Alston: November 2007 Archives

And we'll see how the anti-vomit pills (and suppositories) work this time. And it's time to shave again. Being cancer bald was fine in the late summer/fall. Not looking forward to it this time.

Last night I felt ill in anticipation; this morning I gagged. I came home with more pills than before as well as a puke bag. I'm not the best person for taking all his meds on time, but you can bet that I will be vigilant, at least for the next five days anyway.

I better news, all my papers and such are where they should be, so I will continue to get paid as well as go back to work part time on December 3, the Monday after next. The following week, Rose gets her promotion and starts working days. Now those are things to get happy about.

sheila
Originally uploaded by JonasParker

The same age as when Jesus died for your fucking sins, you damn heathens. If I make it to next year, I'll have done something that not even the son of God could do. Heh.

It started 8 days ago. Rose and I decided to have tea. I thought it was my idea, but little did I know that I was to be treated to a surprise! Tea started out normally, but then she asked me about the car and goats problem. I should have smelled something funny at this point since I know she doesn't care about it at all, but I indulged in explaining it to her. This, of course, was a distraction; she didn't want me to idly look up and see what the hostesses were preparing. Which was my favourite pie, lemon meringue! It was followed by teacups hand made from local artists Maude Blais and Sheila Caplan. Click the picture to see better.

November 8 was a great day. I had lunch with zura and Suj at Olive et Gourmando in Old Montreal. I couldn't finish the Nouveau Chèvre sandwich, but it was still delicious. Then Suj and I went off shopping to find me an awesome toaster oven. I should toss my regular oven, because this thing rocks. It works better than the conventional one. Afterwards, Suj became my personal porter and lugged the thing all the way to NDG where we visited Krystal at her work, Shaika Cafe. She makes a mean ho cho.

I had to run back home because I needed to drop stuff off and then go to the local CLSC to learn how to fill my Neupogen syringes (two a day, plus one for Tinzaparin, yay!), and later that evening it was drinks with the gang (Sujerin, zura and Krystal) at the Irish Embassy pub. Photos from that evening are in K-Dawg's hands, so I can't show anything right now, but I will say that I am proud to have had 2 full pints AND baby pork ribs. Impressive for a guy with only 3/4 of a stomach and 3/20 of an esophagus. St. Patty's, here I come!

Speaking of which, I am happy to say that I am recovering pretty well. Now that chemo is over, I can reap the benefits of being 2 and a half months post surgery. Eating is approaching normal with normal results. Things are finally starting to look really good.

Somebody save me...

I thought I would try to play poker on Facebook, but naturally it's DOWN. At least chemo is over for now. Unfortunately I can't go back to work until next month instead of next week because of chemo scheduling and the fact the it kicked the living shit out of me this time around. I knew it would be bad this time.

Time is moving so SLOOOOOOWLY. Either that or I am moving at light speed. I remember taking trips to the supermarket that would last 60-90 minutes, and now I am back in half an hour, leaving all the more time to kill. And that's most of what I do these days. Killing time. Part of why I was taking sleeping pills in the past few days was just to make the next day happen faster. It's like I wake up so that I can go to sleep at night, or whenever. Of course, one major reason for that is that that would mean that chemo would be over that much sooner. Another reason is that I had slept (from boredom) in the afternoon and couldn't sleep at night.

If a sign of depression is that the things that interest you no longer do, then I am certainly depressed, or at least showing signs of it. I am looking forward to telling this to my shrink on Friday.

In years past, this time of year should see me at my best and brightest. Alstember, I have recently dubbed it. It ranges from about October 21 to November 20, around the Scorpio cycle. I used to be able to do anything. I could make money, meet women, do well at work, travel. Anything I wanted to do. In the last several years there has always been something to kill that strength. It's probably just me, as these things usually are. There wasn't some kind of magical power in the universe that made me Superman around my birthday, it was just all in my head. But still, it felt like magic, and that magic is gone. For good reason this year, but still. There's always some damn reason.

Chances of making it to Yulblog tonight ~ 30%.

UPDATE: That took all of 4 minutes to complete. Many hours to go before I sleep...