There were some problems with the port-a-cath so I had to go back to the hospital for some tests. Everything was ok according to the EKG. After some discussions, both with the doctor on duty and the doctors who inserted the device, it was decided that I will have to endure it. Once the port-a-cath is in they can't make any adjustments. It seems like it's situated a tiny bit too far down in the vein, so it affects my heart in an unwanted way. My heart races occasionally. This was very noticeable the first week but it has calmed down now.
Wednesday my mother and her boyfriend came to stay for a night. Thursday we went to the Kulturen museum in Lund. It is both an outdoor museum with old buildings and halls with arranged exhibits. I hadn't been there in quite a while. We saw exhibits on fashion history, glassware and a comedy duo called "Hasse & Tage". For this last exhibit they had borrowed archive material from my library. All was very interesting to see. After this we continued on to a mall for a herring lunch and some shopping. I was also able to get rid of some junk from my attic. Part of it was handed over to the charity shop and the rest to the recycling place.
Yesterday I got another chemo injection. It's a new kind that has other side effects. I have already noticed some of them. I have stomach problems. Not nice at all.
I hope that the attendants at the Nelson Family Reunion in Milaca tomorrow will have a great time!
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Operation
After just a few days at home for doctor's appointments I returned to the summerhouse this past Thursday. On my way I stopped at Hörby to go to the annual market fair. It was quite fun with lots of stalls selling all kinds of things like toys, hats, candy, craft items, jam & marmalade, clogs, clothes, sausages and much else. I got a book and some licorice, and a langos with shrimp for lunch. I was also surprised by seeing my father and his girlfriend there, I didn't know they would visit this market.
The weekend at the summerhouse was nice. Saturday we went to Åhus to the Lions second hand store. There were minor purchases made there. Sunday my mother and I drove about an hour north to get to a friend's 70th birthday party. There was a quiz and I won a box of chocolate. At this party there was a woman I had met before and I knew she is interested in research, so we spent some time talking about that. She is currently researching the history of a building and I was able to make some suggestions for further information.
Early Monday morning I had to return to Lund for some tests at the hospital. Tuesday (yesterday) I crawled out of bed at 5 AM. A transport service picked me up and brought me to the hospital in Malmö. After some preparations I was wheeled into an operating room. The doctors inserted a port-a-cath just underneath my skin, with a tube into a vein. This last part was the most complicated and they actually had to ask another doctor for assistance - he did it on the first attempt. This port-a-cath will be used to give me the rest of the chemo injections (at least three). I was awake during the entire operation and was very fascinated by the big screen showing x-rays of my body. The x-ray was on all the time so it was live images, I could see my bones and everything else move as I was breathing. The doctors looked at the same screen, to see where my veins were and to correctly insert the port-a-cath. Very interesting. Afterwards I stayed for a few hours and was then allowed to go home. There is some pain of course but the biggest problem is the substantial pieces of plaster they attached to me. I'm allergic to it and it only took 24 hours before I went to the medical center and asked the nurse to replace them. She knew me from before and she was appalled when she saw what it looked like even after such a short time. She helped me so that it's a lot better now.
The weekend at the summerhouse was nice. Saturday we went to Åhus to the Lions second hand store. There were minor purchases made there. Sunday my mother and I drove about an hour north to get to a friend's 70th birthday party. There was a quiz and I won a box of chocolate. At this party there was a woman I had met before and I knew she is interested in research, so we spent some time talking about that. She is currently researching the history of a building and I was able to make some suggestions for further information.
Early Monday morning I had to return to Lund for some tests at the hospital. Tuesday (yesterday) I crawled out of bed at 5 AM. A transport service picked me up and brought me to the hospital in Malmö. After some preparations I was wheeled into an operating room. The doctors inserted a port-a-cath just underneath my skin, with a tube into a vein. This last part was the most complicated and they actually had to ask another doctor for assistance - he did it on the first attempt. This port-a-cath will be used to give me the rest of the chemo injections (at least three). I was awake during the entire operation and was very fascinated by the big screen showing x-rays of my body. The x-ray was on all the time so it was live images, I could see my bones and everything else move as I was breathing. The doctors looked at the same screen, to see where my veins were and to correctly insert the port-a-cath. Very interesting. Afterwards I stayed for a few hours and was then allowed to go home. There is some pain of course but the biggest problem is the substantial pieces of plaster they attached to me. I'm allergic to it and it only took 24 hours before I went to the medical center and asked the nurse to replace them. She knew me from before and she was appalled when she saw what it looked like even after such a short time. She helped me so that it's a lot better now.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Rainy weekend
This past Friday I was supposed to get another chemo injection. However, the nurse called in the morning saying that the blood tests I had done the previous day were not good. They didn't want to give me the injection. This changed a lot. I called my mother right away and said I could help out at the fleamarket at Furuboda, which was that same afternoon. I packed very quickly and then travelled by train and bus and managed to get there an hour before it started. I was not scheduled to be there but I assisted the others selling books, paintings and lamps. I also stood in the doorway, trying to prevent people from leaving without paying. We have had problems with that other years. This year we didn't notice any problems. The weather was really bad with lots of rain but I think the sales went pretty well despite this. We also had after-sales on the Saturday and there were still things we could sell.
