More limbo

It's been two weeks since my last IV chemo and I am now sitting at my computer, waiting for a lift to go to the hospital to get the blood test that will determine whether to start taking the chemo pills tomorrow or not. In the meantime, life continues in interesting ways.

I am not a vain person. My new apartment doesn't even have a full length mirror. However, when I looked in the bathroom mirror last Friday morning and saw the state of my hair, I suddenly snapped. Besides the unpleasantness of the cancer treatment, I was having a bad hair day every day now. I haven't been able to go to the hairdresser for almost three months. It got so bad that even the colourful scarves I used to hide them could not completely give umbrage to my limpid tresses. So, in a fit of pique I picked up the phone and made an appointment with Maria, my recently discovered hair 'artiste'. She works only on Saturdays. 

Saturday. Conundrum. Do I drive, or do I take public transport? Checking tummy to see how much liquid has accumulated. Will it slosh about on the bus and make me sea sick? Tap, tap. Not bad. 

I drove to the hairdresser.  Not a very wise decision, as it turned out. Fatigue set in after an hour of sitting upright in a hard chair. Distracting myself with reading on my iPad eases the discomfort. Sue arrives. I have to go to the bathroom. Emergency. It's on the other side of the food court. Will I make it? Just. Pay hairdresser. Feel very fragile.

Mind over body. Take the escalator up to Woolworths, wobble along the aisles, taking care not to fall. Cashier finally. Phew! I need a chair. Manage to shuffle to cafe and sit. And sit. It took quite a while to thaw out. 

In the end it was worth it. Lovely coffee with Sue, although I doubt it was much fun for her, as my brain had turned into mush by now and subliminally I just longed to be lying on my bed. 

Which is exactly what I did for the rest of the day and most of Sunday.  Monday I felt better and braved the bus to have the abdominal fluid drained. It's only one stop and a bit of a walk to the hospital.  After about two hours of draining the bag was half filled with only half a litre. Two months ago five litres came out in the same time period. This means the ascites is subsiding. The treatment must be working.  I was over the moon. 

Until I got off the bed, that is. 

Suddenly, I was very tired and my legs kind of buckled. Worried, I went to the volunteer office and arranged to get a lift with a volunteer driver the next day, which is today. One day I will tell you about these amazing hospital volunteers - angels in disguise - who give us food, tea, coffee and drive us to our appointments. Always with a smile. They are truly amazing. 

Oops. She is at my door. Anon.