It's Good News Week

I saw my Oncologist on thursday and he had the good news that my CT scan is clear and my blood is perfect!!!! There is a little damage to my liver from the chemo but my liver is working fine.
I had really gotten quite concerned just waiting for the results and it's such a relief to know that I don't have to worry like that again for the next 3 months.
I also had another of my 8 weekly treatments. Getting more settled in to the fact that I am just passing through Oncology for this treatment and not a permanent fixture like I was.
The girls there were all keen to take my cap off to check out my hair. I am getting so many complements about the colour. It's really white with a bit of grey......and it looks very chic as some have said. However, I am still not that confident going everywhere without some kind of head cover on. Family things I'm fine. Dropping in to the local supermarket I am fine. But a big public place where I may stay for a while.....not yet ready!!!!
It's been a big weekend. Yesterday morning started with Joshua's 7th birthday party. He had a bowling party in Mentone and the children had a blast. He had heaps of friends and cousins. Colin, Sara, Maga and Krystal (Tambi's sister) decided to have a game themselves. Colin promptly dropped the ball on his foot!!!!! I couldn't help but laugh.......and he was good about it although it was really hurting him big time.
We're going to go bowling as a family activity more often...the children really got the hang of it and loved it.
Blake in particular did fantastic. What a shame they are leaving this week!
Which brings me to Saturday night......last night. We had a farewell party for Andrea and the children at her friend Alicia's home in Sandhurst. Wow...some home!!!! It was a fun night and Andrea really appreciated being able to say goodbye to her good friends.
I am so tired today. After the thursday treatment I feel totally worn out. By about Tuesday I should be right again. But with all that's going on at the moment there just seems a lot to deal with. Especially Andrea and her children leaving.
We leave this wednesday for the big drive up to Sydney. It's only a couple of days away now...not weeks.....not, maybe it will happen. It's really going to be happening. Andrea is so excited and can hardly wait. Sara, myself, Tambi and Carolina are all emotional and sad at her going, at Blake, Orson and Sahn not being part of our everyday lives anymore.
How I am going to miss them....it's one of those hard events to deal with.
But......I will get to visit and they will visit....but that won't be the same!!! Nothing I can change so I need to be accepting.
Like accepting lots of things in life. No matter how much I may want something or want to go back to things as they were it isn't always possible. Acceptance is a huge thing to learn....and once mastered I imagine it would be a great personal strength to have. Keep on working at it!!!!
Now I've got ironing to do. A packing list to make etc.etc.etc.

Time to Create

This is one of the layouts I finished at the weekend. The photo is so gorgeous and I love the imaginisce papers...the colours are perfect for my India.
The other layouts are already in frames I forgot to take a photo. Will get to it though.
Caught up with the girls I used to work with, and got a free chriropractic treatment as well.....gee they are such lovely people. So good hearted and caring and they are all happy. Great to catch up with them.
Go to go and pick up Grandson Lamont from school. Can't be late! :)

There Just Too Much.....

I was so shocked and sad to read, last night, that Jane McGraw had passed away. I knew about her battles with cancer. I knew that she had a brain tumour. But never thought that she was in such a life threatening condition.
There are just way too many lovely and beautiful and strong women dying from brain tumours and breast cancer. In less than twelve months I have watched three gorgeous women die from these cancers, and now another public figure from the same thing.
I HATE CANCER.
About 95% of women I met whilst having chemo were having treatment for breast cancer. And I think of several whom I got to know really well and although we didn't exchange contact details I just hope their lives are blessed and that they become 'survivors'. Breast cancer is one of those horrible cancers that so easily transfers to other areas of your body. And although the actual breast cancer may be gone there is always a chance it's going to show up somewhere else.
I remember my oncologist telling me that 1 in 3 people will have some kind of cancer. That's a horrible statistic.
I had the first of my checkup CT Scans last week. This week I have one of my 8 weekly treatments and a visit with my Oncologist to tell me the results of my scan. Although I have been feeling confident, all of a sudden I feel vulnerable and somewhat nervous. And I hope and pray that my results are clear.

On to happier and better things. I am definetly driving up to Brisbane with Andrea and the kids next week. We leave on the 2nd, driving up to Sydney. We'll stay there for a couple of nights and then head on up North to Brisbane on the Friday.
It's going to be fun and difficult and exciting all at once. I'm looking forward to it because I will be able to see where Andrea will be living. Mat has a 4yr old house, it's big and just perfect for their 'blended' family to start a new beginning.
I will be able to take lots of photos and have a mental image of my eldest daughter in her new environement.
I still find it hard to talk about her moving without the tears starting. In fact I can cry at anything so easily at the moment. I'm not sure if that is because of Andrea and the children moving or just a combination of lots of things. I have babysat Sahn quite a bit lately and I am going to miss this querkie special little girl so much. We have such a strong bond. She doesn't go to other people easily but she's always been able to be with me. Blakey is taking the change in his stride but I know he is going to miss his cousins and his papa and nanna. Orson is a bit of a mummy's boy so as long as mummy is around he'll be OK. Although I'm sure he will tell her he wants to go home when he's had enough of this new life.

