D - 37 - “Hearing” all about “Steam Punk”

D - 37 - “Hearing” all about “Steam Punk”




Renene says it’s 3 days to go today . “I chase up she chases down”

Courtney is visiting us from Oamaru, the “Steam Punk” capital of New Zealand so today “if the hat fits -wear it”. 

https://www.steampunkoamaru.co.nz/

https://www.steampunk.org.nz/

Credit Otago Daily Times 





Wonder what “Teddy” thinks of “steam punk”

Mix and match


The laughter at Machine 6 continues with all the hat wear and today probably sufficient distraction that for the very first time I had to be repositioned and have a second scan to ensure I matched the prepared plan. After radiation had a brief visit with radiation nurse for advice around managing my burns . Interesting to be informed both skin and oesophagitis and any other radiation side effects are likely to persist and potentially worsen in the following two weeks when in fact therapy has discontinued . Such are the vagaries of this treatment. Good simple baking Soda soaks and moisturiser order of day at moment. 

First day I have avoided all the traditional side effect control medications . Have regular paracetamol and regular “ healtheries “ medications Renene has been providing . Did have odd antacid but none of the “big guns”. 

Still not a “box of birds” but it is a step back towards normality. 

Yesterdays strange challenge, or as my good friend Joe Martins has mentioned, the “Wobblies”  settled today though I was awake between 02h00 and 04h00 probably on a steroid high and reading and writing various things to try an “unbundle” a very active and “flighty” mind .
Managed to get off to a additional 2 hours after 04h00.
Less anxiety today , more focused and with a few missions in mind.

Renene , Courtney and I walked into the nearby Parnell Village. 
A long walk up and down dale . Unfortunately the Hill climb was not that  good for me .Rested halfway and proceeded . Stopped off at local curio shop looking for a small gift and  felt awful, faint and gave Renene a bit of a fright. I was able to get Settled by just resting a while in shade and  cooling down and then was fine. Found some nice presents and a fascinating puzzle of “Kiwi birds” for Lewis’s nieces and nephews.  Went on to find a delicious small lunch and berry shake.


Love this “Amazing lady”

And this “special lass”


We walked home a more circuitous flatter route without further concern but clearly required a spell on bed to recharge once back at base Will do blood test tomorrow rather than Saturday. We presume blood tests will all be fine again.  

Courtney kindly drove me to the Triton Hearing clinic in New Lynn where Holly Wiles had kindly come in on her day off to fit me with some very expensive and very, very long overdue hearing aids. I have been avoiding the investment required for some years with my head buried deeply in the sand pretending I could still hear sufficiently. The chemo and current situation has forced my hand though. We were offered superb service by Holly and we have embarked on a subscription contract for some really good aids. What a revelation!!! It is astonishing just how much disability one can accomodate and manage and ignore and yet when the appropriate tool is available you come to realise “what you have been missing”. Additional benefit is the hearing aids are modern and “SMART” so have had some fun setting them and the various “ mod con “software stuff up to function. Holly has said there will be a period of adjustment required as brain gets all these new messages. Very kindly mentioned this would be much easier for my “younger brain” as it would still have some “plasticity” left to accomodate. The interesting thing also was I was immediately able to understand that I no longer had to use the effort I thought I required to speak and understood why Renene and those around me said I was fine to whisper when talking. I have been emphasising and overusing my voice because I could not hear ” myself “. Courtney took some fascinating video to show how my voice and tone changed as Inmuted and in- muted the hearing aids .
Not how to be worn but could not see the aid otherwise hiding behind  the “wing -nut”
I look forward to the next few days experience getting used to this enabling technology and the day to day comfort of the aids.

0n and even more positive note- .... So then only 2 doses radiation left. Friday and Monday.

 And then we  Probably head for home Monday or Tuesday

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