The Waning Summer

It was a cool day today, almost too cool, with a misty light drizzle for most of the morning. This follows several mild days and a decent shower of rain the other night, hardly enough to register in the gauge but cooling yes, and envigourating to the garden. Last week we had mild overcast mornings, as still as can be, followed by warm and sunny balmy afternoons that had me looking for shade.

For all money, it looks and feels like autumn has come early, although there's some hot weather forecast for early next week. For sure March can be stinking hot, but it does seem unlikely now.

I had a rheumatologist appointment on Monday. It went as I expected. My blood tests showed inflammation levels were still up. It appears the combination of methotrexate and sulphasalazine is not working so he wants me to go on another drug soon, Abatacept, a biological DMARD. I am to get more blood tests next week, (for an extra raft of screening that must be done before I can go on it) and then see him again on March 7 with the anticipation of then taking the Abatacept, with the methotrexate still, and dropping the sulphur one. The Abatacept can be taken a variety of ways but he said probably best for me is to self inject once a week.

I have not taken prednisolone since October. I know if I take this I can function freely without much pain but the side effects of long term use are a serious risk and I was on it for nearly two years, long enough for me to rest my mind and get off it unless I'm desperate. I was taking therapeutic doses of Panadol Osteo daily for some weeks which helped but I have backed right off that too to give my system a break. I pop a couple of Paracetomol+Codeine at night and a couple of Panadol Rapid in the morning, trying to limit to 4 tabs a day in total which does take the edge off it, with some days when I take nothing at all. I'm OK, still able to do most things but more slowly and carefully. My blood test readings of last week showing the inflammation was no surprise because my pain barometer told me it was so.

This medical stuff weighs down the mind, but I have to say my enjoyment of life is high. With the detraction of less than perfect physical health comes a greater appreciation of all I'm grateful for, and it seems, enhanced receptors for the beauty around me. On Monday on my way back from the specialist I happened to look to my right into the houses on the hill east of Stud Rd as I went down the hill towards the creek, on Heatherton Road, to see a magnificent Atlantic Cedar boldly dominating the scene. I had never noticed this tree before, not surprisingly, as one is usually focused on driving in traffic. It was majestic in shape and size and admirable for its soft blue colouring. It literally made my day and I will watch for it every time I go to Dandenong.

On Tuesday I had a meeting to attend in the museum late in the day and went for a stroll afterwards to let Pip have a walk as she had been in the car while I was in meeting. In a row of golden maples that we planted some years ago, I was happy to see that one that had struggled for three or four years (when planting it the dirt fell off the root ball when we cut the bag off, on an unusually hot September day, and the tree was shooting), had come good, and was catching up the trees either side of it in the row. This was enormously heartwarming to me.

The big tree in the row was there already when we planted the others to make a row. Adjacent is a row, right of photo, is a row of red maples, planted above Gus Ryberg's memorial tree at the same time as the golden maples, also to make a row. Imagine the magnificent autumn colour when these trees reach maturity in the years ahead.