こんにちは。
10月に入り涼しくなってきましたね。 8月に突発性難聴になりましたとお伝えしましたが、いまだ治療が続いています。
少しずつ圧迫感が弱くなり、余り違和感がなくなってきましたが依然として高い音と低い音が聞こえにくいです💦
来週10/19は月一回の通院日。病院に通院するのもすっかり私の日常になりました。そして、タグリッソと整腸剤を服用するのも日課です。
副作用が強かったため、医師と相談して減量したタグリッソですが、最近また口内炎が出てきています。それでも、減量前と比べると副作用はかなり軽くなりました。ただ、口内炎は痛みがあり、食欲にも影響しますね。
去年から愛用している「パックスナチュロン 石けんはみがき」。私の場合、口内炎があるときにも刺激を感じにくく、助かっています。
さて、今日は仕事前に久しぶりに近くの国定公園にある山に朝から登って来ました。
そこの滝は日本の滝100選にも選ばれており、季節によって表情を変えるとても美しい滝です。
滝へ続く道から少しそれたところに休憩場所があって、そこのベンチに寝転がって上を見上げるとまだ緑色のモミジの葉が風邪にそよそよとなびいていて、下を流れる川のせせらぎと鳥の声を聞きながら、なんて幸せなひとときでしょう（初めて写真をアップしてみました）
ちょうど2年前、肺がんの診断を受ける前ですが、同じ場所で空を見上げていたことを思い出します。あのときは半年後に起きることなんて予想もしなかったなあと・・・
先週、長女の吹奏楽引退演奏会がありました。 がんと診断された時、長女が中学1年生、その長女がもう受験生です！ 引退演奏を聴けるなんて本当に幸せ。 涙涙でした。 そして今年中学1年生になった次女も吹奏楽に入り、姉妹で音楽を楽しんでいます。
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最近、正式に会社を設立しました。まだ一人で運営する小さな会社ですが、ここから少しずつ事業を形にしていきたいと思っています。
会社設立に際して準備が思っていたよりも大変でした。 そして創業融資の申請のために作成しなければならなかった創業計画書は数ヶ月かかりました。 ステージIVの肺腺がんと診断され、がんは切除できていますが、今も治療を続ける中での起業。創業融資を受けられるのだろうかという不安もありましたが、無事に融資を受けられることになり、ほっとしました。
全てが初めての経験、税理士さんを探したり、サプライヤーを全国から探したりと慌ただしく日々が過ぎていきます。その中にあっても余り詰め込みすぎないように身体の声を聞きながら、今日は少し休みながらなど、工夫をして働いています。
今、一番困っているのはSNS。私はSNSやITに疎くて、使い方も本当にわからない(^_^;) 今の時代、全てにSNSを利用する時代に私は全くついていけていません。インスタグラムのアカウントを開設して間もないので試行錯誤しながらです。一回一回の投稿にも時間がかかり・・・・恥ずかしいです（笑）。でも、これも新たな経験、一つ一つ学んでいます。
病気になる前まで毎日忙しい仕事人生がこれからも定年退職まで続くのだろうと思っていました。特段、やりたいこともなく、仕事も楽しかったこともあり日々同じことを繰り返す、そんな生活でした。
肺癌S4と診断されて、強制的に環境が変わったといいましょうか、、、今まで当たり前が当たり前でなくなった時、多くのことを学びました。そして知ることができました。
闘病生活の中で気づいたことを、できる範囲で、できる形で社会に還元したい。そして、同じ状況にある患者様、ご家族や私自身の希望にもつなげていきたい。そんな思いから、新たな一歩を踏み出しました。
次回は会社の事業内容について書ければ良いなと思っています。
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Hello everyone!
It’s getting cooler now that October is here. As I mentioned back in August, I developed sudden sensorineural hearing loss, and I’m still undergoing treatment.
The pressure in my ear has gradually eased, and I’m feeling much more comfortable than before. However, I still have difficulty hearing both high- and low-pitched sounds. 💦
Next week, on October 19, I have my monthly hospital appointment. Going to the hospital has become a regular part of my life, as has taking Tagrisso and medication to help with my digestion.
Because the side effects were quite severe, I consulted my doctor and reduced my dose of Tagrisso. Recently, however, I’ve started getting mouth ulcers again. Even so, the side effects are much milder than they were before the dose reduction. The mouth ulcers are still painful, though, and they can affect my appetite.
I’ve been using PAX NATURON soap-based toothpaste since last year. In my experience, it causes little irritation even when I have mouth ulcers, which has been a real relief.
Today, before heading to work, I went for a morning hike in the mountains of a nearby quasi-national park for the first time in a while.
There is a beautiful waterfall there that has been selected as one of Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls. Its appearance changes with the seasons, making it a wonderful place to visit throughout the year.
A little off the path leading to the waterfall, there is a quiet resting spot. I lay down on a bench and looked up at the sky. The maple leaves were still green, swaying gently in the breeze. Listening to the sound of the stream flowing below and the birds singing around me, I thought to myself, how lucky I am to enjoy a moment like this.
I’ve uploaded a photo for the first time, too!
It reminded me of being in the very same place two years ago, before I was diagnosed with lung cancer. I remember looking up at the sky just as I did today. Back then, I never could have imagined what would happen just six months later…
Last week, my eldest daughter had her final concert with her school’s Brass band.
When I was diagnosed with cancer, she was in her first year of junior high school. Now, she’s already preparing for her high school entrance exams!
Being able to hear her perform in her final concert was such a blessing. I was in tears throughout the performance.
My younger daughter, who started her first year of junior high school this spring, has also joined the wind ensemble. It makes me so happy to see the two sisters sharing their love of music.
Recently, I officially established my own company. It’s still a small business run by just me, but I’m looking forward to gradually turning my ideas into reality.
Setting up the company turned out to involve much more preparation than I had expected. It also took several months to put together the business plan required for my startup loan application.
Starting a business while living with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma, even after having the cancer surgically removed and while continuing treatment, came with its share of uncertainty. I wondered whether I would be able to obtain a startup loan, but I was relieved when my application was approved.
Everything has been a new experience. I’ve been busy searching for an accountant, finding suppliers from all over Japan, and working through the many tasks involved in starting a business.
At the same time, I’m trying not to take on too much. I listen to my body and make adjustments when needed, sometimes slowing down and taking a little rest during the day. I’m learning how to work in a way that takes care of my health, too.
One of my biggest challenges right now is social media!
I’m not very familiar with social media or IT, and honestly, I’m still figuring out how everything works. 😂 In this day and age, when social media seems to be used for just about everything, I feel like I’m struggling to keep up.
I only recently created my Instagram account, so I’m learning through trial and error. Even a single post takes me quite a bit of time to put together… It’s a little embarrassing to admit! Haha.
But this is all part of a new experience, and I’m learning one step at a time.
Before I became ill, I thought I would continue working at my busy corporate job every day until retirement. I didn’t have any particular dreams I wanted to pursue. I enjoyed my work, and life had settled into a familiar routine of doing much the same things day after day.
Being diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer completely changed my circumstances, whether I was ready for it or not.
When the things I had always taken for granted were no longer guaranteed, I learned so much and came to see life in a different way.
Through my cancer journey, I discovered things I wanted to share with society, in whatever way I could and within the limits of what I am able to do.
I also wanted to create something that could offer hope for the future—not only for myself, but also for my family and for other patients and their loved ones facing similar circumstances.
With these thoughts in my heart, I decided to take a new step forward.
I hope to share more about my company and what we do in my next post.
Thank you for reading! 💙