Wahine Toa (warrior woman). A note to self for the shitty days ahead.
I have ovarian cancer.
The provisional diagnosis, given a month ago, has been confirmed by an MRI. I am scheduled for a radical hysterectomy next Monday.
What happens after that will depend on pathology results.
The upside of all this is that T and I have finally sorted out Enduring Powers of Attorney and updated our Wills.
The downside is that we feel we have to.
On a positive note, the pulmonary embolism I was diagnosed with seems to have either cleared, or was never there at all. I no longer have to inject myself daily with blood-thinners, and don’t have to constantly wear the ugly compression stockings (at least until after surgery).
Bye-bye injections — for now. Image: Su Leslie 2021
On a less positive note; I’m still peeing through a catheter.
But I am starting to see the funny side of that — just not enough to write about it.
Something of an expert in the varying properties of medical tapes. Image: Su Leslie 2021
So does that sum up my life at the moment? Well, yes, ….
Except.
My father in law died a few weeks ago.
I’m grateful I was well enough to speak at his funeral and pay tribute to a man I really loved.
My son graduated from university last week.
And though we didn’t stay for the whole ceremony, I’m so grateful I could go, and see all his hard work of the last few years acknowledged.
The boy-child’s graduation. Image: Leslie family archive.
The Big T and I celebrated 35 years together at the weekend.
Every moment of every day I am grateful for his love and support and his fundamental goodness.
Even though he does make me laugh until I snort — and that is so unattractive.
So life is a bit weird right now, and will probably get weirder. But I’m fortunate to be experiencing this particular brand of weird in a country that still has a functioning public health system, staffed by people who seem efficient and are certainly kind.
Best of all I feel supported by friends and whanau; can’t ask for much more than that really.
Muriwai Beach; something to look forward to when I’ve recovered from surgery. Image: Su Leslie 2021
The Changing Seasons — this month hosted by Brian at Bushboy’s World
Zimmerbitch 