Good morning 1221 & lunch diary 1220

by Yuki

by Mieko

Today, we’re going to see my friend’s solo performance. We will leave in one hour.

 

Good morning 1220

 

by Yuki

Yesterday, he was able to receive chemotherapy. The tumors haven’t grown, though they haven’t shrunk either.
The treatment does seem to be keeping things in check, even if the doctor is hoping for a little more improvement.

Today, the architect is coming. The bathroom renovation is proving more complicated than we had expected, and it seems the plans may need to change quite a bit. Still, we’ll take it as it comes.

Good morning 1219

It’s Friday again—Yuki’s hospital day.
When Friday comes, we remind ourselves to accept the situation, telling each other, “Somehow, it will work out.”
It’s going to be a long day today.

 

Good morning 1218

 

by Yuki

Today I’m going to a clinic for CBT. While I’m there, Yuki will be at Costco. After that, we’ll visit our lawyer. In the evening, Yuki will get a massage. He only just joined a gym, but it looks like he won’t be able to go for a while.

Good morning 1217

 

by Yuki

Yesterday, two repairmen came to look at the bathroom renovation, but they felt it might be a little difficult to meet our request. Of course, if we set the budget aside, there would probably be ways to make it work—but that isn’t realistic. We’ll talk it over with the architect once more.

In the afternoon, we made a round of banks to pick up some documents.

It turned into quite a long day.

Today, an acquaintance is planning to stop by this afternoon. I’m looking forward to it.

Good morning 1216

 

by Yuki

Yesterday, after I received acupuncture treatment, I lay down in bed all afternoon.
I guess the fatigue finally caught up with me.
Yuki went for a massage in the afternoon, and both of us stayed at home, taking it easy.

Today, a repair person is coming to check the condition of our bathroom.
Somehow, there’s been a lot going on.

Good morning 1215

by Yuki

Monday has started.
This morning, the two of us are going to receive moxibustion.
To be precise, a friend of mine, who is a licensed acupuncturist, is teaching us how to do simple moxibustion at home to help reduce numbness.

The lesson will last about 30 minutes, because Yuki cannot tolerate a longer session.
After that, he will go to his clinic and then to the Legal Affairs Bureau.
While he is running those errands, I will receive acupuncture and moxibustion from her. It’s been quite a while since my last treatment.

Lunch diary 1213

by Yuki

by Mieko

It is a quiet Sunday.
It’s raining for the first time in a while. I’m glad it’s rain and not snow.
It’s a bit disappointing that rain is falling on the windows I’ve just cleaned, but that’s all right too.

 

Good morning 1213

 

by Yuki

Yesterday, Yuki was able to receive chemotherapy. Balancing treatment and side effects is difficult, but for now, he continues the treatment.

This afternoon, he will join a jam session. I will participate in an online meeting of shuukatsu advisers.

Shuukatsu is a Japanese concept that refers to end-of-life planning, such as organizing personal matters, caregiving arrangements, and funeral preferences. I obtained a private shuukatsu adviser certification. I do not plan to work using this qualification; however, while organizing the knowledge and information I gained through my late mother and my late mother-in-law as they aged, I was able to earn it. Recently, many people working in insurance, caregiving, and funeral-related fields have begun obtaining this certification.

Good morning 1212

 

by Yuki

Today is Yuki’s hospital day. Since he couldn’t receive his treatment last week, we think he will probably be able to have chemotherapy this week. That’s good news, but it also means that the side effects—which had calmed down during his break—will trouble him again. There’s no way around it.

As I wrote before, Yuki quit all his tennis clubs except one, and instead he has started going to a light-exercise gym. He thought he could handle the machine exercises easily—and he actually could—but because all the exercises were new to his body, his hip muscles started to hurt. So he has also begun visiting a nearby Japanese-style bodywork and massage clinic.  It feels like the typical life of an elderly person, doesn’t it?

Good morning 1211

by Yuki

Yesterday I joined an online English meeting.  The topics are... "Appliances"

◆What is an appliance that you have bought but rarely ever use? What does it do?

We usually use the appliances we buy, and if we notice we have something we rarely use, we usually let go of it.

I checked the shelf in my kitchen and realized that I have a juicer. I use it sometimes, but I’ve only used the attachment that grates daikon radish once.

If I looked through all my appliances, I’d probably find some attachments I hardly ever use.

◆When did you last buy an appliance? Why did you decide to buy this machine?

I recently bought a microwave-safe grill pan that lets you grill fish in the microwave and even gives it a nice sear.

