Half full and a whole new challenge

Just when I thought it was time for a rest, a new challenge has presented itself.
That end of the year feeling...



I thought it was the chemo that had run me over, but I was relieved to receive a Garfield cartoon from a friend in fine health, which made me realise that the world is worn out by this time of the year, and that exhaustion was not only my domain.

The recovery period after round 8 has seemed endless and only the absolute promise of the Salvazione Christmas concert and the commitment to the Link Centre got me through those flat and fatigued days. Even the seemingly rock solid vitamin B injection failed me and the usual restoration of week three just didn't happen. All along, I was under the happy illusion that I had at least 6 weeks in hand to get fit, lose the extra cortisone induced kilos and recover, before further draconian measures would need to be undertaken and endured.

The challenge came in the form of a rare appointment with Dr Golding, a physician and anti-ageing specialist. He has recently become interested in treating cancer patients using his Solal products, which are homeopathic in nature, and other unusual practises.

I saw him on Friday, had my first injections immediately and will be treated almost daily for the next few weeks.

I'm having Iscador injections twice a week and will continue with the drops on the intervening days. He has also started me on Coley's injections on a daily basis with the doses increasing until the bacteria introduced induces rigors and a daily fever of 39 to 40C. The reaction to the bacteria stimulates the immune system, which produces quantities of white blood cells and simultaneously, the fever. This, in turn, causes my body to recognise the cancerous tumours as aliens and to reduce them in size. I fear that the process will be unpleasant and exhausting, but the theory makes sense.

So, daily trips to Bryanston (about 20km), hours of rigors and fevers and renewed hopes for a cure or a least extension of good living. And I thought I was worn out..

The good part of the paralled railway tracks

- Nicola sang in the best Christmas choral concert I've ever heard on Saturday. She has joined a choir conducted by Sue Cock called Inverse, which consists of about 16 young and highly talented musicians. She returns from practises on a high with her right brain zinging.

-James has delighted us with another set of outstanding results and is busy filling up the fun bank. He assures me that he has a bottomless spare tank.

-Ali has managed the protracted exam period with maturity

-The children of Salvazione put on a fabulous nativity concert, which had us all, alternately, roaring with laughter and weeping copiously. The choice of the King James version for the script made it even more charming, with our second and third language English pupils managing admirably and sweetly with all the thees and thous.

-the Link Centre at Salvazione School, under the auspices of the Shine Centre in Cape Town, was launched and 80 children were tested by 10 volunteers.

If you feel hot in the next couple of weeks, bear me in mind!