I didn't expect it to be this cold today, even though it's the last day of May.
When I think back, there were some days at the beginning of this month when the temperature was like summer, but in the middle of the month, the weather was unstable and there was no sunshine, so the days were cold.
And then, at the end of May, it rained again today, just like yesterday, and the temperature was 15℃ with a northeasterly wind...? It was a cold day at my house, about the same as late March.
I had already finished cleaning the stove, but I turned it on again today. It's warm...
It's been four years since the Sogo department store in front of Kawaguchi Station closed, but it seems that a new operator has taken over, as reported on NHK news today.
It's close to the bus stop to come to my house, so it's convenient for people who want to do some shopping here and have a drink at home.
Well, I don't see any real benefit from it in my life, but I'm happy if it helps the town flourish.
May 30th (Friday) Rain
It must have been raining since midnight. I woke up to the sound of the rain, so I was prepared.
I'm going to spend the whole day inside the house today. Even so, the temperature was only a little above 15°C, so I'll turn on the heater.
After breakfast, I cleaned up and spent some time on my computer writing my thoughts on the book I finished reading yesterday. It gradually got colder, so I finally turned on the air conditioner.
They said that this temperature and weather would continue tomorrow. I was planning to spend tomorrow in my studio, so I think I should light the stove.
I was happy that this week would be the perfect time to do pottery using fire, but I hope the temperature will rise when I'm not using the pottery kiln.
It's around 3 o'clock, my usual time for a walk. Oh? It seems the rain has stopped.
I took my umbrella and went out for a walk. Along the Minuma irrigation canal, bamboo trees filled with rainwater were hanging here and there.
I walked up the slope from the canal and about two-thirds of the way along the walk, and although it wasn't raining, a cold drizzle was pouring down.
I'm glad I brought my down jacket. I shouldn't complain about the cold, the heatwaves are just around the corner.
May 29th (Thursday) Cloudy
The weather forecast says rain from the west, but even if it does rain in the Kanto region, it will probably start at night.
No rain today. I visited Hatanodai Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line, which was featured on NHK's Capital Region program three days ago.
When I got off the platform, the pleasant scent of the wood made me feel somehow happy.
The Tokyu Ikegami Line has nothing to do with my life, but I feel a sense of familiarity with people who are on the same wavelength as me, and I want to cheer them on.
In fact, Togoshi Ginza Station, two stations before this station, was also built using a lot of wood.
On the way back, I got off the train once and explored the platform there for a while.
Wednesday, May 28th, Sunny
It was a nice, dry day. But the temperature was lower than average.
The sunshine finally reached the Kanto region, which had been getting less sunshine recently, for a long time.
After breakfast and cleaning up, I opened the door to the pottery kiln to see yesterday's work.
Well, the main attraction was the large plate with the largest diameter ever, which attracted a lot of attention.
Oh no... there was a stain on the wing of the plate, probably due to some glaze falling off the wall inside the kiln. I need to do a complete inspection and cleaning of the kiln again.
On the day we were scheduled to go swimming last week, the temperature was high, but the water temperature was still at the right temperature... but it still felt cold.
Today the sun came out and my body was still warm as I headed to the pool, but the water temperature felt too cold at first. I guess now is the time to enjoy this luxury.
May 27th (Tuesday) Cloudy
As I announced yesterday, the kiln door suddenly broke during this work, which caused a panic, but we were able to start today's firing with emergency welding.
I had already set up some kindling, so I started the fire at 6am this morning.
I was communicating with my radio friends on their way to work during breakfast, but I made two trips to get through today by putting in more firewood.
After eating and cleaning up, the temperature was still 400°C. The real work is yet to come.
The weather seems to be fully cooperating with today's firing and the rest of the pottery firing, and although it's a cold rainy season, I was happy about this.
If we can somehow get it to 1000°C by around noon, we can leave the temperature control to the kerosene burner and the tap will determine how hot it is.
I quickly pulled out the welding equipment from the warehouse and did some welding work for the first time in a long time. It's been so long that my skills and experience have faded.
I can hear the voice of my friend, the president of a steelworks, from heaven: "This can't be called a pain!"
May 25th (Sunday) Cloudy
Unfortunately, it's raining, but it seems to be recovering by morning.
Today is the day of the Kawaguchi Table Tennis Federation's men's team match. I participated in the team's last place, although I am not very good at it.
Kawaguchi City's table tennis team matches are ranked from 1st to 5th divisions, but our club's C team, which is made up of the elders, is somehow fighting in the 4th division league.
A block of 4 teams plays a league match, and if they win all of their matches, they are promoted to the higher league, and if they lose all of their matches, they are relegated. Today, we have already played against 2 teams and are already at the brink of collapse with scores of 1-3 and 1-3.
If we lose the remaining matches, we will be relegated. The members in the first match tried hard and won, the members in the second match won without complaint, and the members in the third match are struggling.
I also played the fourth match while thinking about the third match. In the end, we won all four matches, including mine, and we were able to maintain our league status.
I was tired, but I was able to finish it in a fun way.
May 24th (Saturday) Cloudy
I've been going to Akihabara a lot recently for wireless equipment, and it's rained twice, so I've been going by car.
What should I do today? Will it rain again? No, it doesn't look like it's going to rain until the evening today, so I'll go by train.
Of course, there's a hidden agenda behind going by train. Today is exactly one month since my 83rd birthday, so I'm celebrating it.
Anyway, I haven't been to a bar in over a year. On the way back from Akihabara, I made the excuse, "Oh, I got off the train again..."
By the way, there was a fire at Akabane Ichibangai when I wasn't here, but now everything is peaceful.
The appearance of the store and the counter are exactly the same as before. The behavior of the staff behind the counter is also taking orders...huh? Entering them into a tablet...?
Previously, they would say to the cashier in a loud and powerful voice, "Hi! Number 5, one loach toji!" but I'm worried that they might have accepted the order.
As for the bill...the proprietress used to count the balls like an abacus and say, "Yes, it's 2,600 yen," but now the staff member smoothly takes the bill from her hand...It's changed a bit.
May 23rd (Friday) Cloudy
I was expecting a chilly morning, but it seems the temperature is not rising as much as I expected.
I'll have to weave one more layer than usual, otherwise it will be too cold. I was right to schedule pottery on a day like this.
Because it's bisque firing, the target temperature is 800°C. On the day of the main firing, the firing is hurriedly started early in the morning to raise the temperature, but today I'm taking it easy.
The important thing about temperature management in bisque firing is to proceed slowly so that the steam generated at around 100°C does not damage the clay.
When it gets close to 400°C, the organic remains contained in the clay will start to gasify. If you don't proceed slowly here, it will explode and break.
Up until about 600°C, I spent a lot of time adding large firewood like the kind used for stove fuel, but then I started adding more well-dried, finely split firewood.
The temperature rose quickly and reached the target of 800°C just after 2pm.
The kiln this time contains the largest plate we had the other day. If it's safe, I'm looking forward to what happens next.
May 22 (Thursday) Cloudy
It was hot and humid last night, and it continued to be so in the morning.
But after 3pm, I felt like the wind was changing direction and it was getting cooler.
During cancer treatment... I realized how wonderful it is to be healthy, and I thought that I had to overcome this treatment at all costs in order to regain that health.
And when I was going to do rehabilitation in Nordic skiing, I first tried to get clothing that would make me feel positive in order to lift my spirits.
The clothing I came across was DUARIG, made in France. Feelings are big, and this new clothing helped me endure the difficult rehabilitation at high altitudes and improved my physical strength.
Right now, I'm trying to improve my physical strength through club table tennis practice, but I'm still halfway through. Meanwhile, the team competition will start this weekend.
Anyway, I was thinking of breaking away from the so-called training wear of the past, so today I went to buy some summer sportswear.
I was distracted... They were all functional and many of them had designs that lifted my spirits. ...And so, the Dualig contributed to my rehabilitation during the winter.
I've renewed my resolve to make sports fun, not fighting, from now on.
Wednesday, May 21st, Sunny
The heat is about the same as yesterday, but today the humidity will be even higher, so it's important to be extra careful about heatstroke...
It was certainly dry yesterday, but today there is no wind and the humidity feels sticky.
Of course, during this winter, I often had to take a break from going to the pool while skiing, but this year is different.
Since last summer, I have been suspected of having esophageal cancer and have been going to the Prefectural Cancer Center for tests and other things that have taken up a lot of time.
And of course, I was hospitalized and had surgery... and then a schedule was set for scientific anti-cancer treatment after the new year, and I was finally released at the beginning of March.
However, because of the supplementary tests and instructions from my doctor, everything took priority over me, it was difficult to find a date to go swimming on the pool day.
When my doctor asked me if I could decide the dates of future tests as I had done in the past, I decided to go to the pool on Wednesdays if possible.
Today was the first time I was able to go to the pool. It was such a hot day, so I thought it would be very refreshing.
Even though my body was hot, the water temperature in the pool had not yet risen, so I was surprised at how cold it was due to the temperature difference. However, from now on, the water temperature will gradually rise due to the influence of the high air temperature.
May 20th (Tuesday) Sunny
It's forecast to be a first-class summer day.
It's said that it will exceed 30 degrees Celsius in Saitama, and even 35 degrees Celsius in the Chichibu area.
The other day I drove to Tokyo. It was a holiday, and it rained from the morning, but I was able to get there without any problems.
Today, it's the same Akihabara, but it's a weekday, and the weather is sunny and hot. Luckily, I was able to park in the parking lot on the side of the road from Manseibashi Bridge.
That's right. From this location, you can go to the wireless equipment store under the overpass in 20 minutes. It only cost 300 yen.
I then went to Kandahar Ski Pro Shop on Yasukuni Street and bought a ski backpack that I had always wanted.
Luckily, the on-street parking here was open, so I was able to use it. I was lucky today.
Anyway, I stopped at a red light in Tokyo. The driver of the Akabou car that was parked right behind me got out and knocked on my car.
"It's been a long time," "Oh! Hello, I never thought I'd meet you here..." It was a practice buddy from the table tennis club.
May 19th (Monday) Cloudy
The temperature is not as high as yesterday, so today's weather is a good time to take precautions against the cold.
If the sunshine comes out, the temperature will rise a little and it will be more comfortable... It was a day that made me think that.
Yesterday's Yomiuri Shimbun came with a separate Sunday edition, but I was busy yesterday so I only looked at it today.
Among them were various puzzles, and for some reason I could not skip the crossword puzzles, and I always got them right and finished them.
I filled in the questions with the horizontal clues, and left the parts I did not understand as they were, and went to the vertical clues. That usually filled in the questions that I did not understand with the horizontal clues.
But what happened today? I can't figure it out because it's crossed vertically and horizontally... and even when I searched for something in the dictionary or on my computer, I couldn't find it!
Well, I spent some time thinking about it again after lunch, but I still couldn't figure it out. Damn it!! I lost at my first ever crossword puzzle.
May 18th (Sunday) Cloudy
The weather forecast said it would be very hot. On such a day, I went to practice at the table tennis club.
It wasn't that hot in the morning, so I put on a jacket, but took it off when I arrived at the sports center just before 9 o'clock.
The gymnasium was a relatively cool environment.
However, my physical condition is still not such that I can keep going for a long time, but I still managed to play for an hour and a half.
The team tournament will be held next week. I plan to participate in the tournament without pushing myself too hard.
Our team consists of four members in their 80s, but this time one of them is hospitalized for surgery and is out. Last time, I was also out of the team, so this is a critical moment.
May 17th (Saturday) Rain
Today's newspaper said that the Council for Cultural Affairs has designated the Tower of the Sun, which was built 50 years ago and installed at the Expo site, as an important cultural property.
I had been interested in it myself, but when I found out that my friend had visited the Tower of the Sun, I suddenly went to visit it too.
I then made a painting based on the sketch I made at that time and introduced it on my website in January of this year.
Works of art have an interesting charm, and even if you react negatively to them at first, you can't help but be interested in them after a while.
I had been thinking that I had to go and see it, but I was just about to feel the urge to make a painting of it.
The previous Expo was probably over 50 years ago, and it has been going since then, so the lack of reaction to it being designated an Important Cultural Property only now is just like me.
The designation this time is about the architectural technique. Looking at it from the side, it is certainly clear that the huge arms stretching out 25m to the side could have been installed so stably with the technique of the time.
It seems that it will be some time before we can change our perspective and designate it as an Important Cultural Property as an art and craft item.
