Yes, how am I doing? Quite up to date I can say. The last irradiation is now already 6 weeks ago. So really nobody knows at the moment if I am already fully healthy (aka. In "full remission"), because the next CT is not due for another 2 weeks. According to the doctor's letter, however, as "aftercare", which of course gives a good tailwind. This long time of about 8 weeks is waited for, because especially the radiation still has a very long effect in the body and all kinds of conversion and degradation processes are underway, which would falsify an imaging at this time. This tangle (visually close to the Mind Flayer from Stranger Things) I also feel from time to time from chest to throat, for example by scratching the throat or a "hot breath", as you have it with a cold.
After all, I can already do a good 20km on the road bike. Knödelig and colorful I jet through the Reichswald behind the zoo and can almost keep up with the grannies on their e-bikes. I'm thrilled about my newfound athleticism and Olga and I celebrate with regular visits to either Angelo Eis or Luisa's Eissalon.
Photo jobs are constantly increasing and am actually already relying on Trello again to keep track of everything. What is great of course. Also a great new studio/studio/gallery space is in prospect here in the south of the city. Together with Anika I plan, finally again Fototreffs and to plan workshops. Besides, Olga and I could finally start a gallery for contemporary photography in Nuremberg, which would be great and also overdue. Nuremberg respectively. Franconia is in terms of photography just really shit set up, you have to say so.
And to top it off, yesterday we had the Bachelorette opening with super goodfriends celebrated.
Diary: 10.07.19
Today again brought down yellow bags. That's how you notice how quickly the year goes by. "Yellow bag collection schedule 2017 – 2019". Just think in bigger dimensions.
Diary: 08.07.19
I have decided to write more here again. Like this entry. News will follow shortly.
13. August 2019
Diary: 04.06. Watched Chernobyl on Sky the last days. Since then somehow a queasy feeling at the radiation appointments. But fortunately there are only three left.
4. June 2019
Diary: 30.05.19
Today dreamed: On birthday party of brother-in-law. I forgot what we give him. And at home we have forgotten it too. Together with the shish kebabs and the Logitech M500 mouse for the father-in-law, which I had ordered specially. So I decide to quickly go on foot and get the things. For this I have to walk down the whole hill. Down I stand in front of the city hall, where some people talk with mayor Michi. Michi wishes me good luck for the hospital. Afterwards I am at a Russian doctor, who certifies me quite passable blood values. In order to keep the again further so well, I should take regularly rosemary to me. Well.
30. May 2019
Diary: 26.05.19
Fact, two weeks ago is the last entry already. Disgruntled readers give vent to their displeasure. Well, not quite that bad. But yeah, let it slide. Must be also times. What is new?
Radiation has started, already one of three weeks are done. Side effects until now no. Am only here and there a little cough, which Olga very annoying but otherwise not further disturbed. So me. We are with family and friends a lot and enjoying the weather with pizza, vegetable stir fry, something called kumpir at Julia's in Regensburg and lots of coffee and cake.
Worth mentioning is the daily routine of the irradiation. Equally reassuring. Scary. First of all already bizarre and at the same time practical: patients get a chip card and sign in and out at the terminal of the information desk when they come and go. "Get home safe," a computer voice chimes as I sign off, reminding me that the driver is about to whip the Caddy back down the A3 like a hunted man, regardless, while I imagine the irony of being miraculously cured of lymphoma, only to find myself stuck somewhere on a tree near Nuremberg-Nord. But practical is the system, which also inevitably reminds of a time clock in the factory or office, definitely.
Fortunately, the digital patient handling also works quite excellently, so far I had to wait at most 10 minutes in waiting area B before I was called. In one of the four cabins I put my stuff like keys, cell phone, photo and take towel and schedule booklet from the bag. Upper body free and without shoes I then follow the surprisingly attractive assistant through a short corridor. There's a smell of eucalyptus and lavender and soft harp sounds in the air. I actually feel like I'm in a spa, so I'm walking down said hallway, half-naked with a towel over my shoulder, looking forward to the next infusion. This one unfortunately turns out to be an oversized linear accelerator and I am somewhat disappointed. But also nice, I think to myself, and already put my towel on the couch, ready for the particle massage. After the pretty assistant and her average colleagues have positioned me a little more precisely, a net is cast on my upper body by laser and the computer takes over. Everyone leaves the room in a hurry, which tells me that it's about to start. In a short scan (so I guess) my situation is exactly recorded. The necessary movements of the head of the LINAC (Engl. Linear accelerator) before it travels once over my chest in a semicircle around me and back again, making noises like Skrillex feat. Glados from Portal 2. Interestingly, I am not only irradiated in 3 (x, y, z), but in 4 (t [time]) dimensions, since the position of the tumor is constantly changing with my breathing movement and the radiation path or. Whose intensity thus has to be modulated quasi live. Good times of our lives.
Well, and after no less than 2 minutes the session is over. Get dressed, new appointment for the next day, log out ("well home!"), purely in Mahmut's white projectile and off on the highway. The driving is indeed the longest thing here, and after a total of one hour I'm back home and can finally write this entry before I get down to the remnants of the cake.
26. May 2019
Diary: 09.05.19
Dates.
9. May 2019
Diary: 05.05.19
Really nice weekend had.
Motivation for the coming week!
5. May 2019
Diary: 04.05.19
Yes, let it slide for a few days. Here and there, everyday life creeps back in, which is probably a good sign. Last Monday, after a pleasantly short waiting time, a detailed preliminary discussion in the radiation clinic in Erlangen. Planned are 30 Gray radiation dose in total, distributed over 3 weeks of 5 working days each. Ergo 2 Gy daily. Sounds a lot, however, the actual irradiation takes only 2 minutes. This would mean that I would be back home around 10 o'clock in the morning, which would be super convenient, because all the lazy students are just getting up slowly. Side effects must wait and see, I report. Nausea, skin irritation, difficulty in swallowing and such. Possible late effects damage to heart, lungs, bones. Woof. You have to put up with it. Make the best of it. One must unfortunately take in purchase. Make the best of it. Says itself easily, but actually one must simply by.
Next week I will be measured and scanned, then a customized breast plate will be made for the therapy, which allows the X-rays to pass only at the desired location on the torso. My own Endgame-Armour so to speak. Pictures will follow as soon as I get it done.
Otherwise I'm doing excellent, I'm virtually symptom-free. Of course still quite powerless and low endurance, after every bike ride I'm flat. Slow build-up is the order of the day. Here and there tweaks and tweaks everything times. Lots of scarred tissue in there now, which the body now has to slowly break down. Besides, my beard grows again quite strongly. Bright white. But at least I don't look like a Nazi anymore, but like a White-Walker-Nazi. So it goes uphill.
The last days we have done a lot with families and friends, which gives wonderfully much strength. Olga also wants to try out photography, so we got a small APS-C-Canon. Except for the smaller sensor already brutal, what they can do in the meantime. 24MP, folding touch AF display, WLAN, NFC, dual sim, Apple Pay, CAN bus and fiber optics I believe. In any case, virtually everything you need. Could use sometime.
I was still busy and the new website is almost finished, minimal fine tuning is still missing. After that first stir the advertising drum.
Today and tomorrow it's time for family again. Two birthdays. Food, food, food.
The shell of Andreas' and Irina's house.
4. May 2019
To the Frittenkalle
The days are getting longer again. Much sun. Much to do. However, the last few months have been a good reminder to take some time out and breathe deeply. Appropriate to this here a set of new pictures, February and March.