thereyougothen

this was a tough morning, i wasn't allowed coffee. or food.

went to the hospital after dropping the boys off. waited until they found an english speaking person to take us up to see the oncologist, then sat while he read my referral letter. why didn't they give it to him beforehand? i would have been happy to sit with my sock for ten minutes in the waiting room, instead of awkwardly on the other side of a desk.

anyway, he eamined me, which I should be used to by now. weighed me. and he was the first doctor in all of this who told me to lose weight. in fact he said that while the herceptin was important, losing weight was even more so in stopping the cancer coming back. hmmm.

i admit that i have been surprised that no one ever said anything about it (well, no one expect my mum!). but that was pretty blunt today. he said, " it's spring, there is a lot of nice fruit in CHile that you can eat" LOL.

he took us in to see the chemo suite. very posh comfy looking chairs. and very small, compared to what we are used to, unless there's more around the corner. I have an appointment for 09.00 on thursday, which is exaclty 3 weeks snce my last treatment.

then we went back to the nice english speaking head nurse, who i am to contact for everything, from major illness to ingrown toenail. we asked if we could have a pro-forma invoice so that we don't have to pay in advance, but she took us down to the finance place and they took a copy of my insurance card and said that they will get a reference number from the insurance people and will be able to bill direct. I am VERY curious as to what it will cost.

and they never took blood or anything, so the starving was a total waste. thanks people. getting up at 6 is tough enough.

then we left, and Bill dropped me off at Beverly's house, where I was plied with coffee and cookies. I was offered proper breakfast, but settled for cookies! absolutely fascinating conversation centering around teachig reading to kids. we were all mothers, 3 of us with 2 sons, one with a 9 month old daughter. 2 educators - one a long time teacher of reception class in the english system, the other a remedial reading (possibly not the modernly accepted term, I must ask her) teacher in US middle school. AND - Beverly loaned me a set of Biff, Chip and Kipper books for N. He won't get them here, and we LOVE the magic key stories, so we will read them with him. And with TT, who wanted to sleep with 2 of them under his pillow tonight.

we have finally found fresh milk after almost two weeks of UHT. it's "ultrapasteurised", so Bill says it still doesn't taste as good as at home, but when i suggested I wouldn't bother buying it again, it suddenly was almost as good...

Bill signed (i am a non-person) a letter of intent to rent a house today, hopefully the landlord will agree, and then we all traipse off to a notary public to sign the actual lease (well, for Bill to sign, I just get to watch). we might get to move in a week today! hurrah!

and I have to get up at 6, so I have to go to bed now. 06.00 is murder.