May 16th (Friday) Sunny
It was sunny but a bit gloomy this morning, and it seems like the weather is heading downhill.
The humidity seems a bit high, and if the temperature keeps rising, it will be a very unpleasant day.
The other day I was in Katashina Village in Gunma Prefecture. At times like this, if you have various apps, you can get discounts on the facility fees, so I often use them.
If it's during the ski season, you can get a 50-100 yen discount by showing the app even if you use the hot springs there, so it feels like a great deal.
However, the ski season is already over... that's right, you can also get a discount if you show that you're a member of the JAF Automobile Federation. When I tried to open my smartphone there, a message appeared saying "Update your system."
On the other hand, the JAF website says, "We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused to some people..." blah blah blah. It's really stressful.
May 15th (Thursday) Sunny
The wood splitter and remaining firewood brought back from the mountain yesterday were still on the trailer, but I gradually cleared them away.
I spent a long time chopping firewood while wearing a suit that looked like I had stepped on a sumo wrestler's shiko, so my muscles were really sore.
I loaded the firewood that didn't fit in the tower onto the trailer, but most of it was knots and couldn't be split cleanly.
It didn't fit in the feed port to be burned in the stove, so I loaded it under the balcony in the garden instead of on the firewood drying rack to use as fuel for the pottery kiln.
In situations like this, a wheelbarrow is very useful, as it can load about 30 kg at a time, so I only had to carry it in about five times.
Also, when cutting logs into logs (cutting them to the same length to fit the stove), scraps are generated.
Most of them will be processed into fine firewood for kindling, but I plan to keep the ones with beautiful grain and a reasonable size for a while.
I brushed them well, washed them with water, and dried them.
May 14th (Wednesday) Sunny
Ahh, it's the morning at the Oze Katashina roadside station, and I can't jump out of bed because all my muscles are sore.
All the wood-chopping work is done, and the tools and remaining firewood are loaded onto the trailer. All that's left is to hitch it up and go home.
I slowly woke up and it's already the third morning of my car camping life. The temperature at night is quite comfortable for sleeping.
I was able to sleep soundly, and I'm so familiar with this roadside station that when I wake up I think, "Huh?! Where am I? This isn't home..."
I had breakfast, did my morning business, and was ready to leave. At 8 o'clock, I arrived at the trailer parking area, hitched it up, and checked it!
It's still this late, so I finished saying hello to the charcoal shop staff and Kyoko, the thatched roof dyer, yesterday.
Now, as I was about to leave, a person moved in the rearview mirror. Kyoko was up so early, and I'll meet her again in autumn. "Take care of each other..."
May 13th (Tuesday) Sunny
Yesterday's work was making firewood... cutting logs... but it was raining while I was cutting the logs to fit the stove.
It's been sunny since morning. The temperature is also crisp and makes me feel refreshed. It's hard to quit this job because of days like this.
Yesterday afternoon, the weather improved and we were able to start chopping firewood.
Today, the clear weather made it possible to start working at the workshop by 8 o'clock.
Kenichi, who is working on charcoal next to me, and Kei-kun, who is just checking the condition of the charcoal kiln that was lit yesterday, have plenty to talk about in between.
We were excited to hear that Kei-kun has decided to travel around Europe in June. He said he wants to investigate the charcoal-making situation in each country and would like to hear about it when he returns home.
I suddenly tried a large plate. First, I tried a size of about 25 cm, which is the size that usually works well, so I tried the limit.
I don't know what happened, but I ended up making the largest plate I had ever made. When I measured it with the dragonfly I use as a scale, it was the largest size that could be put into the kiln.
May 9th (Friday) Cloudy
As if by agreement, the weather changes every day. The morning started with a cloudy sky that was not very clear.
Incidentally, today is the day for general household garbage collection, so I went to the bus route that is a garbage station.
Every year in May, automobile tax is paid, and my family received a tax notice.
The amount was 45,400 yen. My car is already 21 years old, so I'm sure there will be no tax reduction measures for exhaust gas regulations for a long time, but it's less than I expected.
Even so, the tax payment system in society is very strict.
I accessed my bank account through internet banking, and when I entered the collection agency number, payment number, confirmation number, and payment category, the exact amount I paid was displayed and it was taken away. Amazing! (lol)
Anyway, my car is getting old, but I'll keep using it as my tool for a while longer.
May 8th (Thursday) Sunny
I thought it would be a bit cloudy in the morning, but after 8 o'clock it cleared up and the temperature rose.
I received my medical records from the cancer center I was staying at in accordance with the information disclosure system.
This winter I've been busy with a series of esophageal cancer-related treatments. But even now, there are still a lot of questions about the history of that treatment that I wonder why.
It's over now, so isn't it okay? You might think that, but I predicted this disease 10 years ago and was waiting for it.
Despite that, the doctors and nurses who explain the condition are so busy that I don't have time to listen to their explanations in detail. This medical institution was a little too cold towards someone like me who was not in a life-or-death situation.
There were several times when the doctor in charge and the person in question would not even let me take pictures of the image monitor when I was receiving explanations. Male doctors don't mind and let me take pictures, but female doctors (maybe it's just a coincidence) are in the rules and that's a problem! .
It cost about 3,000 yen, but they disclosed everything. There were 361 sheets of medical records, more than 500 images on a CD-ROM, and even contact information regarding the handover of the doctor in charge and exchanges between the doctors who had originally performed the health check and the doctors who had requested the cancer center... it was very interesting.
May 7th (Wednesday) Sunny
It was a beautiful, eye-opening day.
Two weeks ago, I wore an electrocardiogram monitor for a week straight, and today I came to hear the explanation after the analysis was completed.
The wind was a little strong, but it was a pleasant May day. Just one year ago, my heart arrhythmia was a problem, and I underwent catheter heart surgery.
I heard that my senior from the ski club had his second surgery, and that adventurer Yuichiro Miura had his third surgery before going to Everest.
In my case, there were no problems during the follow-up observations one month, three months, and six months after surgery. And this was the final examination of my first year, and I passed, so I have been decided to graduate.
After this, I will transfer to electrocardiogram management for the annual regular adult disease checkup... I am happy to report that I have graduated.
May 6th (Tuesday) Rain
Once again, the weather changes daily... today has been a perfect rainy day since the morning.
General household garbage is collected twice a week, but I was able to take it to the collection site while it was still raining lightly.
I am an amateur radio user, and when I'm at home, I enjoy talking to my friends every morning as a fixed station.
Even when I'm traveling by car, I call out "CQ local..." and talk to my friends at my destination.
Recently, something's been strange... Looking closely, I see that the antenna is malfunctioning and chipped. It's a common accident, but it seems to be the same.
I need to buy a new one... but today is still a holiday. Okay, let's drive to Akihabara! .
It was a pleasant sunny morning. I had decided to oversleep because I hadn't practiced table tennis in a while yesterday.
Well, fortunately I had practiced moderately yesterday, so I woke up a little late without too much damage.
In other words, it was the first time in a while that I had a day to relax at home. I decided to clean after breakfast.
First of all, the vacuum cleaner. I changed the attachment and cleaned all the rooms on the first floor from the living room, the stairs to the second floor, and the stairs to the third floor.
I felt good after using the vacuum cleaner in the studio and Western-style room on the second floor, and my bedroom on the third floor.
I also cleaned the toilet. I even used chemical detergent on the parts that were difficult to clean with a brush.
I spent the whole morning devoted to cleaning. Well, it's okay to have a day like this every once in a while. The carp streamers look nice.
May 4th (Sunday) Sunny
The temperature is not that high. Table tennis players are starting to prepare for the spring team match from today.
It's still a long holiday, but many club members should come as usual.
To get to the sports center where table tennis practice is held, we use the side road of the outer ring road...R298, but for some reason there were a lot of police officers this morning.
It seems that they are setting up a speed trap, and many of the cars of vacationers are being caught.
When we arrived at the sports center and asked everyone about their situation, it seemed that there were no problems.
It's been a while since we last practiced table tennis, but we started off moderately without pushing ourselves too hard.
May 3rd (Saturday) Sunny
I had given up on skiing this year, but after finishing chemotherapy for esophageal cancer, I went to the ski resort the next day after completing my final examination on March 3rd and 4th.
Then I was shocked. I couldn't ski... I didn't have the strength to push myself forward. Even when I turned, I couldn't withstand the pressure...
While I was feeling disappointed in the open-air bath at Hanasaki-no-Yu, the athletes who had finished the All Japan Masters Tournament came into the bath.
There, I happened to have a conversation with an athlete who had participated in cross-country skiing, and he recommended cross-country skiing to recover his strength.
I still skied 24 days this season. Most of that time I spent cross-country skiing to recover my strength.
It was a tough time, but I set my goal to win a prize in the All Japan Masters Cross Country.
The competition was held on a special slope at an altitude of 2,000 meters, aiming to win in both classical skiing and free skating.
Today's weather was clear, and I put my gear away with a fair amount of satisfaction.
May 2nd (Friday) Rain
The long weekend is finally in the second half. My schedule had me planning to go skiing on these two days if possible.
Well, that depends on the weather. After skiing in good weather yesterday, the weather was rapidly declining, so I headed home.
As expected, it started raining in the early hours of the morning. Today was the day for collecting household garbage, so I was able to take out all the garbage generated on the mountain.
I felt a sense of relief. In other words, it was the moment I realized that the ski season was over.
Now that I think about it, I had been living a life without reading for a while.
I made some coffee and read a book... I wonder how many days it had been since I had such a calm day.
May 1st (Thursday) Sunny
It was a little chilly in the morning at the Oze Katashina Roadside Station. As usual, I had some tea, got ready to go, and headed to the ski resort.
It was a long weekend, so I couldn't predict how crowded it would be, so I arrived a little early, just before 7:00.
Oh no... I was the first one there, but there were still two hours to go, so I prepared breakfast and ate.
I was completely ready by the time the ski resort was at 0-10 minutes.
Club member Tanaka-san still makes the most of his little time on the alpine ski slopes, while Akiyama-san is now a mountain climbing alpinist.
Akiyama-san and I took the gondola to the top of the mountain and said goodbye there.
I had been doing classic skiing for a while, so I reviewed it with skating skis for the first time in two months.
At first I was flipping over so easily, but today I didn't fall once and I didn't have any dangerous experiences. I guess I'm getting used to it.
Wednesday, April 30th, Sunny
Today we are heading to the ski resort. As expected, it's a long weekend...there seem to be a lot of cars on the usual general roads.
After leaving the city and entering the mountains, the driving finally started to feel normal.
Usually it takes exactly 4 hours to get there, but it took almost 5 hours, so I was a little tired.
After a short nap, I woke up and saw a skiing buddy from Tochigi Prefecture coming into the roadside station. He opened the window and said "Hello, hey...", but then just left.
By this time, it was already evening, and I was thinking about starting a drink, when Seiichi knocked on the door.
It's been a while since we've had a drink in the car.
It's a bit cold wind, but I think the conditions will be quite good tomorrow.
April 29th (Tuesday) Sunny
It's a beautiful sunny day. The breeze is fresh and I don't sweat even if I work a little.
I still have plans to go skiing, but I think it's okay to change the tires.
Every summer, I used to sweat a lot when changing tires, but today's comfortable weather makes it easier.
Also, since last time, I've changed the jack to lift the car to an electric one, so it's much easier and safer.
But it's become a bit slower and slower, so the time it takes hasn't changed much.
Even so, I was able to finish changing and storing the tires in the morning with plenty of time to spare.
I want to ensure that water is sprayed where it is needed without waste. To do this, I want to use PVC pipes to spray water appropriately in the right places.
It's part of the world these days where you can get away with doing things in the exact opposite order.
When I decided to start cross-country skiing, the first thing I did was to watch videos of skiing on the internet.
Well, after that, I got advice from people with experience, but I was limited in time and space, so I ended up doing things in the opposite order.
When I had a little more time, I looked for an official instruction book and found a book from 30 years ago.
People who bought this book a long time ago and no longer need it... have stocked books that they have bought back from this system called Value Books.
The publisher, Ski Journal, no longer exists, and the book cost 1,300 yen at the time, but I can get it back in my hands for about 400 yen, which is great!
April 25th (Friday) Sunny... Cloudy in Tokyo
I woke up at a roadside station. The sky was cloudy... Looking towards the ski resort, it seemed like the weather wasn't going to be good.
When I saw the information about Tenno Sakura, a famous local spot, on the live camera, I thought, "Oh! Isn't it the best time right now?" and decided to go there right away.
