Monday 27 December 2021

Gig economy

All my favourite colours. My sisters and my brothers. See them like no other
Colors - Black Pumas

A blog in lieu of a Christmas letter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all

A quick catch up. The autumn in our house has been pretty good. Work and school have gone well, and all 5 of us have done our best to socialise, when permitted. This included a great night out for Marisa’s birthday. Thanks to all who were there.

We avoided covid until the last week of school. Even once two of us had tested positive, we managed to avoid spreading it further among ourselves and were clean and clear in time for my parents to join us on Christmas Eve. Between us, our household has had 10 covid jabs so far... we’re definitely getting the benefit of science.

Marisa and I took ourselves to Sarajevo for a week in October. And at half term we all 5 made a flit to Mauritius for hot sun and bottomless drinks. I felt a little guilty about that at the time, but another month or two’s perspective reinforces in my mind the importance of doing things while we can...

In London, I’ve fitted in several more gigs, including  seeing Black Pumas play for the second time. They’re a bit more of a big deal now, having had their profile raised by playing at Joe Biden’s inauguration in the mean time. I can’t imagine I’d want to see any band that was willing to play for Donald Trump or Boris Johnson.

While in Scotland in the summer, I was reminiscing about a previous trip up there, and wondering how come I’d subsequently almost lost contact with my companion from that long-ago holiday. This gave me the motivation to reach out to several friends I haven’t seen in many years, and arrange to meet up for lunch (or breakfast, or beers...) It’s been a real highlight of the autumn for me to renew my friendship with a number of people with whom I should never have drifted out of touch in the first place. I intend to do more of this, in the months ahead.

My light chains are up a little (230 this time vs 160 last time), but the ratio is static, so at this stage I have no idea if the  change is significant of anything. But it has - yet again - reminded me to live while I can. I’m certainly not going to cower from covid while I’m feeling good and my immune system is operational.

I hope covid hasn’t hit you too badly. It was surprisingly mild on us. Not so for my friend Suzette who had just started a new line of treatment for her myeloma when she caught covid in November. She is currently in an induced coma in the ICU. If my timing had been less fortuitous, I could easily have been in her situation myself. Indeed unless covid blows over before my relapse is complete, I will find myself in exactly her position - trying to avoid an ever-present risk without any meaningful protection. Spare her a thought - especially if you happen upon any mask refusers or vaccine sceptics. By letting covid spread easily, their selfishness increases the risk for everyone who is currently immune-suppressed.

1 comment:

Alex Bicknell said...

Suzette Fox died on New Year’s Day.

My only words, at times like these, are borrowed from a song shared with me by another mmer…

Those of us who’re left… “We live to dance another day, It's just now we have to dance for one more of us”

I’ll dance for you, Suzette.