One Year Check-Up

Today was my one year check up since my cancer diagnosis.
The appointment went okay, just lots of waiting around.  First was the mammogram. Not a nice
experience but over in a few minutes.  Then a CT scan.  To help with the contrast a special
liquid is injected through a drip. I always have problems with having a drip as my veins are rather deep, I ask for the nurse to use the vain on my hand.  But the nurse today said that she could get a vein in my arm.  After lots of slapping she finally found a vein to stick me.  Getting the drip in was alright, but she kept asking if it hurt.  I wanted to say of course it hurts you just stuck a big needle in my arm, but I smiled and kept my peace.  The CT scan was painless and the staff got it to speak in English to me.  At certain times you have to breathe deep and hold your breathe, in Japanese I always get mixed up!  Having the English really helped.  After that was an echo and then more waiting to see the doctor.  One thing with this hospital is that everything is there, so when they take blood it is sent to the hospital lab to be processed.  The same with the scan, everything is sent to the doctors computer, no waiting for  outside labs!  Makes things a bit easier, over and done in one day.
The good news is that every thing is clear, no sign f cancer anywhere.                                                      

These are ume fruit that David picked from mother in laws garden the other week.  He is making a drink from them. It's really nice and refreshing in the heat.  Little sharp which makes the drink nice!

Hisao's Birthday

Friday would of been Hisao's 58th birthday.  It's hard to think of him as being 58!
I often wonder what he would be doing if he were here.  One thing all the problems with
my mother in law would of been on him!
I found some older photos that I've scanned into the computer,  not good quality because of the scanner but enjoy!

About 5 years old

20's maybe

18 years old in Tokyo

With my Mom and Dad, 30 years ago.

With David and Hannah and our first dog

With the kids

I really miss Hisao!

Here We Go Again

Every year while it is still cool I tell myself that I will do better in the summer.
I determine not to be defeated by the weather.  That I will keep to my schedule and not
end up in bed, being miserable.  I dream of going out, of visiting places and seeing things,
especially during the holidays.  I tell myself that a positive attitude will help because
complaining is not going to change the heat and humidity.
Most years I can get through the first few weeks then end up getting sick.
This year I didn't make it through the first week of the intense heat!
Yesterday, according to a weather app that I have it was 30C but real feel was
up to 36C.  I decided that it would be best to use the air conditioner while I was teaching.
But I couldn't find the remote. Mikey and I searched for half an hour but no luck.
I taught for 2 hours, with a big fan on but it didn't help that much.
In the evening I couldn't cool down, got an awful headache and felt sick.  When I checked
my temperature it was 38.5C, I had heat stroke.  I couldn't believe it, the first week!
So I realized that a positive attitude is not going to change my body and it's reaction
to the heat.  But being positive is so much better at dealing with the heat.  Moaning is
a waste of time.  So now I am trying to find the humor in my situation and how to manage
the rest of the summer.

Our animals seem alright in the heat.  The cats don't like to be held, which is understandable.
They roam around the house looking for a cool spot, then they don't move until it's time to
eat, sensible creatures.  Our dog, Lucky has found a cool spot in the yard.  She is getting old now
and doesn't have the energy she use to.  I make sure she has plenty of cool, clean water.

As always cat photos.  We had a long box that the cats loved running in and out of!

SAD

My mother in law is in a care home.  There was no choice, she is bed ridden, unable to get to the
toilet or take a bath by herself.  Even standing for a couple of minutes has her in pain.
She has no other family, there are cousins somewhere but I have no idea where or who they are.
She has no money, no savings just a meager pension of about 450 pounds every two months.  The only place that had room and could work with the welfare to pay the balance of her care is an older place.  Before she was put in there we went and talked to the staff.  I asked about activities,  chance to interact with the other residents and staff, some kind of rehabilitation, I was reassured that there was such things but I am not seeing that.  David and I went yesterday.  As we walked to her room, that she shares with other ladies, the smell of urine was overwhelming, the doors to the other rooms are open and the residents are just lying there, neither dead or alive.  My mother in law has nothing to look at, I think she is in her bed all day with a blank wall to stare at, no TV, nothing to interact with!
Just a wall  with a calendar, for what, to count down the days until she dies.  It is really sad and I can't do anything about it!  I can't have her here, my health is not good enough and she would totally stress us all out.  We can't afford anywhere else and I think her health is so fragile that moving her could be dangerous!  She has worked hard her whole life to be dumped in this place. One problem is that the government wants families to care for the elderly at home so there is little funding for care homes.

And just to make me more sad there was an awful knife attack this morning in a city just outside of Tokyo.  The news so far states that one elementary school girl has been killed, along with 15 others that have been injured.

WHY

May in the area where I live is usually nice.  Not too hot, not too cold.
Average temperature is between 20 to 25C (68 to 77F).  It is
just the right weather to go out, see places, get the garden done and
deep clean the house before the extreme heat of summer.
But not this year.  Today it was up to 33C (91F) where I live.  According to the news some
places were expected to hit 37C (98F).  Too hot for this time of year!
Why is it so hot?  That is one question I keep asking.  I honestly felt I had a few more weeks
before the crazy heat would start.  We haven't had the rainy season yet.  Actually there
hasn't been a lot of rain these past couple of months. And the rain we have had has been
very strong down pours that doesn't soak the ground.  We drove past a field two days after
the last down pour and I was shocked at how dry the soil was, it looked like there had
been no rain for weeks!
Our poor animals are suffering.  The dog has dug herself a hole under a tree to cool down. The cats
are stretched out in the corridor.  We keep fresh water for them.  I am wondering what to do if it gets really hot.  I would want the dog inside with the air conditioning but with the cats that might
be difficult!

One Year On

This time last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
After a mastectomy and daily tablets I am cancer free.  Well at least according to my last blood tests.
I'll have big tests the end of June, a mammogram and CT scan.  No big deal but as always
the worry is there a the back  of my head.  I try not to focus on it but in the middle of the night all the aches and pains I have make me think that the cancer is back!

I am trying to do more, to be more proactive and do things that I want to do.  My scare last year reminded me in very real way that we don't know what tomorrow might bring.  So I am trying to live for now, spend time with people who add to my life, not with people who have a negative impact on me.  I am making plans to travel.  I want to go to the UK again, visit my family and friends and to visit the places I've never had chance to see before.  Also there are so many places in Japan that I want to see.  So I am making lists and plans, trying to make money for all these adventures!

And because all my photos are of the cats I'll leave you with some cute photos.

Photos

I wanted to post photos yesterday but couldn't find my camera to upload them. Of course the camera
was on the shelf in front of me!

These are from Hannah's birthday.

Birthday Girl

Dinner by David. The salad in the bowl is really nice!

Two cakes, again by David.

And of course cats