I've been interested in it every year, but I've never been able to get there at the right time, and it's been about 10 years since I've been there. I went first thing in the morning, so there were no cars in the parking lot.
It was a refreshingly clear morning. It was a moving experience, as the forecast hadn't been that bad.
Today is my 83rd birthday. I'm grateful to be able to ski in good health.
I've climbed the mountain countless times, but today I'm doing my rehabilitation exercises here at 2000m after cancer treatment.
Unfortunately, even though we're at 2000m today, the temperature has risen considerably, so I took off one layer...two layers...and ended up wearing just a T-shirt.
It's rare to meet some people at this time of year, and I think this is the first time I've been to Marunuma Ski Resort, Mr. Kojima and Mr. Hagiwara...it's been a long time.
Today, I took breaks on and off, but I worked hard at cross-country skiing.
April 23 (Wed) Rain
The clouds were suspicious from the morning and it looked like it was about to rain. When I went to get the newspaper, it seemed like it had rained again.
While eating, the weather forecast said that the main rain was yet to come. I'm prepared for another day of rain.
Yesterday, I had to remove the ECG monitor and ship the device, and today I have an appointment at the Cancer Center... I'm busy with doctors every day.
Well, they're trying to make sure that the various post-mortem hollow tests don't overlap, but it's still pretty busy.
Today at the Cancer Center, I had a decision made about whether to continue the diabetes medication I had been taking after chemotherapy.
My numbers are approaching the ideal values, but I'll continue a little longer. They said that my other blood and other components have almost returned to normal.
I've already prepared for skiing, so I'll go straight from Okegawa to the Ken-O Expressway...Tsurugashima...Numata.
Tonight I'll rest at the Oze Katashina roadside station.
Tuesday, April 22nd, Sunny...?
The weather forecast was supposed to be stable and sunny for yesterday and today. However, today it will only last until morning, and after that it looks unstable with suspicious clouds appearing.
Although it didn't rain, it won't be as pleasantly sunny as yesterday. Hmm, a cold wind is blowing...
There were no particularly hot days this week, and I didn't sweat a lot from exercise, so the day to remove the ECG monitor arrived safely.
As I mentioned on the day of installation, it was simple and sometimes the feeling of wearing it was faint, so it was finished without any dragging on my feelings.
However, this adhesive tape is stubborn... Even if I try to peel it off with force, it adheres to the skin so well that it is difficult to remove.
When I applied a little force, the main body and the electrode part came off, but the electrode part still did not come off the skin. I carefully found the beginning of the adhesive tape and managed to pull it off.
I can't say I like baths that much, but I feel great after a week.
Monday, April 21st, Sunny
After returning from skiing in the mountains, I felt the comfortable weather for the first time in a long time.
Yes, I finally felt like doing it, so I pulled out my hammock and set it up in the garden.
When I was planting trees on the mountain and growing the forest, I thought, "One day, when these seedlings grow big, I want to hang a hammock here and take a nap."
With that goal in mind, I endured the harsh undergrowth cutting in the summer mountains. And after 12 years, I achieved that goal.
Well, I couldn't take a nap in the mountains, but I set it up in my garden the following year and was able to take a nap whenever I wanted.
However, the comfortable season is only short. Last year, the rainy season brought with it scorching heat, and it was more practical to stay indoors and rely on the air conditioner rather than spending time outside.
This year is almost over. I'll take as many chances as possible to enjoy a nap here.
Sunday, April 20th, cloudy
The weather forecast doesn't look very good. I've decided to take a rest day too.
After doing classical cross-country skiing for about five days, I was able to confirm that I could enjoy it as well.
However, I used the boots with the skating attachments removed.
I tried skiing for a few days. Sometimes the attachments get caught and can cause unexpected damage. I came to Kandahar to buy special boots for this occasion.
The boots are very simple and not very distinctive. The length of the boots is also shorter, so they feel more like sneakers.
It was sunny, but the sky was not very clear due to the influence of the south wind.
They say that the weather will continue until this Saturday. It's about time to get ready to go out.
Until now, I have been doing rehabilitation exercises two days a week and slowly recovering my strength over five days, so I have been making good progress.
However, last week I added a day of competition to my two days of rehabilitation, and the damage from this was quite severe, so it was only yesterday that I was able to move my legs and hips.
Then, in the evening, I confirmed that it was okay to go for my usual walk, and decided to leave for the ski resort today.
The road was clear and we arrived at Katashina Village at the usual time of around 3pm. It would be the perfect time to take a bath here, but... Oops!
This week I've been wearing an ECG device on my chest all the time. It's so small that I don't feel it, so I tend to forget about it.
The roadside station was deserted too. There was only one other club member there tonight.
Wednesday, April 16th, Sunny
This morning the wind remained, but it wasn't as strong as yesterday, and the sun was shining brightly from the morning.
The flower bed at the entrance, which I had left alone for a while. The flowers that had worked so hard to bloom during the winter will soon be replaced with flowers that can withstand the heat.
And from now on, the most important thing will be to ensure that watering is possible every day in the drought.
I have already experienced a water leak this year as a result of changing the piping. The water pressure is only 2 atmospheres, but it is unbearable to keep it flowing.
We'll have to wait and see what happens this year.
April 15th (Tuesday) Sunny
It was sunny, but the wind was strong, so outdoor activities such as flower bed maintenance were canceled.
Today, the hospital called me to the hollow of the cardiac arrhythmia catheter surgery I had done a year ago.
I heard that there are many seniors who have experienced catheter surgery for cardiac arrhythmia.
However, the success rate of this surgery is not very high... and it seems that some percentage of people have to undergo reoperation a year later.
I heard that the famous Yuichiro Miura had it done three times. I heard that a senior from the ski club also had a reoperation just the other day.
In any case, it was only a three-day hospital stay, and the burden on the body was small... so the hospital seems to be saying, "Please come again..."
Well, to make such a judgment, we need the results of the electrocardiogram recorder. Well, if it's decided that I can graduate without any problems, that's the best thing.
Thank you for cancelling the event yesterday due to the bad weather!! That's all I can say.
My body was so exhausted that I couldn't even make it to the slalom event.
I usually communicate with my radio friends on weekday mornings, but this morning I decided to take a rest and take a break.
So I set my alarm so it was just after 7am when I woke up naturally. It seems I've been bouncing for 10 hours.
Even so, my calves are so tight that I can't walk properly.
Well, I managed to do the housework while limping, but I need a little more time to get back to full health.
The weather is completely different from yesterday, and the moss pinks in front of the entrance are in full bloom.
Sunday, April 13th, cloudy to rainy
Yesterday was exceptionally nice weather. However, the weather forecast predicted that today, due to the influence of a low pressure system, the weather could be awful.
Sure enough, at 7am, the Mitsumata Gondola was closed due to strong winds... meaning the ski resort was closed, and the competition was canceled.
I've been competing at this time of year for years, but this was my first experience of the ski resort being closed because the gondola wasn't working.
Well, that's inevitable. Even if you've made all the preparations, it's a common occurrence in snow sports where you're fighting nature.
I decided to go home after this. I would definitely be heading home on a regular road, but I decided to pass through Minakami and try the Gunma Prefecture Bokyo Line for the first time in a while.
The snow has already melted from the mountainous areas of Gunma Prefecture, and most of the signs of spring are starting to appear. It was a roughly 5-hour trip on the local roads, using the usual Akagi North Road.
The sky cleared up rapidly from the morning. It was exactly as the weather forecast predicted.
After breakfast and getting ready, I arrived at the gondola station, and the weather was so bad that the number of customers was swelled to an incredible extent.
The wait for the gondola was more than 30 minutes, but we had to buy tickets before that. Surprisingly, we also had to wait 30 minutes.
We were divided into two groups: one to buy tickets together and the other to line up for the gondola, but we managed to get on the gondola after just 30 minutes of waiting.
Thanks to the help of the staff and everyone else, the competition run was perfect and I was able to ski without any worries.
The time was slightly later than the scheduled time, but with this stable weather, I think the second run was more satisfying.
It ended safely, but tomorrow is the slalom schedule, but the weather forecast is predicting an ominous situation. Well, we can't make a decision until tomorrow.
April 11th (Friday) Sunny, then cloudy
Decent weather for a downhill forecast.
We went out to the slopes and skied down five green runs before heading to Mitsumata Ski Resort.
When I think about it, even though today's skiing was alpine, it was on slalom boards, and this season was still before GS.
So for tomorrow's competition at Mitsumata, I have no choice but to ski on these slalom boards for both giant slalom and slalom.
First of all, it's important to ski with self-restraint, but once you start, it's important to keep that feeling of self-restraint.
To do that, I'm going to stop wearing full dresses and wear my bib number over my overcoat.
Thursday, April 10th, slightly cloudy
The morning at the roadside station below the ski resort, the morning chill is gone and the lukewarm temperature makes me think of spring.
The fine weather we had yesterday was not there today. Still, I enjoyed gentle spring skiing.
The slope I chose to go Nordic skiing on is 2,000 meters above sea level, and there is little oxygen, so I walked a short straight course one way here to get out of breath.
I was quite shocked because I never expected that my physical strength would decrease so much from anti-cancer treatment.
And when the ski resort found out that I had started training here... it was a surprise, but they added a circular piste course here.
And today, after two weeks of not being able to use Hotaka Ranch, I returned here and was able to complete this circuit course three times without a break.
Well, maybe it's because I've gotten used to skiing, but I'm happy that in just a month I've gained enough stamina to complete half the competition course.
It was only a two-hour practice, but I did it three weeks, twice. The course for people in their 80s is 3km, so I think I'll be able to cover that distance soon.
Wednesday, April 9th, Sunny
The weather forecast is making me anxious over the weekend. Well, it can't be helped.
I'm heading to the ski resort, and with a bit of hope I'm heading for Hotaka Ranch Ski Resort, where my cross-country course is.
I arrived at the site where the course is at 3:30 pm, but as I predicted last week, it seems that it won't hold out until this week.
I understand now. I already know that the snow will melt quickly at an altitude of about 1,300m.
Since I've come this far, I'll stop by Hanasaki no Yu on the way back to relax.
Tomorrow I'm planning to practice at my home slope, Marunuma Kogen, at an altitude of 2,000m.
April 8th (Tuesday) Sunny
It was sunny and warm from the morning. I was a little excited and headed out to maintain the flower bed in front of the entrance after breakfast.
And with this weather cycle, today is probably the best condition for cherry blossom viewing. I also took a stroll along the Minuma Irrigation Channel.
This year's flower bed in front of the entrance is a little behind compared to recent years. I was trying to make up for my delayed skiing schedule due to cancer treatment, and the early spring flowers were damaged because I ran a storm water drainage system under the flower bed.
To make matters worse, the water supply pipe that waters the flower bed had a leak, which caused a big hit to the amount of water used, which was depressing.
This month's water usage meter reading results. This month's usage was 22 cubic meters, last time 9 cubic meters, the time before that 12 cubic meters, and the same period last year 7 cubic meters.
Despite this, I'm going to pull myself together and continue to work on the automatic sprinkler system.
Today I just tried connecting the system. I'm thinking about taking a moderate shower, but nothing will happen until I try it.
April 7th (Monday) Sunny
There were thunderstorms due to unstable weather in some places. It was mostly sunny and warm.
After watching the classic skiing video last week, I bought the classic skiing poles that I had been considering.
I was vaguely thinking about Nordic skiing after all. Just like alpine skiing, you change the board and the poles depending on how you ski.
Strictly speaking, it seems that you should use boots for skating that have a certain degree of ankle support and boots that don't tighten like classic boots, but I shared these because they don't feel strange when used together.
So now I have all the equipment. Now I just have to practice... well, I'm just trying to recover my basic strength.
It's been a year with a lot of snow, so I'm looking forward to seeing how long I can do it and how far I can go.
April 6th (Sunday) Sunny, then cloudy
Last week's forecast said that today's weather would be sunny, with the cherry blossoms in full bloom, and it would be a wonderful Sunday.
However, yesterday they said that the weather would be rough until the morning, and rain would fall in the afternoon.
My plan for today was a rest day, but the other table tennis club members had club practice in the morning. So we planned to practice table tennis in the morning and have cherry blossom viewing in the afternoon.
However, because of this weather forecast, we were asked if we could have a cherry blossom viewing party at our house. Of course, we're always OK with it! So the club elders gathered at noon.
