We've been celebrating a birthday since my last blog post - my husband's. It was on Monday, but a Monday birthday (let alone a November birthday…) is always a bit boring, so we're planning a more elaborate dinner later on in the week.
A new check-up at the doctor's went ahead as planned last week and a new round of chemo was prescribed. This type of chemo medicine, called Lomustine, is not even commonly available in Norway and has to be applied for, but apparently it's promising in the treatment of brain tumours. The cycle consists of four pills that are swallowed as a single dose, then six weeks without, then a new dose, and so on. The drug is long acting in the body, so side effects may occur continually. Though I must say - as he's been through one cycle already - my husband seems to deal well with these lethal looking blue capsules. Also considering all the other medication he has to take!
He is very unsteady on his feet now, as his whole left side is dysfunctional - arm, hand, leg and foot. With the aid of a supportive arm from one of us, or his crutch, or his wheelchair, he is still able to stay fairly mobile. But because of the reduced functionality he had a drop-foot brace fitted a couple of weeks ago, and we drove off to pick it up yesterday on the other side of town. It's placed in the shoe (it has to be a shoe with a little extra room) and fixed around the leg, and it's meant to lift the front part of the foot automatically. It's brilliant, but it takes some getting used to. Essentially my hope is that it will stabilise his balance and make him less worried about tipping over and falling. Which, to our horror, has happened a few times, and it makes me writhe with guilt for not having supported him properly. But it's only a matter of letting go of his arm for maybe a second, to bend and pick up something, or to open a door, or to turn around.
Last week we finally sold our house. Not obtaining the price we hoped for, but well… It's a burden off our shoulders. So now it's finally time to move to the new flat, with everything on one level, one of the bathrooms en suite with the master bedroom, which will be just a few steps away from my husband's bedside. One more step in the bathroom and he'll be in the shower! Oh, it'll make things so much easier for him! And for me too, being his "left hand and foot."
We actually took over the flat formally on the 16th September, and these are the photos I took that day. We went through every little fault that should have been corrected since our previous inspection in June. On both occasions we brought with us our friend Per, who's an engineer and builder and an expert on these things, and I honestly don't know what I would have done without him. He discovered everything from the most minute irregularities to the graver ones - on walls, window sills, floors, kitchen fronts, bathroom tiles, doors - in paint structure, in mouldings, skirting, grouting. The builders walked around sticking blue tape on the imperfections, and by the time we left there was a definite aura of blue throughout the rooms… And with Per's photographic memory it was necessary to have him there on the second - and final - inspection, and for sure - up with some of the blue tape again!
Picnic basket on kitchen counter
The sales representative had brought with her a picnic basket to the take-over, and I had a hard time figuring out why. Picnic on the new balcony? Her idea of a practical handbag? Well, as soon as the papers were signed she pulled out the contents - two champagne glasses, a bottle of….. not champagne but apple juice! And a toilet roll. "This is your welcome gift from us!" Hmmm, well… one can never own enough picnic baskets, I suppose.
Our house is bursting with beautiful flowers from friends and family on the occasion of my husband's birthday, and in the midst of it all there suddenly arrived a gift for me too! With my daughter Julie's return from Australia - which was of course the greatest gift of all - there was a "pamper pack" from her mother-in-law Kim. The absolutely fantastic and gorgeous Kim became my soulmate during the four days (four days? It seemed more like four weeks!) that we worked together before, on and after the wedding in July. We became a team from the minute we met, and pulled together - with all the others too of course - towards the one goal of making this wedding THE event of the century. I will claim forever that for as much as the rest of the family also put in their greatest efforts, the two Big Mamas won first prize in organisation and logistics!
Can't wait to start on the book - the other pamper stuff has already been tried!
Had my hair cut! Quite a bit!
As usual I'm trying - and succeeding, I think - in finding some joy in the little things in life. Although I'm pretty exhausted and sorrowful, there is so much to be happy about. The house burden is gone, though I'll be terribly upset to leave my home of the last thirty-one years. But I adjust easily to a new environment, and the important thing is having my loved ones around me. Home is where the heart is, definitely.
I will always cherish the atmosphere in my living room this afternoon. Four of us - two daughters, my husband and I just sat around chatting, joking, laughing, planning. I was knitting, one daughter was writing thank you cards for wedding gifts, the other one was practising her card dealing skills while watching instruction films on Youtube. My husband was so much a part of the conversation.
There certainly is nothing wrong with his mind.
