Good morning 0131

It is the last day of January, isn’t it?

Yesterday, Yuki did not receive chemotherapy. Since it has been less than a week since he was discharged from the hospital, the doctor decided to take a short break from treatment. The size of the tumor has not changed. We hope he can coexist peacefully with the tumor. Next week, they will discuss which chemotherapy drug to use.

In an hour, a carpenter will come to install a handrail on the stairs.

Little by little, our daily rhythm is settling down again.

At a convenience store in the hospital

Good morning 0130

 Today we are going to the hospital. It is time for Yuki to have his stitches removed.

We are worried about whether he will be able to resume chemotherapy. Dealing with the side effects and maintaining his condition would be very tough. On the other hand, not continuing chemotherapy also makes us feel anxious. I wonder how things will turn out.
For now, we are heading to the hospital. It’s going to be a long day.

Good morning 0129

 It has been a while since I last updated my diary.

The bathroom and washroom renovations are finally finished. A few unexpected things came up along the way, but well, it couldn’t be helped. We went over budget, but I’m really glad we did it.

Yuki is already taking a bath using the handrails. Yes, Yuki has been discharged from the hospital. His oxygen saturation still doesn’t reach 95, and he gets short of breath more easily, but he is in good spirits.

After these repeated hospitalizations, we decided to apply for long-term care insurance. Today, a staff member from the city office is coming to observe our daily situation. We were told that it usually takes about a month before the formal assessment, but thanks to his illness, the process is moving faster. It’s a strange feeling.

Tomorrow we’re going to the hospital again, including having his stitches removed. I wonder what the next steps in his treatment will be.

So many things are happening at the same time that my head feels completely full.

About Japan’s long-term care insurance 

In Japan, we have a public long-term care insurance system. Basically, everyone starts paying into it once they turn 40.

If you’re 65 or older and officially assessed as needing some help or care, you can use the service for almost any reason. People aged 40–64 can also use it, but only if their condition is caused by certain age-related illnesses.

When you apply, someone from the city office comes to check your daily situation, like how well you can move or manage everyday tasks. After that, they decide a care level, and you can use services like home helpers, day care, renting care equipment, or even making changes to your home—like installing handrails or removing steps—to make it safer and easier to live in.

It’s meant to support both the person who needs care and their family, which I think is really helpful.

Good morning 0123

 I haven’t written my diary for a while. I’m aiming to update it every day, but these things sometimes happen.

Yuki was hospitalized again the day after he was discharged, and he is still in the hospital. He had another pneumothorax, and on top of that, pneumonia. But things are finally calming down now, and I think he will be discharged next week. Honestly, it’s been one unexpected turn after another.

Meanwhile, the renovation of our bathroom and washroom has started. Since our house is old, a few unexpected issues have come up here and there, too. Still, it looks like things will more or less settle down by next Monday.

One nice thing is that a carpenter we know is coming to help. He’s also fixing small problems that weren’t even part of the renovation.

Every day has been hectic. The carpenters have already arrived and started working. I’m going to the laundromat now.

Good morning 0118

 It is Sunday.

Well, Yuki has been hospitalized again.
He was discharged from the hospital on Friday, but he didn’t look well. So we went back to the hospital on Saturday, and he was hospitalized again.

His pneumothorax has recurred, and this time he also has pneumonia. His lungs are getting very weak. His coughing seems to have caused the pneumothorax. The pneumonia had already been there since his first hospitalization, and the doctors were hoping it would heal naturally, but with the recurrence of the pneumothorax, it suddenly worsened.

Still, compared with other patients in the hospital, he is doing relatively well. We don’t yet know how long he will have to stay.

Starting tomorrow, the renovation of our bathroom and washroom will begin. Today I need to move things by myself. I also plan to let go of more than ten items, though ten items is my usual weekly habit.

Good morning 0115

 Yuki will probably be discharged tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

Starting next week, our bathroom renovation will begin. It is scheduled to take about a week.

This week was mentally hard.
Somehow, things will work out, and I just have to accept it.

Today, if Yuki is allowed to leave his room, we may take a short walk inside the hospital.
If possible, we might stop by the Starbucks there. It feels like a small luxury.

Good morning 0113

 It is Tuesday.

According to the schedule, today was supposed to be a day for me to perform at Karaku Café. I can’t go, so my friend will do a reading performance instead.

Today, I have to go to an accounting office with our lawyer on behalf of my husband. He was originally supposed to go himself, but he can’t, and the appointments can’t be postponed. Still, I believe that today’s consultations will help ease his stress.

His oxygen saturation level hasn’t returned to normal yet. He doesn’t feel any symptoms himself, though.

Though this is a trivial matter, we use a kerosene fan heaters at home. One of the tanks ran out of kerosene, so I refilled it, but it is heavy. Carrying it after filling it really strains my lower back.