But what's the weather forecast for today? Just as the party at my house was getting into full swing, the sun came out and the sky gradually turned blue.
The weather is completely unpredictable. It's about time for everyone to return, so I saw them off outside the front door. It was beautiful and calm.
It was chilly at the Katashina roadside station this morning. It was probably due to radiation cooling, so it must have been a clear day.
When I woke up, it was still sunny. Yesterday, I had a drink and chatted with a senior club member until 7am, and this morning I said hello to the club member who arrived that morning.
Everyone else was heading to the pole camp at Marunuma Kogen, but I headed to the Nordic venue at Hotaka Ranch Ski Resort, where it was probably the last time for today.
When I arrived, there were about three cars parked there, so I wondered if there were any friends there today. Last week, there were high school students and families with Nordic families, but this week, there was no one there yesterday or today.
They are probably backcountry skiers who climbed Mt. Hotaka. Despite the cold weather last week, the snow has melted and today is probably the last day.
There are two types of Nordic skiing. One is the free running style, which includes skating, which we have been doing up until now. And there is the classical running style, which we started yesterday.
As was the case yesterday, after two hours of practice, I am completely exhausted and need to take a two-hour nap to recover. And I have to go home today.
Finally the sky was clear. I felt bright for the first time in a while.
I immediately headed to Hotaka Ranch Ski Resort, which has a cross-country slope that I visited last week.
When I came here last week, there were about five families of high school students and elementary school students. However, no one came today, so I practiced alone.
And today I tried out classical skiing, which is important to me, for the first time.
I had an idea of ??what it would be like to ski because I saw high school students practicing last week, and I had some knowledge on the internet.
As for the poles, I was initially told that GS poles would be fine, so I was going to use them.
However, I guess a certain appropriate length is required for a classical posture.
As predicted by the weather forecast, it started raining in the morning, and it looks like it will continue all day.
But I'm hoping for a good weather forecast from tomorrow, so I'm heading to the ski resort.
The car continued to drive through the rain and crossed the northern mountain range... the pass on the Akagi North Road. The rain stopped, but there was a thick fog that blocked visibility.
It seemed like the weather was improving in the north.
I was thinking of stopping at a hot spring on the way, but it was closed today... Oh no... That means the hot spring near the parking lot where we arrived must also be closed.
If you know this in advance, you won't have to panic. I went to Hanasaki no Yu, and it was quite crowded despite the weather.
In the evening, I arrived early at my usual roadside station, Katashina. The weather in the Oze area, as seen from the toilet window, seems to be improving.
I can stand the low temperatures, but the rain every day is really getting to me.
It's raining so much that it makes me wonder if something has happened to the weather on Earth.
I'm feeling rotten and don't want to do anything... so I thought I'd just watch some TV. What's NHK BS Movies doing?
Oh, it's a pretty plain movie. An elderly man meets a man in a two-person hospital room while undergoing cancer treatment. ...Come to think of it, I was in the same room as a cancer patient and talked about life until just recently.
At first, they met like they were in the same room as each other. As they shared the pain of their cancer treatments, they got to know each other through many conversations.
And then, three months later... They were told they had only six months to live! In other words, they were told that they would both succumb to cancer and die in six months. So they came up with something called a coffin list, and decided to list the best things they wanted to do before they died and do them.
As they went skydiving and traveled around the world together, they realized what was really important and what they had to do.
I haven't been told how much longer I have left to live because of cancer, but as a matter of common sense, I'd say I have about 20 years left to live. It was an interesting and meaningful movie.
April 1st (Tuesday) Rain
The temperature has been midwinter since the morning. The winter heating is still running at full capacity... I can't believe it's April from today.
It's been pouring cold rain for almost a day and will probably continue until midnight.
The Iroha maple tree in the garden seems surprised by the cold rain, even though it has sprouted beautifully and new leaves have appeared this year.
And behind it, the overly tall hedge has turned a vivid red with the young leaves of the Benikaname.
On the right front, there is a tree with only a thin shaved head and no sign of new leaves.
I moved this young tree that grew naturally on a slope where oak trees were planted in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture to my garden.
It is calm, as if it had grown in an environment where it would not easily grow branches and leaves.
When the branches and leaves of this tree spread, it will be the true arrival of spring.
March 31st (Monday) Cloudy with rain
The temperature is lower than previous mornings. The low temperature will continue after this.
The temperature has been rising steadily toward spring recently. There were also summer days, so there was some concern.
Although there were sunny skies on Saturday, it has been cloudy since then and the cold north wind has dominated.
I feel depressed and I feel like I have been thwarted as I was trying to start doing activities for spring.
According to the weekly weather forecast this evening, the weather will continue like this for the next 2-3 days, and the weather will improve by the weekend.
March 30th (Sunday) Cloudy then sunny
It was cloudy until the morning. As the day approached, the sky cleared up and I felt happy.
It was a little early, but in this rare weather, I went down to the Minuma Irrigation Channel where the cherry blossoms were likely to be in bloom.
The temperature is a little low and the wind is probably coming from the north. But there is plenty of sunshine, so the temperature feels warmer.
The Minuma Irrigation Channel should not be needed for agricultural use yet, but it is still in the trial water flow stage... Water is flowing through the dried-up channel, and the atmosphere is improving.
If this temperature continues for a while, the cherry blossoms will easily last until next week. Then I got a call from a table tennis buddy: "We're going to see the cherry blossoms next week. How about it?"
Of course... OK!!
March 29th (Saturday) Rain
The weather has changed again, with sunny and rainy skies repeated in a short period of time, and it is cold and rainy this morning.
Well, it is true that rain is the best way to rest the body. Ok, let's take today off...
However, for a poor person, nothing suits a day off better than a day off. Plans are gradually running through my head.
The weather conditions next week. The amount of snow at the special cross-country skiing venue I observed the other day, and many other things ran through my head.
The conclusion is to start cross-country skiing classics a little earlier. Until now, it was called free skiing, but in competitions, it was not considered a problem no matter how you skied.
However, in classical competitions, skating is prohibited and only the so-called sliding skiing technique is allowed, with parallel movement on the skis.
After breakfast, I waited for Kandahar to open, and decided to head out after confirming that the young second-generation president, who is my specialist advisor on classical skiing, was there.
I brought along a video of my five days of practice and first checked my skiing, then asked for his opinion on classical skiing. That's great! I recommend it.
So I got some new classical skis. It will be a great encouragement for my future skiing life.
March 28th (Friday) Sunny
Drinking hard for the first time in a while! Ueda, Seiichi and I enjoyed this year's snow viewing party. Oh, it's already 11 o'clock...
Woke up slowly, Seiichi couldn't join us for breakfast because he had to take care of his mother, but he went home first.
Although the weather is going downhill today, it seems to be recovering quickly. Ueda seems to be heading straight back to Chiba.
I went to Katashina Village Office to ask about the planning department for this year's 49th All Japan Masters Ski Championships. It seems to be the education department, which is the large building next door.
A large building between the village office and Hokkori no Yu. When I asked there, I was told that the person in charge was currently outside clearing the steel beams, so I was guided to meet him.
I was in charge, but... Looking at the exact location of the cross-country skiing event and the current situation, there is still plenty of snow, and local children are practicing, so please go.
I turned right on the road to Hanasaki no Yu and passed Chirorin Village, and I remember that I had been here before. I guess Hotaka Ranch Ski Resort is closed now.
It seems that the area where the parking lot used to be has been opened as a skiing venue, and the old parking lot has been turned into a special venue.
It was a calm, sunny day. When I got on the gondola to the summit, I saw that it was for me...
To my surprise, the summit had a 100m straight line of packed snow, but it had been turned into a circular course.
So a practice course of nearly 300m in circumference had been created.
And the slight difference in elevation made it interesting, with subtle changes to the expected competition course.
I would normally go to the ski resort information desk and ask why they did this, but I'm grateful and will use it.
In any case, I started this in the hope of recovering my physical strength, and the high altitude training at 2000m is the best I can do for now, as I can run here for a week straight.
Anyway, I want to get used to skiing. And my goal is to be strong enough to run 3km by next year.
March 26th (Wednesday) Sunny
In the morning, I thought it would be a calm spring day. After 7 o'clock, the ski resort was covered with pitch black clouds.
This is one of the spring storms, a localized struggle between low and high pressure.
In general, it was predicted that yellow sand from the continent would reach the entire country.
Apart from that, the mountain areas were affected by localized low pressure, which is typical of spring, and strong winds.
I also chose the area around the gondola station at an altitude of 2000m as a stable training spot for Nordic skiing, but today I can't climb.
Now, I looked for a place to practice Nordic skiing in the ski resort, and somehow I found one.
We did two hours of intensive basic practice, but we were so tired that we took a nap after lunch, the same amount of time as we practiced.
I hope to have a little more time to practice tomorrow.
March 25th (Tuesday) Sunny
I postponed my plans by a day and headed to the mountains to ski.
Even though it was sunny, the outside sky was hazy due to the influence of yellow sand.
As humans get older, their bodies start to feel pain all over. The pain is probably because there is some kind of symptom there.
However, humans also have a tendency to be lazy. And as we get older, we deceive ourselves and come up with ways to avoid this difficult situation.
In other words, if you pamper yourself, you will take advantage of your pampering and want to take the easy way out...the easy way out.
I know that about myself, so I encourage myself by saying, "Move and heal your body even if it's a little painful!"
As the car approaches the mountain area...oh dear, I bump into familiar faces one after another and say hello. It seems like there's a higher chance of bumping into someone you know here than if you lived in the city.
After taking a dip in the hot spring, I arrived at the Katashina Roadside Station and bumped into my friend Goma-chan again.
It looks like the weather will be good tomorrow too.
March 24th (Monday) Lightly cloudy
It was cloudy, perhaps due to the spring haze, but there was some sunshine shining through.
Thanks to this, the temperature didn't rise as much as yesterday, but it was a warm and comfortable day.
Last week I went Nordic skiing for two days. I'm still not used to it, so my body was working with unnecessary force here and there, and it left behind lumps.
I didn't recover in just one day yesterday, so I decided to postpone my departure for the snowy mountain today.
I rested yesterday, but today I made an effort to actively loosen up my body.
I pulled out the loosening roller I used before and used it.
The muscles right next to Benkei's body are especially tense, which never get tense during regular skiing.
March 23 (Sun) Sunny
It's been a clear morning and the temperature is expected to rise.
I'll do the laundry while eating and take care of my skis while it's still cool.
Even so, I set up for waxing relatively early in front of the entrance, but the sun is already shining brightly.
In the afternoon, I walked along the Minuma Irrigation Canal on my usual walking route, but the cherry blossoms don't look like they'll bloom today or tomorrow.
Well, if you include the full bloom, I think I'll go next week.
March 22 (Saturday) Sunny
I was so tired yesterday. I came back from the ski resort to the roadside station and took a 3-hour nap.
Needless to say, the main reason for being so tired was practicing Nordic skiing.
The training location is 2,000m above sea level, and there is little oxygen, so it's high altitude training. The biggest reason is that I'm not used to skiing.
Even so, I fell countless times yesterday, but only once today. Well, let's take our time and work hard.
Yesterday, I practiced for 2 hours and it was quite tough, so I stopped after an hour today. I still have to drive for 4 hours to get home.
I made a farewell gesture towards the live camera that was watching over me and got on the gondola going down the mountain.
I wonder if the road will open up...
March 21 (Friday) Sunny
As predicted, it was sunny from the morning, so I got up early and headed to the ski resort parking lot. It was too early, so I waited a little before I could enter the parking lot.
I slowly prepared breakfast near the center house and waited for the ski resort to start.
Today's plan is to ski five runs of the intermediate green course non-stop in the early morning. As usual, it was a morning piste, but it was no problem early in the morning.
I went to the patrol headquarters and asked if it would be a problem if I put on Nordic skis and walk around on the peak today. I think it's okay, but I would like to check with the information desk.
The information desk is near the gondola boarding point, so there's no problem at all. OK! , and the comment was to be careful as this area was within the snorkeling course.
These skis... are difficult. I've fallen on them so many times. They're just like the bamboo skis I used to ski on a long time ago.
I'm not going to lose.
March 20th (Thursday) Clear skies
The weather forecast said it would be clear from the morning, so I thought the clear skies would gradually spread in the early morning, but the clouds tend to spread easily.
Still, I left the house after tidying up in the morning and got ready to go. The road conditions were a bit poor, with many private cars on the weekend.