We thought we should eat more fish, but washing the regular grill is troublesome.

◆How many appliances do you have in your kitchen? Which do you use the most?

At a quick glance, I have eight appliances including the refrigerator in my kitchen.

But if I include the smaller ones stored in the cupboards as well, I probably have more than twenty in total.

I use my microwave-safe grill pan, yogurt maker, and electric kettle the most.

Good morning 1210

 

by Yuki

It’s nothing serious, but we’ve been busy since early this morning dealing with messages.
Anyway, I’m going to my 30-minute AI workout today.

Good morning 1209

by Yuki

Today is the second Tuesday, the day of my performance with my friend at Karaku Café. This past month went by so quickly. Though you may not believe it, I always feel a little anxious about whether I’ll be able to go to Karaku again next time.

Today I’m going to wear a red sweater and white pants—like Santa without his bag.

 

Good morning 1208 & lunch diary 1207

 

by Yuki

by Mieko

A new week has started. I’m going to the orthopedic clinic.

Good morning 1207

 

 by Yuki

Our architect is coming today, and we’ll get the final estimate.
The renovation is planned for next month and will take about a week.
We had already included this in our retirement plan six years ago.
Prices are very different now, which is a headache, but we’ll figure it out somehow.

Good morning 1206

by Yuki

Yesterday, just as we expected, the doctor instructed Yuki to take a break from his chemotherapy. Reducing the numbness was given top priority. So he was supposed to come home earlier than usual, but there was also a mistake with the prescription, and in the end, it turned into a long day as usual.

Because of that, I missed my dental appointment, so I’m going today to have the stitches removed.

From now on, we will probably always feel anxious about choosing between continuing the treatment and reducing the side effects. But for now, at least, he still has something to treat—or suppress—his tumors. It’s scary that the future looks even more uncertain, but somehow I have to learn to accept it.

 

Good morning 1205

by Yuki

Today is Yuki’s hospital day. He will probably have to take a break from his medication.

We—especially I—feel that he needs time to recover his physical strength, and if he rests from the treatment, his strength may come back. Of course, the tumor might become active again as well, but even so, we think rest is important for now.

According to his schedule, he plans to play tennis tomorrow and join his jam session the day after tomorrow.

Yesterday, we (mainly I) almost finished cleaning the windows, which is our top priority for winter cleaning. Our motto is that trying our best is what matters most—the result comes second.

I wiped the windows with cleaner, so the dust was removed. But as you know, I’m not a very careful person—I am a bit sloppy—so there are still streaks on the windows. Additionally, I don’t plan to wash the lace curtains.

Good morning 1204

by Yuki

It’s Thursday. This morning, each of us is going to our own gym for a 30-minute workout. Then we’ll buy some deli food for lunch at the supermarket where Yuki’s gym is. In the afternoon, Yuki will go to the radon hot spring sauna by himself. It should be a peaceful day.

 

Good morning 1203

 

Today I am going  to hold my laughter yoga meeting. Unfortunately one woman has to cancel because she has to go to the dentist. Today’s laughter yoga meeting is the last one of this year. Probably next meeting will be in February. I hope I will be able to held it next year. 

In the afternoon, the architect is coming. We’re looking forward to seeing what kind of plans he’ll bring. On the other hand, we already know the estimate will be over our budget, so we are a bit worried.

The bathroom renovation was part of our retirement plan. We planned to renovate after turning 65. But the economic situation has completely changed since then.

Even so, we’ve been steadily using our retirement funds as planned—which means our savings have been decreasing exactly as expected. In a way, that’s pretty amazing. I take pride in being stingy.

Good morning 1202

 

by Yuki

Yesterday Yuki joined a gym. For his first session, he used the exercise bike while watching YouTube on his phone, because the gym has free Wi-Fi.
While he was doing that, I was also doing a 30-minute workout at my gym, which is right across from his. But to tell the truth, my hip joint started hurting this time, so I only did one circuit. It probably took just 15 minutes.
So he must have exercised for more than 30 minutes. I waited for him at the supermarket’s food corner, reading a book and drinking a 140-yen coffee. Until half a year ago, it was 120 yen.

lunch diary 1129 & Good morning 1201

 December has started!!!

Yesterday I went to do sutra copying, and I talked a little with the head priest. I’m not a Buddhist, but in Japan Buddhist elements are part of everyday life, so I can go and do sutra copying without feeling any resistance. It seems I enjoy gentle spiritual cultivation — not rigorous training.

by Mieko

by Yuki