December 02, 2021

Offbeat Offline: November 2021


Welcome to Offbeat Offline, where I bring you up-to-date with what went on in my life during the month just gone, give you a sneak peek of my next shenanigans, and share my favourite posts of late!

What happened last month to yours truly? More medical drama (can you see a theme to this year? 😒), and, um, that's it? Plus a car emergence (really, what's new again?), lots of post scheduling (see the previous item) and post-surgery blog-hopping failure. I read some books that I plan on reviewing later and started working on my end-of-the-year wrap-up. It was a boring month (except for the medical drama of course).


📚 PIKE(')S (AND) PEAKS. In November I read the Christopher Pike's Tales of Terror anthology and...ugh. I love the man when he's at his best, but this one was full of sexist garbage (mind you, not intentional for sure - Pike can write amazing heroines when he wants - and of course it's an OLD book, but...yikes. Review to come one day...). I also read one of my (currently) last two NetGalley/Edelweiss books (End of the World House by Adrienne Celt) and I really enjoyed it - but it only comes out in April, so no review for the time being (I mean, I'm writing one, but I'll post it closer to pub date). 

This is what I have in store for December: I'm going to review the latest installment in the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire - Across the Green Grass Fields - just in time for the next one to come out (which will happen in January, as usual). Originally, I was supposed to post two reviews this month, but I decided to cut myself some slack... 


Reviews aside, I'll participate in a Tell Me Something Tuesday round on the 14th - question: What's the Hardest Part About Blogging for You? And of course I'll post my 2021 wrap-up a few days before Christmas. Then...small hiatus until the new year! I want to read without review obligations - I have a handful of vintage mysteries lined up that I MIGHT review one day, but I don't plan on doing it anytime soon...


💉 GREY'S ANATOMY, SEASON 55. So...as I said, brace up for a ton of medical drama.
  • I went to see an ENT for my lingering hoarseness. He said my throat is OK and my problems are more than likely stomach-related, so he suggested a gastroscopy. I've never had one so far, but I know the deal...so...UGH. I keep procrastinating, because I need a break from all things medical...just a tiny one, you know? but I need to get my butt in gear, because my problems aren't going anywhere...
  • My hematologist contacted me about my latest bloodwork, since it took a turn for the worse. As some of you know, I've been suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia since 2005 (or, that was the year when I was diagnosed). All this time the number of my white cells and lymphocytes has been increasing, if slowly, but there were no grounds to start a therapy yet. This year, though (BECAUSE OF COURSE), the numbers have been flowing and ebbing in a crazy pattern, so I'm afraid I'm getting there. My hematologist ordered a series of special blood tests, and while we're waiting for the results (which won't be ready for a few weeks) she wants me to get a complete blood count (like the ones I regularly have) in a couple of months. Depending on the outcomes, I might have to start therapy next year. Now, I've been told it's nothing like the ones you get when you have a malignant tumor, and it shouldn't have any (if little) collateral effects, but still...it felt like the last blow (or just the worse one, because is there any hiatus from medical problems for me to be had?).
  • I got my trigger finger surgery on the 23rd. Luckily, I was the first patient of the day...and the surgery in itself was like, 5 minutes long - but it took me more than an hour to get there. Paperwork, changing into my pajamas, waiting for the operation room to be ready, local anaesthesia (spoiler: IT HURTS)...After the intervention, they bandaged my finger down to my wrist, gave me antibiotics, and told me not to stress it or wet it...which is the tricky part. It's not like my husband can help much when HE is the one who needs help. Anyhow, we're managing (though washing your hair with a single hand - or a plastic bag scotch-taped to your wrist - is no fun 🙄) - plus now I'm down to a single plaster, which makes things easier. I have stitch removal on the 10th. My finger still hurts a bit when I bend it past a certain point, but I'm told it takes time for the site to heal properly...
  • Oh, and...my tailbone hurts when I stay seated for too long. This is a recent development, and I'll have to book an X-ray for that too (and buy a proper pillow, I guess). Talk about a pain in the ass (*tries to laugh*)...I mean, I'm SO tired of everything...I feel like the universe has been playing a perverse game with me for the whole year 😥. 


🚗 CLUTCH THIS. Also, talk about great timing - I was out of surgery and ready to go home, so I called my husband to tell him he could pick me up, and...HIS CAR WAS BROKEN (AGAIN). And (again), the problem was automatic-clutch related (see my August-September wrap-up), though a different one from last time...so he had to call his usual repair shop, the "nearest" one that takes care of vehicles for persons with reduced mobility but is, in fact, 44 miles away. They came, retrieved the car, fixed it and brought it back the next day...for the modest sum of 450 euros 😭. (For the record, I had to call my dad in order to go home after surgery).