I usually drive on public roads on weekdays to go to the ski resort, but this was different from usual and there were unexpected traffic jams in various places.
I wasn't in a big hurry, so I just went with the flow and drove leisurely until I came to the usual north side road of Mt. Akagi.
Most of the cars on this road seem to be familiar with this road and only passersby. In the afternoon, I passed several acquaintances returning from the ski resort.
I passed three friends here alone, including one who was waving from afar. Unfortunately, I only recognized one person.
I arrived at Katashina late in the afternoon. Many club members were participating in the Marunuma Cup at the ski resort, but it seems that several people are staying at their usual lodging today, so I'll stay there too.
March 19th (Wednesday) Rain, then snow, then sunny
It was a slightly warm morning with no chill. I was having breakfast around 7 o'clock and talking to my radio buddy, "Something white... is falling."
I'm sure we had a similar conversation yesterday and it turned out to be snow. But I wonder what it will be like today...
"What!? It's snowing in my yard!"
"Maybe it's because your house is a little high up...?"... Well, that was the kind of conversation we had fun talking about that morning.
But after a while it started to snow in earnest and it looked like it was going to pile up in no time.
Even so, the snow stopped after about two hours and the sky seemed to be brightening.
The sun came out in the afternoon and the temperature rose. It seems that it will be sunny and the temperature will rise from tomorrow.
March 18th (Tuesday) slightly cloudy
The weather seems to change every day these days. It was such spring-like good weather yesterday, but today it has been cloudy since morning.
I would like to wax my skis according to the schedule. And I will also be waxing my cross-country skis for the first time.
As you can see in the photo, the board next to it is a relatively wide slalom board. In comparison, the running surface of a cross-country ski seems to be only one-fifth of that.
The wax melted by the hot iron is too narrow, so it drips out.
And there is also a problem with scraping off the wax. The skis cannot be fixed to the wax stand holder.
And now, I know that in the middle of the running surface of these country skis there is a deep groove line, which was often found on old skis.
How do you wax this area? Well, you just have to learn as you go.
March 17th (Monday) Sunny
I went to Kandahar, a ski pro shop in Kanda that I always use for alpine skiing.
I usually have absolute confidence in alpine skiing, but in fact the current president was a Nordic skier when he was a student.
So it was hard to see inside the store...or maybe I just couldn't see, but with the president's guidance, there was a wide range of skis and boots for beginners to experts.
I was vaguely thinking of aiming for both classic and open style, but the president suggested that I first get familiar with Nordic skiing in an open style without any difficulty...so I went along with that line.
I was excited, just like when I bought my first skis. I hope that my skiing life will be rich for many years to come.
March 16th (Sunday) Rain
Today's weather forecast is rain, and I was also looking forward to this weather forecast so that I could rest.
I turned off my alarm clock, which goes off every day at 5:45, so that I could take a break today.
Well, I woke up naturally because I went to bed early after 7. I could hear the rain, and because of that, I thought the light coming through the curtains was about the same...I looked at the clock and it was 6:15.
I didn't sleep in as much as I had hoped. Fortunately, the muscle pain in my body was relatively mild, more than I had expected.
I went down to the living room and saw the garden from the balcony, and the cold rain was falling.
Today is the perfect day to rest.
March 15th (Saturday) Light clouds
Yesterday, I was in the middle of uploading my diary and my computer warned me about a low battery, and then it was cut off.
I apologize for the embarrassing situation this time because I forgot to bring a power cable.
I uploaded it as soon as I got home, but it was like a wasabi that had lost its aroma and it didn't have any firmness.
Today, there was a slalom camp at Marunuma Racing Club, so I applied to participate.
Well, I didn't think I could ski properly myself, so I was careful not to get caught up in everyone's pace.
I was still about two-thirds through, and thought, "Ah, I'm going to get too tired if I don't stop here..." so I went around to look around before 11 o'clock.
It was only a set of about 25 turns, but it raised my spirits, and by the end I was exhausted and almost out of breath.
First of all, I managed to complete the fifth day of skiing and returned home safely.
March 14th (Friday) Clear
It was a clear, clear day with no wind. I was blessed with the best weather for my first skiing trip of the season.
The temperature certainly seemed to have risen as predicted, but the snow was still not yet in a state where it would rot at the altitude of the ski resort.
Oh dear... My computer's battery warning.
March 13th (Thursday) Sunny
It's been a clear morning, and the sunlight is spring-like and comfortable.
While communicating with my radio friends, it's sunny today, but it's hazy and I can't see very far.
In the midst of all this, I made it to the ski resort.
I can't quite remember how many years it's been since this wonderful road was built, but I left home early and arrived at Akagi's north side road in the afternoon.
Before entering the first long tunnel, I turned right onto the old, difficult north side road. It took a while, but the old, difficult road...I wonder what it's like now.
There still seemed to be houses around back then, so I went down the road to the bottom of the valley. There was definitely a village...but the road was closed beyond that.
March 12th (Wednesday) Cloudy, Rain
There was a brief period of sunshine, but by the evening it had turned into a downpour.
Today was the day I went to the Cancer Center to hear the results of my first follow-up examination.
The results of my follow-up examination two weeks after being discharged from the hospital. I was a little nervous when I heard the results.
No abnormalities in the CT scans or X-rays! In particular, the images of the esophageal wall where the surgery was performed showed that there was no trace of the esophageal wall.
My car's mileage had reached the miles required for an engine oil change, so I went to a nearby gas station to have it done.
The odometer on this car was replaced with a used one, so I need to add 44,000 km to get the actual odometer reading. 227,000...?
March 11 (Tuesday) Cloudy, Rainy
Where did the spring-like sunny weather go yesterday?
It's already cloudy since morning, and the temperature is calm and not cold, but the warmth of the sun yesterday was exceptional.
So, although it was a morning without a chill, the day without the sunshine was still unsatisfying and lonely, and cold.
I'd like to be happy that I was able to get my laundry done thanks to working hard yesterday without knowing that the weather would change so much.
I went out shopping, and there were some early-blooming cherry blossoms in the gardens of my neighborhood.
It's a dark cityscape, but the cherry blossoms are particularly soothing.
Monday, March 10th, Sunny
I didn't set my watch this morning, so I could be a little spoiled. However, I woke up naturally about 15 minutes late.
I was prepared for my body to ache all over from the morning, but...oh? .
Maybe the pain will come out tomorrow. I'm not very good at dealing with my old body these days.
First of all, I had breakfast, did a load of laundry, and went out for a walk while the sun was still shining.
When I set off, I felt spring in the warmth of the sunshine, but when I went down along the Minuma Irrigation Channel, the north wind was quite light, but it was still cold.
They are still so small and hard that it's hard to predict what will happen until another week.
March 9th (Sun) Sunny
It snowed during the night and we were worried about what would happen, but the weather cleared up, but it was cloudy at times, which was frustrating.
Well, the sun came out at times and the weather seemed to have cleared up for the most part. The last club training camp ended safely.
I was checking my physical condition for these three days, so I didn't get to practice in the pole, but I was happy that I was able to do a free run without any problems.
I sometimes helped out by preparing the course for the practice run, and I got excited watching everyone's skiing up close.
And today was the last day of the club training camp for this season. I was pleased that this season also ended safely without any club members getting injured.
After this, everyone split up and took the practice equipment to the parking lot and disbanded.
The next time we'll see each other is on October 5th at the club's 50th anniversary party.
March 8th (Saturday) Sunny, then cloudy
The weather forecast said it would be sunny for the next two days. Today, it was a little cloudy.
I decided to take the gondola to the top of the ski resort.
It was cloudy, but the shape of Mt. Nikko Shirane was clearly visible nearby.
After that, I went down from the peak to the bottom in one go, but I was quite tired.
Light snow started to fall early in the afternoon, so the weather won't last long.
March 7th (Friday), slightly cloudy
It was a morning when we were worried about snowfall, but it was only snowing as far as Oze, and it was only light snow.
All the skiing friends I said hello to here yesterday have already departed, so I feel like I'm the only one left.
I slowly started preparing breakfast. Then, around 8 o'clock, the sun started to shine and the weather started to improve a little.
I arrived at the ski resort and went to the information desk and said, "It's late this year, but today is my first day skiing. Please give me the season pass I requested."
It took a little time, but they found my documents, took a photo of me, and issued my ticket.
I immediately went to the Blue Course, which is said to have a relatively gentle slope at the ski resort, and greeted some familiar faces.
I also skied carefully, but...come to think of it, the skis I wore today were for SL skiing, but they were my first skis.
I was relieved that I could ski very naturally without any discomfort. I think I skied about six runs today...I'm gradually getting used to it.
March 6th (Thursday) Cloudy
It was a hot morning. However, it was a little cold to leave the air-conditioned room and work outside.
While having breakfast, I said goodbye to my fellow radio stations and told them that I was going skiing and wouldn't be able to see them from tomorrow.
After cleaning up after our meal, we quickly loaded our ski equipment into the car.
This is the first time we've skied this season, so the thing we're most afraid of is forgetting something that we usually always take with us.
At the worst, we even forgot to pack our ski boots.
We made sure to be safe as we crossed the mountain, but the recent heavy snowfall barely affected us.
We spent some time relaxing at the Oze Katashina roadside station before going to bed.
March 5th (Wednesday) Light Rain
Following yesterday's endoscopic examination, a follow-up examination using CT images was performed today.
Yesterday, I was unable to drive due to the effects of anesthesia, but today I was driving, so I was able to tolerate the weather.
This follow-up program will include blood tests yesterday, today, and next Wednesday, as well as a comprehensive evaluation, which will all be combined into one test.
Even so, the fact that there are tests means that we can detect any danger, but when I think about having a medical checkup four times a year, I couldn't be more at ease.
In particular, I am secretly investigating the changes in γGDP values ??associated with abstinence from alcohol and drinking based on the results of blood tests.
Recently, there have been situations where I have been forced to stop drinking, and the γGDP values ??have been showing interesting behavior.
I would like to help with research into how people can spend the rest of their lives enjoying alcohol without putting a strain on their bodies, even while undergoing treatment. ...For now, only I know the data on whether I drank or not.
Many blood tests seem to be able to provide more valuable information than doctors, such as blood data from recent cancer centers and arrhythmia hospitalizations. (laughs)
March 4th (Tuesday) Cloudy
Endoscopic surgery for esophageal cancer, chemotherapy to prevent recurrence, and finally follow-up visit.
Follow-up visits are very important after any illness, but are often taken relatively lightly.
However, even if you are told that your chances of cancer recurrence are only about 4% and that you will be barely affected, that is just a number.
Even if you are afraid of airplane accidents, they are still safer than other modes of transportation such as cars... but for those who are involved in an accident, it is 100%.
Also, this follow-up program has the advantage that any sudden changes in your body will be detected sooner than for people who normally live without any problems.
The snow stopped by the afternoon. I'm planning to go out by bus or train tomorrow, but at this rate it should be fine.
March 2nd (Sun) Sunny
Once they get used to the warmer temperatures, they start to enjoy playing in the water.
Even though I had been trying to prevent freezing by turning off the water valve during the winter, it seems that the flowers and soil are now basking in the sun and craving water.
It's an automatic sprinkler system, but we needed to come up with some ideas for how to sprinkle the water, so we were forced to design it in the spring.
As the sunlight reached the room from the morning, the temperature rose steadily.
I usually keep the glass door closed, but today I opened it and the air was fresh, but I didn't feel any cold.
I went shopping before lunch and found some clams for sale at the supermarket, so I bought some.
I immediately enjoyed barbecuing the clams over a gas burner before lunch.
Based on the results of my blood test at the cancer center yesterday, my doctor told me to work hard and I was able to complete the program without any side effects.
I was worried that my condition would worsen, so there would be no point in giving it to him.
I thought it was a warm morning. The coldness in my toes that I had been feeling lately is gone and my heart is at peace.
Today I'm going to the Cancer Center early to have my blood drawn and then my doctor's diagnosis.
I was interested in the blood test to see what kind of changes had occurred exactly one week after I was discharged from the hospital, but it seems that there were no significant changes.
No matter what I do, I get tired easily and I can sleep as long as I want if I want to... so I didn't think the results would be very good.
Well, I was relieved to hear from the doctor that there hadn't been any major changes. He said it would take a little more time to determine the blood components of concern.
It seems that he will be sending me test results regularly so that I can input my data.
