Just Dance

Posted in Bumpboobs, Chemotherapy, Fun, Treatment by

Last week Zsolt and I gifted Anita with a new Wii game: Just Dance. (They  – Anita, Berci, Anna and László – have given us so many wonderful gifts; in fact I’m wearing the new blue bathrobe from Anita and Berci right now, and this morning I woke up in the incredible sheets Anna and László made possible. So our gifts to them seem quite small in comparison, but it’s all done with love.)


Has anyone played this awesome game? I guess it’s comparible to games like Rock Band etc, in that multiple players need to hit certain movement according to the screen instructions. For Just Dance there are different song choices, and then a dancer on the screen who acts out the moves (dances). And we, as the Wii players, hold the remote in our hands and follow along.

Awesome. You know why theWii is so incredible? Because there is no age limit, no skill qualification, no language barrier. The whole family was up and dancing – I have video proof, which will not (never) be posted online.  Instead I’ll post some other ladies to illustrate my point. . . . (point: it’s fun!)

Who cares about being tired when Ring my bell is blasting through the speakers, or Can’t touch this, or Surfing Bird? As a post-chemo exercise, this game is excellent.

So, family fun with the Wii. And I just loved seeing my father-in-law, László cut a rug. Great.

Strike of the mouth sores

Posted in Bumpboobs, Chemotherapy, Treatment by

A leisurely trip through the country side. Nothing except the birds, bees, and the sound of two voices travelling inside a small 2003 Peugeot. Let’s listen in as the couple approaches a roundabout:


“Which exit do I take?”

“Third.”

“This one?”

“No – one.”

“This one?”

“No – two.  Here, this next one.”

“This one?”

“Yes – three.”

“Here?”

“Here.”

“Here?”

“Here!”

And so on, roundabout after roundabout. Our GPS confused us so badly today we got lost in our own city centre, got lost on the highway detour, and got lost in the countryside. We got lost so many times, even the road map turned against us. And all the while Zsolt’s family followed us in the car behind. They must have thought we were nuts.

But it was a very pretty drive. The New Forest is a lovely place. Today was a typically English day with the sweeping light rain and greyness all around, which might be depressing if you are stuck at home with a foggy window, but it’s striking as you drive along Hardy-esque landscapes.

The tricky bit today was that I ate a giant scone mid afternoon, and it gave me mouth sores. I’m sure it was the scone – we were sitting round the cafe table, spreading the jams and cream, and about half way through my scone it became less and less comfortable to eat. Forward thirty minutes and my mouth was full of sores. Blah, why does something so sweet have to be so bad? Can’t sugar and cream and white flour be healthy for the body?

Anyhow, my mom is helping me cope with the sores. It’s gotten a bit tricky to talk, but I am hoping the right supplements, some sleep and an occasional dose of warm salt water will make the difference.

And speaking of sleep . . . I’m outta here.

Update: I wrote this blog last night but didn’t publish it then. Today the sores are getting better but still present. However, I can talk and eat which is a great improvement. Still need to keep rinsing, supplementing, and all that jazz. What a freaking pain! Mind you, despite the sores, it was so good to get out of the apartment. Thank goodness for that.

Bald as an eagle

Posted in Bumpboobs, Chemotherapy, Treatment by

The head is shaved. Chemotherapy made the hair fall, so I made it all go away.

Yesterday afternoon, once Zsolt returned from the office, we sat down in our living room and Zsolt set up his barber shop. Normally I’m the one with the clippers in hand, but he did really well. First we shaved the long hair – so for about five minutes Zsolt and I had similar haircuts (I think I missed a photo opportunity here). Next the guard was removed and he cut it away, except for about 1 mm length because we’d need to take a razor to the remnants.

So forget the hair; now I’m all about cheekbones.

Besides, it really had to go. The sadness of pulling out twenty strands at a time was too much. In this situation, I could take control. I felt relief to shave my head, no joking. An abrupt change too, but good nevertheless.

Now here is the debate: should I go full on bald, or wear scarves all the time? Be it resolved that Catherine is lazy. But is it more effort to shave weekly, or to wrap a scarf each morning? Also, do I want people to see my head naked?

Well at least around Zsolt it doesn’t matter. He’s the one who cut it all off!

Today we and the Sámson family are taking off for the New Forest. We don’t know where we’re going, but we’re shooting for a teahouse. Scones, clotted cream and jam with wandering ponies and stretches of purple heather. It should be a nice drive, regardless of where we end up. Plus, this will be our first chance to pump up the car radio and enjoy that highway breeze.