The rest of the time I spent at the summerhouse, taking it easy. I am not used to hard work since I have done basically nothing for several months. I had to rest. Over the weekend it was also incredibly rainy so we were really not active. The only activity was playing catch with the small dog my mother was taking care of. After going shopping in Kristianstad I returned home today by train and replacement bus (there were big problems on the train tracks to and from my town).
The rest of the time I spent at the summerhouse, taking it easy. I am not used to hard work since I have done basically nothing for several months. I had to rest. Over the weekend it was also incredibly rainy so we were really not active. The only activity was playing catch with the small dog my mother was taking care of. After going shopping in Kristianstad I returned home today by train and replacement bus (there were big problems on the train tracks to and from my town).
Monday, June 26, 2017
Slow Midsummer weekend
The Midsummer holiday was very quiet. I got a chemo injection the day before (Thursday) so there was no celebration to speak of. I couldn't go to the summerhouse so stayed in the apartment. I made a short walk to the convenience store to get fresh strawberries. That was what I had energy for, basically. The weather has been pretty bad with high winds and rain. I have engaged in solving crossword puzzles and watching TV.
I visited the doctor this morning and she re-calculated the time this treatment will take. I already knew everything is delayed but she also said the radiation treatment will be three weeks instead of one. I will probably be on sick-leave through October. I am already now bored out of my mind, so I wonder how this will end.
I visited the doctor this morning and she re-calculated the time this treatment will take. I already knew everything is delayed but she also said the radiation treatment will be three weeks instead of one. I will probably be on sick-leave through October. I am already now bored out of my mind, so I wonder how this will end.
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Cookie mania
Last Monday I had to go to the hospital for tests so I took the opportunity to have lunch with the colleague who told me about the antiquarian bookstore sale. She also brought me to her workplace, which is at the top floor of the History Museum. Wednesday my department had arranged afternoon coffee, so I joined in. There was a large number of cookies on offer, since most people had brought some to share. It was very nice to see my colleagues when everybody had time to talk.
Thursday it was time for another chemo injection. They had changed it, so it was another kind and also a smaller dose. They had done this change because I got so sick last time. I wouldn't have agreed to continue if they hadn't made changes. The side-effects are the same, basically. Pain everywhere and stomach problems. I shouldn't go out because I have no immune defense. It really is remarkable that you are expected to endure all this for a preventive treatment.
This Saturday my father came to visit. I think he was bored because he offered to take me grocery shopping. I accepted. He also agreed to go to the library to pick up the books that I bought earlier. It turns out that my father had never been to this library, so I gave him a guided tour first. On display right now we have our most famous and impressive works, so it was convenient. I also showed him the stacks and my office.
The weather over the weekend was very good, around 24 degrees and sunny. I enjoyed sitting on my balcony, even though I have to stay out of the sun.
Thursday it was time for another chemo injection. They had changed it, so it was another kind and also a smaller dose. They had done this change because I got so sick last time. I wouldn't have agreed to continue if they hadn't made changes. The side-effects are the same, basically. Pain everywhere and stomach problems. I shouldn't go out because I have no immune defense. It really is remarkable that you are expected to endure all this for a preventive treatment.
This Saturday my father came to visit. I think he was bored because he offered to take me grocery shopping. I accepted. He also agreed to go to the library to pick up the books that I bought earlier. It turns out that my father had never been to this library, so I gave him a guided tour first. On display right now we have our most famous and impressive works, so it was convenient. I also showed him the stacks and my office.
The weather over the weekend was very good, around 24 degrees and sunny. I enjoyed sitting on my balcony, even though I have to stay out of the sun.
Monday, June 12, 2017
Visit to Copenhagen
The stronger antibiotic had a better effect. After I stopped taking the medicine Friday there is no sign of the infection. This is very good but of course it means that I will have to continue with the chemotherapy now. The next time is booked for Thursday.