February 25th (Tuesday) Sunny
This is the walking course that I didn't pay much attention to when I was healthy and could play sports anywhere.
Since regular sports are tough, I'm trying to at least do this walking properly.
I'm happy that Minuma Irrigation Canal has been developed into a healthy road and is now easier to walk along.
On one side of the canal, the slopes are forested and conservation measures are being implemented, but the problem is the rice fields.
In the past, this area near the city was known as the Minuma rice fields, and was a quiet, tranquil area with a seasonal atmosphere. This area was also an urbanization control zone, so it seemed that the circular shape had been preserved.
In the last two or three years, all the rice fields have disappeared, and construction material storage areas have increased... and construction waste has increased... and now there is even a project to crush and recycle concrete foundations.
Finally, today I sent a complaint email to the Kawaguchi City Urban Planning Management Division. I wonder what kind of response I will get.
February 24th (Monday) Sunny
The sunlight coming through the window gets stronger day by day. ...And that's the story of the southern half of our house.
Opening the living room door, the hallway leads to the toilet, bathroom, stairs, and entrance hall, and it's like midwinter, so you'll need to wear a blanket to do anything.
That's why I spend most of my day in the living room, where I can wear just a T-shirt, and where I also work on my computer.
While I was in the hospital, I had various blood tests. In the end, the doctor will look at the results and then make a treatment plan.
I didn't just say that I was happy, but that my current results are relatively good compared to other people's results so far.
I decided to get the test results in hand each time. Today, I put them in a spreadsheet in Excel and I was able to understand quite a bit.
Also, the day after tomorrow I will have a blood test one week after being discharged from the hospital. I think my action plan will become more realistic after seeing that.
February 23rd (Sunday) Sunny
The cold wind is still blowing. Looking at the live camera of the ski resort, it looks tough.
The sun shines until midday, but the clouds appear around 3 o'clock and the north wind takes over.
The sun was shining, but by mid-afternoon it was covered in ominous clouds and it was bitterly cold.
The wind didn't die down, so the temperature felt even colder.
There were plum blossoms blooming here and there on the walk, but I didn't get to the point where I could really enjoy them.
Come spring.
February 21st (Friday) Sunny
For the first time since being discharged from the hospital, I set my alarm and got up as usual. It was 5:45 and the sky was brighter than before, but there were still 30 minutes until sunrise.
If I don't get up at this time, I won't be able to read the newspaper, do some radio exercises, prepare breakfast... and then have breakfast after 7... or rather, I won't be able to make it in time for conversations with my radio friends.
This schedule isn't so hard once you get used to it, but it's a bit tough for someone who was hospitalized until yesterday.
I still managed to make it in time, but since I have a three-day weekend starting tomorrow, I'll take the morning off and gradually get my body used to it.
When I was discharged from the hospital yesterday, I was asked to pay the bill. But wait a minute...? 2-3 days before the radiation treatment before hospitalization, the maximum amount was reached under the high-cost medical care system, so the bill was zero yen.
So, since it was the same month, same illness, and same facility, I thought it would be zero yen... so I called the hospital and asked.
The high-cost medical care system has three payment categories: outpatient medical expenses, inpatient medical expenses, and dental medical expenses. Apparently, each is calculated differently. Is there anyone who knows that much about it!?
February 20th (Thursday) Sunny
Today the north wind was strong, but the sun was shining and I was able to be discharged from Saitama Cancer Center without any problems.
The side effects of the second round of chemotherapy were a little worse than the first, but they were not too bad and I was able to finish safely.
Repeat your name and date of birth many times throughout the day. This is probably the most effective way to prevent medical errors, and every time your meal is served, you receive it by calling out your name.
Especially when receiving an injection or IV, the barcode on the wristband attached to your arm is checked, and the patient is released from the hospital.
I will visit you from time to time for follow-up examinations, but for now, thank you for your care. Thank you to all the staff.
February 19th (Wednesday) Sunny
Today's plan is to have a meeting about post-discharge care and follow-up on my prognosis.
My body is now free of any cables from IV drips and I'm feeling extremely comfortable.
When I had some free time, I thought I would change into my outdoor clothes and go to my car in the parking lot.
That's right, the pad that was used to immobilize me during radiation therapy when I leave the hospital tomorrow is quite large. I thought I'd put it in my car today.
The wind was a little cold, but the sun was shining and it was a pretty wintery day, so I took the opportunity to take a walk around the cancer center grounds and come back.
It looks cold outside the window. The sunlight is weak inside the hospital window, but it's extremely hot by the window.
The chemotherapy drip injections have finished, but the drips for cleaning will continue for another day to make sure that the chemotherapy toxins do not remain in the body.
In the evening, the results of this morning's blood test showed that the treatment was progressing smoothly, and the cleaning drip was completed.
I had already scheduled a hot shower for today, so I was able to take one and feel refreshed.
After coordinating with the doctor and head nurse, it was decided that I would be discharged on Thursday, February 20th.
February 17th (Monday) Sunny
I'm in a four-person room, but two more people joined me on Monday, so there are three people in the room today.
They're still young, so I can't even say hello to them in depth, and if there are no problems, I might be discharged tomorrow.
Today was the last day of two treatments. First, 96 hours of chemotherapy ended at 4pm.
I immediately booked a shower, so I took a nice, hot shower for the first time in a week and felt refreshed.
Another thing is that today was my last radiation treatment, so I said goodbye to all the staff for all their help and returned to my room.
At that time, I was also given a molded pad to firmly secure my body to the radiation therapy machine.
By the way, this was made to fit my body, so it cannot be used by anyone else, and it costs about 100,000 yen!
February 16th (Sunday) Sunny
This morning, I opened the curtains to see the beautiful sunrise over the horizon, but it wasn't clear enough for the sun to come out.
It was already almost 7 o'clock when it got very late and it started to get light outside. Everything I could see in the distance seemed to be asleep.
I wondered what Mount Fuji looked like from the corridor with the western window, and it, along with Mount Buko in Chichibu and the mountains of Gunma, were shrouded in mist.
Today, chemotherapy is still being administered intravenously, but radiation therapy is on hold and the hospital is calm, like a quiet holiday.
I also spent the day engrossed in reading, just like yesterday.
The person sitting next to one of the windows was discharged yesterday, so when I woke up and opened the curtains all the way in the morning, it was sunrise.
It was so quiet that I was able to spend the whole day reading a book.
The way this hospital manages medicines is that the medicines to be taken each day are sorted and put into each bed, and patients return the swallowed medicine shells to the designated container.
You will spend tomorrow morning alone in this room.
February 14th (Friday) Sunny
It's a calm, sunny day and the temperature is likely to rise. Even though I've been sleeping a lot, I still feel a little sleep-deprived.
It happened last night before I went to bed. My rental pajamas are changed every two days. Oh, maybe tomorrow...
That's why I thought I'd replace it today. Because, as you can see in yesterday's photo, there are two IV hoses, and in order to get around them and take them off, I have to slip the tank through my sleeve and pull it out from inside the shirt I'm trying to put on.
As expected, I made a mistake somewhere and it became impossible to regenerate, so I had to call the nurse for help.
I was supposed to be able to finish by 9 o'clock, when the lights were turned off, and get a good night's sleep. But, why did I make that mistake...
First of all, many patients at this hospital have such a hard time changing their pajamas... I want to get a patent for a new utility model and make everyone happy.
All sorts of thoughts run through my head... If I make something good, who should I consult and how much should I charge to have it made?
It's been sunny since the morning, but the wind seems strong. The view from the window on the sixth floor of the Cancer Center looks like the first spring wind, but it also seems cold.
After the replacement work is completed, the protective secondary gloves are returned to the original location and stored away. They are handled with the same care as toxic substances. ●, ▼
February 12th (Wednesday) Sunny
This is my third time being hospitalized at Saitama Cancer Center, so I'm used to everything.
And this time I was in the same room as last time... I thought "Yay!", but I ended up in a bed by the window.
Well, it seems like I have the view from my side of the window all to myself, but if I leave the curtains open the sunlight during the day is too hot.
And luckily the nurse who takes care of me during the day is the same as before, so that's quite calming.
Now that I think about it, this hospitalization is already the fourth corner of my treatment.
Starting tomorrow, I will be receiving 96 hours of chemotherapy infusions, which means I will be receiving the infusions for four consecutive days.
I see... in the bed by the window, the side with more space will probably end up with the infusion on my right hand.
So I decided to sleep with my head facing the opposite direction.
February 11th (Tuesday) Sunny
I made a huge mistake. I got the date of admission wrong.
I arrived at the cancer center and the admission desk was closed. I went up to the ward on the 6th floor and was told, "No, you're due tomorrow."
How did it end up like this? I received a call from the hospital office on Friday evening to confirm my admission.
Whether I said it or not is no longer important. I came home dejected and found a note from the phone call. I looked at it and it was 1/12, tomorrow.
Anyway, I've been putting together "About my esophagus" since the other day, and I was planning to tell my concerned relatives and friends when my medical treatment was over.
For those who have been following my website, I have been letting you know about it each time, but I have put it together for you to see.I've summarized it here.
The layout is set up so that if you use the print function of your browser, you can print the booklet using the page function.
This is also a by-product of me lazing around at home.
February 10th (Monday) Sunny
Every day I go to the radiation therapy room at the cancer center, where about four staff members are always assisting the radiation therapy machine that is being used for my treatment.
They make fine adjustments so that the marks on my body line up perfectly with the marks projected by the irradiation machine.
After going there many times, I've gotten to know the people there and we even have a quick chat in between.
I wonder if this treatment machine costs 40-50 million yen...? No! It's an auction.
During the treatment, I was thinking, "Wow, billions... that's amazing..." After the treatment was over and the braces were removed, the person in charge said, "Well, you can think of it as 700-800 million yen." Wow!!
The chemotherapy is finally coming to an end, and from tomorrow I will be hospitalized for the final chemotherapy infusion treatment.
The north wind has been blowing hard since this morning. It seems that there has been a lot of snowfall on the mountains.
On LINE, the ski club I belong to, practice has been canceled due to snow, and I can hear cries of distress from all over the place about the road conditions.
I thought that because of the cold weather, there would be few participants in the club table tennis practice today.
That was not the case. Today was the Kawaguchi City Federation's tournament, the Mayor's Cup.
I did not enter this tournament because it is usually in the middle of the skiing season. The main members participated.
By the way, I wonder how long this cold winter weather will last.
But I'm just grateful for the warmth through the window during the day.
February 8th (Saturday) Sunny
It's sunny, but the north wind is strong and cold. I feel happy when I'm at home with the sunlight pouring in through the window.
I'm sure the ski club is having a training camp today... But when I look at the live camera... Oh no! It's a blizzard.
A new month has passed, and this month I went to the Saitama Cancer Center for radiation therapy, paying enough money to drink at a red lantern every day.
As I wrote yesterday, my payments have now become zero, and this is due to the High-Cost Medical Care Expenses System, which is said to be a system designed to reduce the burden on patients according to their income.
Today's newspaper said that if such a system is not reviewed in the near future, social security in general will collapse.
First of all, the increase in medical benefits due to the sophistication of medical care, and the increase in the number of low-income elderly people who benefit from medical care as we become an aging society.
The government wants to get involved and raise the upper limit of the standard amount based on annual income.
Recently, people have been using their medical insurance to pay for their great-grandchildren's childbirth medical expenses, and the bullying of the elderly has become outrageous!
February 7th (Friday) Sunny then cloudy
I left home early again today and was thinking of reading a book in the comfortable chairs in the waiting room at the center...
Just before my appointment time, I got a call saying, "Please come to reception number 15 soon." Today is exactly the appointment time.
After my treatment, I went to pay at the payment machine. When I held up the barcode with the payment number, the amount was displayed.
What?! There was no payment for today again! I think it's some kind of high medical expense system, and once a certain amount is reached, the rest is not paid.
But last month, my medical expenses dropped to zero after the hospitalization fee, and so far this month I have only paid 18,000 yen. I wonder how they calculate it.
By the time I headed to my car in the parking lot, the sun had completely disappeared and thin clouds were covering it, but it looked really cold.
It seems that these clouds caused snow in Osaka and Nagoya. The cold is really starting to set in.
February 6th (Thursday) Sunny
I continue to wake up at the same time every morning, 5:45. I read the newspaper, do some radio exercises, and prepare breakfast.
After 7:00, I have breakfast and talk with my radio friends about yesterday and today.
