chemo

Hello dear humans who care about me!

First is that Chirag Shah, the gynecologist who will be doing the robotic hysterectomy on me (is it him or the robots?), had something come up and had to take some time off. So my surgery is rescheduled to the 28th of September. But the scheduler warned me that he still might not be back then. Without letting me know what it was, she let me know it was a big deal. So, while it’s booked for the 28th, I think the actual date is still very much up in the air. And I’m wishing Dr. Shah well on whatever it is he has to deal with.

I had some temporary but intense concern that Dr. Srinivascharlu would want me to continue with chemo since the surgery had been postponed but she said she wasn’t keen on it. Hooray! Hooray, hooray, hooray!

Second is that I am doing well. The 12th round was by far the worst. I spent two days in bed not eating. And then I got a fever, but it wasn’t high enough to go to the doctor. This was the second one in two weeks. (The first time I spent a few hours in urgent care). But this one broke fast and I started to feel better. I went straight into my keto diet (easy to do after two days of nothing) and have been feeling bright and energetic ever since.

I am in ketosis, eating large volumes of healthy fat, and Operation Strength Gain is underway. I have been running (4 miles!) and can now do a weight workout long enough to break a sweat. Previous workouts had looked like 5 squats, 2 pushups, a couple of lunges and done. Now, I think I’m building muscle!

A clear demonstration of muscle building. Also, you may not be able to tell from this picture, but my new hair is about as obedient as my children - it’s not. It’s wild and carefree and does the opposite of what I want it to.

I just read through my last post and I am doing all but weeding the garden. I can walk up from the duck house without stopping to catch my breath, I can eat yummy food and enjoy it, and I am making plans in the community to being sharing Nonviolent Communication again.

We’ve had our first two duck eggs. Joy. The ducks are happy and gaining confidence in exploring. They spend their time digging for grubs and snoozing under the trampoline, beaks tucked under their wings. They enjoy human presence - they feel safer around us. I can’t persuade them to stay in the vegetable garden without me. They quickly notice I have left and follow me up the hill to rummage in the weeds closer to the house.

As I write, the children are constructing cardboard presents for friends and coloring at the table next to me. They have taped their mouths shut whilst working. “I can’t talk right now, Mummy.” I am enjoying this immensely.

They have both developed a love of painting. But only with acrylics. This is because I don’t really want them to paint with acrylics. It’s far messier and I don’t enjoy the prep and clean-up. But Joseph has appointed himself responsible for all of that, and I don’t then have a reason to say no, as he’s been following through on his self-elected position. So acrylics it is. And I am witness to the creation of giant sequoias that are too big to fit onto one page, towering over unnamed, crazy-colored, flowers.

We are looking forward to visiting friends this coming weekend. Aubrey is so looking forward to it that her bag is “packed” and by the door already. Four days early. These aren’t my genes.

I will update again after the hysterectomy. For now, I will transfer my writing over to my other blog, Growing Hearths, which focuses on bringing nonviolence into our homes. It’s been a while since I wrote there and I’m looking forward to getting back into it.