Our national holiday is June 6 and in recent years I have spent it abroad - in Copenhagen. The shops are open there that day so many Swedes go across the Öresund to go touristing. Huge crowds of Swedes go there daily to work but this day it was even more people on the trains. I got off at the airport to take the metro about five stations. There is a mall that tourists rarely visit. I have found it because there is a store where they sell plus size clothes. This time there was also a pop up-store selling a well-known brand and everything was half price off. I bought two dresses. I had lunch at a buffet style restaurant. It was marvellous food, traditional Danish dishes. Lots of herring (differently spiced than ours), salmon, fish & chips, roasted ham, bacon, quenelles (a kind of meatballs), sausages and a large number of vegetarian choices. In total over 60 dishes. Before going home again I stopped by at the biggest mall, Fields, but there was nothing of interest this time.
Last week a colleague told me an antiquarian bookstore was going out of business. They had a sale of all the stock. You could fill a bag for 60 SEK, which is very affordable. I was there twice to shop both for myself and the library. I found three books not previously at the library. We are collecting all Swedish books but there are gaps for various reasons. Most often our patrons lose the book somehow but in these cases we had never received the books from the publisher.
Our national holiday is June 6 and in recent years I have spent it abroad - in Copenhagen. The shops are open there that day so many Swedes go across the Öresund to go touristing. Huge crowds of Swedes go there daily to work but this day it was even more people on the trains. I got off at the airport to take the metro about five stations. There is a mall that tourists rarely visit. I have found it because there is a store where they sell plus size clothes. This time there was also a pop up-store selling a well-known brand and everything was half price off. I bought two dresses. I had lunch at a buffet style restaurant. It was marvellous food, traditional Danish dishes. Lots of herring (differently spiced than ours), salmon, fish & chips, roasted ham, bacon, quenelles (a kind of meatballs), sausages and a large number of vegetarian choices. In total over 60 dishes. Before going home again I stopped by at the biggest mall, Fields, but there was nothing of interest this time.
Last week a colleague told me an antiquarian bookstore was going out of business. They had a sale of all the stock. You could fill a bag for 60 SEK, which is very affordable. I was there twice to shop both for myself and the library. I found three books not previously at the library. We are collecting all Swedish books but there are gaps for various reasons. Most often our patrons lose the book somehow but in these cases we had never received the books from the publisher.
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Weekend at the summerhouse
Last weekend the period with antibiotic ended. Just like I thought it would, the infection came back right away. That antibiotic wasn't strong enough to kill it. I had problems getting in touch with the hospital clinic to tell them about this. This marvellous medical system we have means that you cannot get sick outside of the hours they receive phone calls, usually between 9 and 10 in the morning. Not even if I visited personally was I allowed to speak to a nurse. Very frustrating. Later that day I had an appointment at the medical center, where a nurse was assisting me with the wound (from the operation in March) that still hasn't healed. She saw that the infection had come back and I told her about my bad luck trying to get someone to pay attention to it. She sighed. She actually called the clinic on my behalf, and since she was medical staff they let her call through. It was interesting to hear the conversation. She used strong words to point out that I needed to see a doctor urgently. I am very grateful for this (I thanked her at least five times) because I got an appointment at 9 the next morning. That doctor gave me a stronger antibiotic and I hope it will have a better effect.
Last weekend was a long weekend since Ascension Day was on the Thursday. I spent a few days at the summerhouse with my mother and her boyfriend. It was unusually hot weather, one day it was up to 30 degrees. We did some shopping; there were two fleamarkets in the area and my mother needed soil to plant flowers and some vegetables. I mostly took it easy and relaxed with some crossword puzzles. Because of the medicine I couldn't sit in the sun so I was inside a lot. That Sunday it was Mother's Day and I treated my mother to the buffet at Furuboda. The food there is very good, this time it was salmon and spicy chicken.
The weather is more normal now, it's about 18-20 degrees, rather windy and right now some rain. The new medicine is making me tired so I haven't done much. I still have to go to Lund several times a week for various medical appointments and that's about what I have energy for.
Last weekend was a long weekend since Ascension Day was on the Thursday. I spent a few days at the summerhouse with my mother and her boyfriend. It was unusually hot weather, one day it was up to 30 degrees. We did some shopping; there were two fleamarkets in the area and my mother needed soil to plant flowers and some vegetables. I mostly took it easy and relaxed with some crossword puzzles. Because of the medicine I couldn't sit in the sun so I was inside a lot. That Sunday it was Mother's Day and I treated my mother to the buffet at Furuboda. The food there is very good, this time it was salmon and spicy chicken.
The weather is more normal now, it's about 18-20 degrees, rather windy and right now some rain. The new medicine is making me tired so I haven't done much. I still have to go to Lund several times a week for various medical appointments and that's about what I have energy for.
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