It's already 9 o'clock by the time I've cleaned up after breakfast, vacuumed the living room, and settled down.
I have an hour of free time, so I open my laptop and check my emails, look at my friends' posts on social media, and exchange emails.
Soon it's time to go to the cancer center for radiation therapy. My style now is to go early and read a book there if I arrive early.
After finishing my treatment, I came back and had a late lunch, then dozed off. I got up at 3 and went for a walk. It was a set route, about 40 minutes, and was a relatively race-walk-like walk.
Today is the 18th day of radiation therapy... 10 more sessions to go! .
February 5th (Wednesday) Sunny
Today, after the radiation therapy is over, I have a scheduled meeting with my chemotherapy doctor.
The radiation therapy ended earlier than expected today, so I thought I would have lunch at the hospital escort, but I ended up eating at a convenience store.
I'm also worried about the results of yesterday's blood test, and if my function remains impaired, the schedule for final treatment may be thwarted.
The hospital has a cafeteria with a good menu, and there is also a convenience store like the ones you find in town, so I had my lunch heated up and ate it in the waiting room.
The waiting room has a silent eating corner... and there is a large table, so I can eat without hesitation.
Soon after, I received a call from my doctor on my calling cell phone and waited in front of the designated room. My reception number was displayed in the column at the entrance to the door.
After the previous patient finished their interview and left the room, the display changed to and I entered the room.
The doctor greeted me with a bright face, so I knew it was a good result. The blood sugar level is improving thanks to the medicine, but my kidney function is recovering on its own, so I'll just have to take care of it.
I immediately went through the hospitalization process and moved on to the final stage of treatment. I was scheduled to be hospitalized on February 12th. Until then, I will continue with daily radiation therapy.
February 4th (Tuesday) Sunny
When I was hospitalized for the first chemotherapy infusion, the blood test results showed a decrease in my function, which was a concern as a side effect, so I started taking medicine last week.
Tomorrow, I went to the blood collection center with my doctor to have a blood test, which will be important information for the future treatment plan.
Today, I arrived at the cancer center early before my radiation treatment, but there were no parking spaces available, even though I arrived at the same time as usual.
Well, the cold north wind is a bit strong, so I'm sure everyone would like to park near the hospital entrance, but it can't be helped.
At the blood collection center, I once again scanned the barcode on the reception sheet I received at the cancer center's automated reception desk to receive a new ticket indicating the order in which I would be drawn.
There are nine windows for blood collection, and blood is drawn in order. Based on today's queue, I was likely to be around 25th in line. Still, it was my turn after about a 15-minute wait.
February 3rd (Monday) Cloudy
Last night I played table tennis, so I tried to go to bed at 8 o'clock, and as a result I was able to get just under 10 hours of sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
I was feeling refreshed, but the weather was not in sync. The cloudy weather doesn't look like it's going to clear up anytime soon.
Radiation therapy was off on the weekend, but will resume today. Last weekend, I started to feel a slight discomfort in my throat, which I was worried about, but it went away on the weekend.
I'm just halfway through my treatment plan and heading to the last half.
I left a little early and thought I'd read a book at the hospital until my appointment time, but then I got another message from the pager.
"I have some free time, so if you're ready, please come to counter 15..."
Then let's get it done quickly...
February 2nd (Sunday) Rain
Even though it was Sunday, my alarm woke me up. Today was club table tennis practice day, but it was snowing?
I opened the curtains and was very disappointed, but then I thought, "Oh well, it's a good thing..."
My car is equipped with studless tires in case it snows at this time of year, so I'm fine with that, but my table tennis friends can't.
Of course, there were probably many people who wanted to come to practice today but couldn't make it because of the snow.
There were no traffic problems today, so I arrived about an hour early. I was reading a book in a well-lit area when, after about 30 minutes, the pager started ringing and a message was displayed.
When I checked in, the medical staff at the reception desk knew that I was already inside the center. "It's not your appointment time, but we have some free time, so if you are available, please come to counter number 15."
Coincidentally, today is already halfway through my treatment plan. I have renewed my determination to keep trying, hoping that my blood sugar levels will go down as I start taking the medicine.
January 29th (Wednesday) Sunny
After being discharged from the hospital, today is my doctor's appointment. Before that, blood and urine tests will be done and the diagnosis will be made based on the results.
When carrying out this scientific cancer treatment, it is necessary to proceed carefully as there is a risk of damaging the current health condition of the elderly.
Before being discharged from the hospital, the side effects of the anti-cancer drugs were tolerable, but to be precise, the blood test results showed unexpected adverse effects such as a decrease in kidney function and an increase in blood sugar level.
The blood collection will start early in the morning... so I had breakfast while driving. As expected, I couldn't have rice and miso soup, so I had bread today.
The diagnosis shows that the kidney function values ??have recovered, but the blood sugar level has not decreased as much as expected. If this continues, I will not be able to proceed to the next anti-cancer drug treatment.
Day by day, spring is approaching, and it's so warm that I don't even want to put it in my mouth.
The sunlight is reaching every corner of the living room, and I'm now spending the day in just a T-shirt.
Commuting to the cancer center can be quite difficult. I've never missed an appointment, but I've learned that there are many reasons why I arrive too early and have to wait a long time.
I arrived too early again today, but the chairs in the spacious and bright waiting room are more comfortable than waiting for a long time in front of the treatment room, so I read here until the last minute.
I then checked in for the specialized treatment five minutes before my appointment time, and I was immediately put into radiation therapy without any wait.
As usual, I went to the automatic payment machine for treatment fees that I introduced yesterday, and when I took out my book, I thought I would have to wait about 15 minutes with my call number, but the payment calculation was already completed and I was called.
The payment machine showed 0 yen! ... What?! I'm not going to pay...? But I still went to the counter to check. You've exceeded this month's high medical expenses limit, so it's not a problem!
Huh...? So it's free from tomorrow...
January 27th (Monday) Sunny to cloudy
The weather is probably going downhill. It was a sunny morning, but it's gradually getting cloudier.
Today's road to the hospital would be easy if it was always a day like this... but the roads were surprisingly empty and the traffic was good.
So, my appointment was for 11:45, but I arrived before 11.
Even so, I waited in the parking lot for a while until after 11 and checked in. I was expecting it because I had been called without waiting when I had arrived too early before.
But guess what, I was reading a book for a long time and before I knew it, it was almost 12 o'clock. Today the wait was unexpectedly long.
After the treatment, it was the usual scene of people paying.
People who had finished calculating the treatment fee waited for their billing number to be displayed and went to one of the three automatic payment machines to pay.
January 26th (Sun) Sunny
Once you experience a slightly warm day, you start to get scared of the cold winter weather like this morning.
It wasn't a particularly cold morning, but today I went to practice table tennis at the club.
Right now I'm undergoing cancer treatment... but for a while, I'll only be undergoing radiation treatment.
Well, the guidelines in the treatment say not to push yourself too hard, and to move your body as much as possible and relax both your body and mind.
That said, for the past week, I've been forcing myself to go for a walk every day after coming back from treatment, but it seems like I'm gradually getting used to it.
But when I got back, I took a nap from lunch until the evening.
January 25th (Saturday) Cloudy then sunny
I woke up thinking that it was a very warm morning even though it was still January.
When I went out to the front door to drop off the newspaper, the sky was covered with clouds and I realized that it wasn't going to be sunny today.
I need to visit the hospital once every two months to get blood pressure, gout, and blood thinning medicine, but it's still a little early.
When I am hospitalized for my second anti-cancer treatment, the hospital will manage all of my regular medications during my hospitalization, so I need to prepare those as well.
The doctor at the clinic also wants to know the status of my anti-cancer treatment, so he is bombarding me with questions about whether I am experiencing side effects, changes in my physical condition, etc.
The 1 yen coins are worth 100 to 500 yen, and the 50 yen coins are worth 900 yen. Wow... Well, I don't feel like that, so I'll just use the 1 yen and 50 yen.
January 24th (Friday) Sunny
As predicted, the weather was mild and warm, reminiscent of spring.
Should I expect accidents like yesterday when commuting to treatment?
Yesterday, if I'd left at least 15 minutes earlier, I would have arrived at my reservation time without any worries. Today, I left at 10:00, 1 hour and 45 minutes early.
I made it on my way to work without any issues, so I arrived just under an hour before the usual arrival time. There were still 45 minutes until my reservation time.
Even so, when I checked in hoping to finish the reception early, they said, "Let's get started right away!"
That's right. Everyone is coming to the hospital from far away, but it seems that there are quite a few people who made a reservation but couldn't make it in time, like me yesterday.
In that case, it would be easier to just arrive early and read a book without worrying too much about the time.
The scene of yesterday's accident was going smoothly this morning as if nothing had happened.
January 23rd (Thursday) Sunny
Driving to work for the first time in 20 years is comfortable and not a problem if you leave with a little extra time.
Once again, I'm surprised at how many terrible drivers there are. Keep left...there are so many middle-aged women who completely ignore the traffic.
There was a bus stop on a two-lane road, so I got into the passing lane. Huh?! I wasn't making much progress... I looked ahead and saw that the light car was completely clear in front of it, but it didn't even seem to be stepping on the gas.
I somehow got in front of the bus and looked at the light car from the driving lane, and saw an old lady driving at her own pace in the passing lane. The car behind was following suit, too, afraid of being sued for tailgating.
I was surprised at how many drivers were driving at their own pace in the passing lane, not just the old lady. Eco-driving...? It seems like there are more people who can't drive flexibly.
I somehow made it to the top of the detour and was able to make it in 5 minutes before my cancer treatment appointment.
January 22nd (Wednesday) Sunny
During my hospital stay, I was receiving radiation therapy in addition to my anti-cancer treatment, so I would be instructed to go out while I was lying in bed.
But today, for the first time, I will be leaving my home just for radiation therapy.
Fortunately, by adjusting the schedule, they were able to arrange a time for me to leave my house just after the morning rush hour.
The distance is 20.4km from my house, and it takes nearly an hour and a half during the morning rush hour. But today, I left just after 10:30 when the roads started to clear, and arrived in about 50 minutes.
I felt that it was pretty easy. And after just 10 minutes of treatment, I was shocked when I paid the bill! 5,968 yen! If I had known I would be charged this much every day, I would have done it when my health insurance covered only 10% of the bill.
Well, even though I am eligible for high-cost medical care, it will be paid three months later, and the cost of treating the esophagus is not that high, so I guess it was a good thing.
But from now on, I'll be commuting 40km round trip every weekday. My body is still not used to it, so I spent the whole day just lazing around when I got home.
January 21st (Tuesday) Rain then sunny
It seems to have rained this morning. Although not as much as yesterday, it seems to be a sign of the stability of the weather these days.
My doctor also came to the hospital just after 8am and stopped by my hospital room. If there are no changes in my condition, I will be discharged today as planned.
Yesterday, I heard about most of the side effects of this treatment and the progress during hospitalization.
The superficial symptoms of nausea, loss of appetite, and constipation were all resolved without any problems. However, from an invisible medical perspective, blood test results showed a decline in blood sugar and kidney function.
This is probably due to the anti-cancer drugs, but as a doctor, I am somewhat reluctant to proceed with the next anti-cancer treatment unless this improves within three weeks.
Creatinine clearance for anti-cancer drugs is calculated based on creatinine, age, weight, etc., and while my creatinine clearance was an excellent 69.5 before anti-cancer drugs, it's now 59.7. I want to get it back to the 60s.
In any case, I was told to drink plenty of fluids even in normal times. And from tomorrow, I will be going to radiation therapy every day.
January 20th (Monday) Rain then sunny
It seems that it rained in the morning. The scenery outside also looked moist.
However, as the day approached, the weather gradually improved and it became warm.
As of today, I am no longer receiving intravenous chemotherapy, so I feel refreshed. However, radiation therapy is still ongoing.
First thing in the morning, I had a blood test to check how much damage the chemotherapy had done to my body.
After seeing the results, my doctor decided that it was okay for me to leave the hospital, so it has been decided that I will be discharged tomorrow. Almost one-fifth of my chemotherapy period is over.
A blood test showed abnormal values ??for blood sugar and creatinine, and a decline in kidney function. This is likely damage caused by the anti-cancer drugs, and the focus is on how much recovery there will be in the next three weeks.
In the afternoon, I took a walk around the garden with its hedges.
January 19th (Sun) Sunny
Just before the end, the area where the IV injection was inserted was slightly swollen, so we decided to remove the needle.