😳SORRY WE MISSED YOU. An after-effect of my surgery has been my lingering sleepiness/crankiness...that very afternoon I had to nap (also an after-effect of having been up at dawn two days in a row, but anyhow), and since then I've been feeling tired and out of sorts. I think it's the whole mess I've been into for a year that's finally caught up with me. Consequently, I've missed a few of your posts/not been able to comment on them. Please forgive me...


PUBLISHING NEWS/TIPS

THINK-PIECES, DISCUSSIONS, ORIGINAL FICTION

REVIEWS/RECOMMENDATIONS

That's it for now! My next post will be up on Wed. 8th - I'm reviewing Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire (see above).

So, what were your highs/lows in the past month?

16 comments:

  1. ((HUGS)) that's a lot of stuff to deal with at once. I hope all the medical tests go well and results are in your favor. Thanks for mentioning Sloth (he will love to hear that). Sometimes older books don't "age" well. It's even harder when the author is one you usually enjoy.

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    1. I feel hugged! 💚 At this point, I'd take a respite, at the very least.

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  2. Wow. What a month you had. I wish I could send you some magic pills to send those medical woes away. I don't know how you cope with it all but I'm sure I wouldn't have been all that upbeat about it or even have the sense to give details about it. And I would slack off blogging for a couple of months and might even take a vacation from my job. It's exhausting just reading about all the things you have to go through.

    It was a bit of a stressful month for me, job-wise but it's not as bad as what you went through. I hope you get the rest and the care you need. I hope your December is way better than your November.

    Have a lovely day.

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    1. Blogging about it all actually holds a sort of healing power, you know? For the soul at least. Thank you for all the well-wishes and your kind words!

      Sorry you had a stressful month at work. I hope you'll be able to relax a bit over the holidays at least (are you working from home? If yes, do your best to keep your job hours separated from your leisure ones. We are entitled to that!).

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  3. Drama sucks. I'm sorry you had to deal with med issues! We really need some advanced medical tech, like Star trek level, to take care of some of these medical issues for us. It's 2021, why don't we have these yet? I didn't know about your leukemia condition although I did know you had a chronic medical issue- I'm sending you positive vibes and wishes for a good new year and hopefully you won't have to start the therapy- but if you do, that it goes well. Hang in there my friend!

    "pain in the ass" lol. I mean, sometimes you have to laugh or cry, right?

    Really curious about the McGuire book as I'm starting to see buzz for the Drowned Girls installment. I love portal stories so maybe I should explore these...

    Thank you SO much for that shout out!!

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    1. Alas, in Covid times, it seems like we're having a harder time than usual even with getting average medical care. Anyhow, thank you for your well-wishes and encouragement! And let me know if you decide to start the Wayward Children series. They're all novellas, so it would be easy for you to get up-to-date with them.

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    2. You know, I love the concept... maybe I should do that!

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    3. Also, you already know you like her writing style 🙂.

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  4. *kicks 2021 to the curb* *hurls good vibes and healing energy* at you!

    I had the tailbone thing a few years back and had to sit on a donut for several years so...yes, a pain in the ass lol

    My father had and now I have a throat thing as well. He had the hoarse throat - I tend to cough and/or get a sore throat. It's acidic foods. It's a kind of acid reflux but without the heartburn. Not sure if yours is the same thing or not though.

    I'm sorry you are still going through all this crap :-(

    Karen @For What It's Worth

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    1. You "had" the tailbone thing? So there's hope it goes away?

      I knew about your reflux issue - it seems like I've gone the same way as your dad though. I need to book that exam, but...I don't want more medical drama in my life around my birthday/Christmas...

      Thank you for the good vibes - I need a ton...💚

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  5. I injured my tailbone when I was younger, nothing bad enough to show on tests, but sitting was difficult for a while, so I understand that pain. I'm sorry you're having so many medical issues. That's rough <3 And then adding car trouble on top of that, yikes.

    I doubt anyone is upset at you for missing some posts! I hope things start looking up for you soon <3

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    1. The worst thing is, I didn't do anything that caused my tailbone to hurt. I guess I'm just sitting too much LOL.

      "I doubt anyone is upset at you for missing some posts!"
      I hope so 😳. Thank you for the reassurance! and for the well-wishes of course 💚.

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  6. That's a lot but I'm glad the finger is getting better. Hopefully whatever treatment they want you to start soon won't have too many side effects like you said.

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    1. It shouldn't...but...I'm a bit afraid, to be honest.

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  7. Robertttaaaaa, you're dealing with so much! I'm sorry love, I hope you get answers. I also hadn't heard of a trigger finger surgery until now.

    ALSO. Is Grey's Anatomy 55 seasons long??

    I'm on book two of the Wayward Children series!

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    1. Thank you! LOL, 55 are my years...so this was the 55th season of "my" show. Then again, GA never seems to end, so I thought I'd made a crossover/pun with my neverending problems 😉.

      "I'm on book two of the Wayward Children series!"
      I saw! that one is a bit darker than the first. I hope you like it!

      Delete

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