The anti-cancer treatment injection was scheduled to finish at 2pm. The doctor had to change the needle again, so it was delayed by two hours.
Even so, the first round of chemotherapy treatment was over by 4:30 in the evening. My doctor will come tomorrow to decide on the next steps.
Since I was hospitalized, I have only been able to wipe my body, let alone take a bath.
I left the injection device in place and took proper waterproofing measures, and was able to take a shower for the first time in a long time.
It was fine because it was still winter and dry, but if it had been summer and hot or humid, it would have been really bad.
It was refreshing and I made it in time for dinner.
January 18th (Saturday) Sunny
Today is Saturday, so I'm off. Radiation treatment is closed on weekends, so there is no treatment today or tomorrow.
However, the anti-cancer drug infusion will be given 24 hours a day for five days in a row, so I have to take him with me whenever I go out.
I don't know what ingredients are in the anti-cancer treatment drip medication, but when the nurses handle it, they put on vinyl aprons, gloves, and protective masks, and when they're done, they throw it in a collection bag.
The continuous administration of the anti-cancer drug is connected to another saline solution at the same time to encourage excretion. The instructions say not to touch feces, and if you shake, wash your hands thoroughly.
If that's the case, you'll have to be hospitalized to do this. Once this anti-cancer treatment is over, your doctor will see you on Monday and decide whether you can be discharged, taking into account any concerns about side effects.
If that happens, I will have to commute from home every weekday for 10-minute radiation therapy. The plan is to be hospitalized again in three weeks for the same anti-cancer treatment.
Don't rush, you still have a long life.
January 17th (Friday) Sunny
I was a bit scared at the beginning of the radiation treatment... well, it was because of fear and the "stay still and don't take deep breaths..." thing.
But by the third time, I got used to it... and it was those 10 minutes that I realized that the half-way point had passed.
I think it was good that I was able to ask questions to the technician during the preparation stage, and my second brother also told me about his experience with radiation, which helped me feel at ease.
Radiation is generated electrically in this device, and 2,000 millisieverts are irradiated in 10 minutes. This is the daily dose, and treatment is completed with a total of 60,000 sieverts.
Radiation therapy will take nearly a month and a half, as I will be off on weekends. By the way, if I fly to Europe, I will be exposed to the equivalent of 10 millisieverts of radiation. In other words, I would have to fly 200 times to get the daily allowance.
Yesterday, I suffered from constipation, an expected side effect, but after following the prescribed medication, I had a regular bowel movement like every other morning, which made me smile.
It's the second day of chemotherapy. I haven't had any particular problems with the 24-hour infusions and radiation therapy, but I've started to experience the expected side effects.
I haven't had a bowel movement before 7am, which I always did every morning. I was given the medicine to deal with it right away, but I wonder if I'll be able to make it by lights out.
The next thing is that the drip also contains a diuretic, but it doesn't seem to be working. My weight has jumped from 53kg to 57.5kg.
I can't reach my wrist because it's a little swollen. This is because a new diuretic is being injected, and I'm surprised that I have to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes.
Well, it was a four-person room, but the toilet was right in front of me, and the nurse's station on this floor was right across from a first-class room.
I spent almost the entire day quietly reading.
January 15th (Wednesday) Sunny
Finally, today, chemotherapy and radiation therapy have begun at the same time.
The doctor said that it would be best if chemotherapy and radiation only worked on cancer cells, but they also have side effects on healthy organs.
Then, just before lunch, I was moved to the radiation therapy room while receiving the infusion, and I'll probably be able to show you a photo of it sometime... a plastic barrier for my own use to precisely fix my body in place.
This barrier was going to be disposed of after 28 radiation treatments, so I asked to keep it. I think the radiation exposure lasted about 10 minutes.
This time, the two main types of anti-cancer drugs are mixed with glucose solution or saline solution, and after the powerful cisplatin is administered, it washes the blood and protects the kidneys.
I will probably be sleeping with a large amount of saline drip all night. It will be 1000ml for 4 hours, and the night nurse will change it for me.
By the way, I have not had any side effects to worry about yet, and my temperature after lunch and before going to bed is just a little high at 36.8 degrees.
A pitiful voice echoes down the hallway from a room somewhere... "Ugh!!!!"
January 14th (Tuesday) Sunny
It was a calm day with no wind. I felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety today, as it was finally the day I would be admitted to the hospital for preventive cancer treatment.
I arrived in the morning, had my blood taken, had my weight measured, went to the convenience store to borrow some pajamas, and then I entered my hospital room.
I didn't have anything else to do today, so I decided to spend the day reading a book.
The nurse in charge showed me the "hospitalization treatment plan" and explained to me. "Given your age, it will be difficult to use the anti-cancer drugs at the strength recommended in the textbook, so I think we will have to reduce the dosage (go easy)."
In the evening, my doctor came to my room and said, "I have looked at the results of your blood tests, and I have confirmed that you have a fair amount of physical strength, so I will try a little bit of the usual combination treatment."
Of course, we will be monitoring the situation, so please rest assured.
The real battle begins tomorrow.
January 13th (Monday) Sunny
I've been hospitalized a few times recently, so I'm getting ready for tomorrow...but it feels like I'm going on a little trip.
The only thing that's different from before is that I no longer have to change the homepage source on my mobile computer before going out.
Previously, I had to copy the source from my home computer to my mobile, write what happened when I was out on it, and then update it to the server.
Microsoft's OneDrive automatically overwrites the data on my mobile PC, so it saves me the trouble of going out.
Well, that's convenient, but it also worries me. Up until now, if an update failed, I was able to fix it on another computer. ...If that's no longer possible and it fails, I'm sure I'll lose it. And because of that, the drive on my mobile PC has become heavy.
I enjoyed playing table tennis yesterday, so I should be feeling a bit sore in my joints today... but I'm fine...? Maybe it'll be tomorrow, but I'm a little worried.
The weather forecast says it may snow in the Kanto region around this evening.
It has now changed to say that there will be no snowfall in the city center, but there is no sunshine and it is a little chilly.
Today and tomorrow are practice days for table tennis, but I went to practice at the table tennis club today to rest and conserve my energy.
I felt refreshed, and halfway through I thought maybe I had gone a little too far, but it's hard to control yourself.
I ended up enjoying it full time, but I'm going to take it easy tomorrow and prepare for my hospital stay on Tuesday.
But it's a shame that my joints hurt not today, but tomorrow... the day after tomorrow.
January 11th (Saturday) Sunny
It was another cold morning today. I said goodbye to my radio friends, telling them that today was my last day and that I will be hospitalized next week.
I hope that everyone will understand my preventive cancer treatment... and that I hope to hear your healthy voices again in the fourth week when I am discharged from the hospital.
I have heard that scientific cancer treatment is tough, so I have been trying to conserve my strength for now.
I have been quietly living my days by going for walks and reading, but I feel like I am gradually getting stressed.
I tried making some pottery by kneading some clay, but the soil is very cold at this time of year!
I was surprised that the cold penetrated to the core of my head, as I have never made pottery in the middle of winter before.
This is no good! I think I will do some light exercise tomorrow and go to play table tennis.
January 10th (Friday) Sunny
The bitterly cold days continue. The Kanto region is in the season of fierce winds.
Today too, if you block the wind and expose your futon to the sun, it will be fluffy and ensure a good night's sleep.
It's almost like you're going to shiver just looking at them.
January 9th (Thursday) Sunny
Morning temperatures are getting colder day by day. It's said that it will get even colder tomorrow.
The snowfall in the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions is the heaviest in recent years, but the Kanto region is calm and sunny.
My homepage celebrated its 20th anniversary last July, and the server, BIGLOBE, is still charging me for that.
The current amount of data is 850MB. The first 100MB was free, but after that, a server storage fee of 500 yen/month is charged for every 50MB. It has been increasing by 50MB every year.
Even so, little by little, it has become a big amount and now it is 8,000 yen (8,800 yen including tax). This monthly expense has become more expensive than a bad life insurance. However, the homepage itself is proof that I am alive, so it was unavoidable.
This winter, I took a break from skiing to undergo preventive cancer treatment, so I had more opportunities to spend time at home during this time of winter, and I was able to spend time on "data compression".
The rain stopped in the morning and the sky cleared. The wind has died down and the forecast says it will be a warm, sunny day.
The sun is still rising late as usual... does that mean the sunrise is still late? I crossed the nearby forest after 7:30.
It was a cold morning, but the sunlight brought a special warmth into the living room.
I spent some time reading in the sunshine today.
In the afternoon, I went down along the Minuma Irrigation Channel to go for a walk while it was still warm. There was a sign that said "50km to the Tone River." This means that it is 50km from my house to the Minuma Irrigation Channel intake in Gyoda.
I always walk here, but the ribbon on the tree that concerned me the other day was a diagnosis target because this area is an appropriate tree health management area.
The rain from last night continued into the morning. The sky was still dark early in the morning, so I woke up in the dark.
The weather forecast said that a low pressure system would soon be moving over the eastern ocean, but the weather cleared up once around noon.
Well, the weather was generally cloudy all day. We also had the air conditioner on heat all day.
Now that the New Year is over and things are finally starting to quiet down, New Year's cards are starting to arrive.
I'm already 75 years old, and I've told people that I'll stop sending New Year's cards, but I still get New Year's cards, so why is that?
Of course! If you include a message for me, it's a good update on your precious friend. I'll write back to you, even if it's a little late. However, in recent years, many of my friends have been using e-mail, but there are still many who prefer to write letters.
The weather was sunny for a while during the day, but it seemed like there was still rain in the evening. I went for a walk and the sky in the distance was still raining here and there, so it was a stormy day.
January 6th (Monday) Cloudy
It was a bitterly cold day without the sun.
I visited Saitama Cancer Center again in the new year.
At the Cancer Center, the chemotherapy nurse in charge gave me a detailed explanation of the preventive treatment for my esophageal cancer that I am about to start this year.
After fully understanding that, I had a meeting with the chemotherapy doctor, and finally, the preliminary mask for radiation was made and the final CT scan was taken.
Today, I went around 10 o'clock and was able to leave after 3 o'clock when everything was finished, so it seems to have taken quite a long time. Therefore, I think that this series of arrangements can be accomplished under a great time constraint for those who are still actively working.
Now, my challenge begins this week! I will be undergoing preventive chemotherapy for esophageal cancer.
While various risks are expected, meals will be delivered by a company and will be delivered from Monday. I have prepared them so that they will be left on this table even when I am not there.
January 4th (Saturday) Sunny
Completely different from yesterday, it was a sunny, calm day with no wind.
My daughter and her husband who live in Yokohama were coming to visit in the afternoon. They said they would prepare the food and other things for us, so don't worry... so we didn't do anything.
Well, these days you can get any food you want as long as you have money. So I think it's convenient to be able to enjoy a conversation without bothering anyone.
My daughter is fine, but her husband doesn't drink alcohol, so I was a bit careful, but it's a normal thing, so once you get used to it, you'll understand that it's just how it is and calm down.
We enjoyed a chat for a while.
January 3rd (Friday) Sunny/Cloudy
Last night, our friend Seiichi suddenly burst into our lodgings at dusk, which surprised us, but we had a great time chatting.
Seiichi has supported our club as a ski resort patrol captain for some time now, and we've become friends.
A little after lunch, I arrived home and had a slightly late lunch. I had some sacred sake and spent the last three days of the New Year in peace.
January 2nd (Thursday) Sunny
Last night, it had been a while since I'd last chatted late into the night, and it was so much fun. Thanks to that, I ended up sleeping in past 7 this morning.
Today, there were three of us, so one of us went to the ski resort early in the morning, the other stopped off at a home appliance store before going to the ski resort, and I headed to Hanasaki-no-Yu.
I returned to the guesthouse satisfied with the calm and quiet New Year's holiday.
January 1st (Wednesday) Sunny
新年明けましておめでとうございます
本年もよろしくお願いいたします。
I went to bed at the same time as usual, so I woke up at 5:45 on New Year's Day.
I read a little more of the newspaper and it was time for radio exercises, so I did some exercises and read the newspaper.
Breakfast was a little later than usual, but it was the same as usual. Daikon miso soup, boiled smelt, three slices of smoked takuan, and 250g of yogurt.
Well, I'm not going skiing today, but I'm heading to Katashina Village in Gunma Prefecture, where there is a ski resort.
To spend New Year's at the usual guesthouse with my ski club friends. The snow stopped on the way and the weather became calm.