I have been commissioned by an online store to do some projects for them and am getting right in to it. But it brings back how difficult it is to create on demand. Going to finish the work today and get back to having some fun with scrapbooking.

Last week I had such a great couple of days. I scrapbooked.......photos!!! Not my cancer journal but photos. With a group of friends we had a crop together at Tambi's house. I actually prepared myself with having kits ready to go (talk me all day!!). I finished 3 layouts and nearly finished a 4th. Stayed up until midnight scrapbooking. I havn't done that for a year!!! It was so good.
I stayed the night....sleeping in Isaacs bed while he was asleep on a couple of kids couches on the floor. However, somehow during the night he insisted we swap because he couldn't sleep. So, down on to the floor I went. Trying to sleep on these thin little couches. Then India decided to join me!!! it was still dark!! What was she thinking??? It was so lovely to snuggle up with her. She is such an affectionate little thing.
After not much sleep at all I went with Tambi and the children to school because India had dressup day. She was dressed up as Ariel and looked so yummy. Got lots of photos...of course!!! McKenzie..only 3..insisted on getting dressed up too. So we had Ariel and Superman!!!
In the afternoon Andrea, Sara and Carolina came over to Tambi's for lunch...so it was a very full day.
When I got home I was exhausted but so happy. I had a little rest. Finished off the layout and started on the online projects. I was on a roll. So, today I get to finish it all off, I hope!

Those twists and turns

Life sure does take its many twists and turns.
This morning our dear young friend Taliane passed away. After battling a brain tumour for less than two years. At 22yrs of age. Mother of a 3yr old and an 18 month old.
The past two months have been horrible for her and her husband Jon and their little ones. Now they have the tragic relief that it's over.
Very, very sad. God bless you Taliane.

I am now going to be driving up to Brisbane with Andrea and her children in a couple of weeks. Plans changed and I get to go. We'll have a two night stop over in Sydney at my sisters house. She and her husband will be travelling the world by then so we won't actually get to spend any time with her.
Once in Brisbane I am also going to spend some time with my eldest sister, Erna. I have only spent six hours in Brisbane.......went to a wedding and home the same night.....so am looking forward to seeing a little bit of some things.

Andrea is so excited about her new plans. She told me that since I had cancer she has had to depend on herself much more than she used to and found strengths that she never knew she had. And thereby being able to make the decision to uproot away from us all and believe in herself. I think that's fantastic for her that she has found that growth and is able to give herself this wonderful opportunity. I still feel sad, however.

That's it.....got some ironing to do.

My Weekend

These photos tell a little about what I got up to this weekend. Firstly, I finally asked Colin to take a photo of me without any headcover on at all. I guess I should have been aware that creating a collage in picassa mind mean that my photo came up twice!!! Never mind..it's what I look like now. White silver hair about one or two cm long. Kind of getting used to the colour.
I enjoyed taking some pics of our kittens. They are now a year old, so hardly kittens anymore. They are both cute and right now fast asleep in a warm spot in the house.

Just for a change (?) we all met up at Braeside Park on Monday (Queens Birthday) for a BBQ. Unfortunately the weather kind of turned against us, but we still had some fun and the children enjoyed playing outside. Especially climbing trees. Little Sahn is up for anything that she can climb.....even if she doesn't know how to get down. I love watching Harrison enjoy the outdoors. He does tend to take off in to the bushes though so he needs careful watching.
I was very really confused when McKenzie came running up from a distance when they first arrived. I was sure it was India because of the pig tails. But......no....it was McKenzie bobbing along. She is growing up so fast. I love the expression on her face as she holds her Papa's hand.
India is always ready for a photo.....a natural for the camera lens.

A family photo of Andrea and her 3 children was a bit difficult to get....but we managed....even if it's not 'picture perfect'.

The photo of Andrea sharing something with Blake was a real special moment.

Whilst we were preparing lunch Andrea nudged up to me and said "I'm moving to Brisbane!". Oh my.......I knew it was a strong possibility, but to have her say it was tough. In the photo she is telling Blake that they are moving to Brisbane to live with Mat and Keane (Mat is Andrea's boyfriend/partner - to - be, Keane is his 6yr old). The first thing Blake asked was; "Where is Orson going to live?" That was explained fairly quickly but it was pretty funny.
Andrea is so relaxed now. She has been agonising over this decision for weeks and weeks. Moving to Brisbane means leaving all her family and all her friends behind. She doesn't know anyone in Brisbane. But....she and Mat are really great together and love eachother...so finally yesterday morning she made the decision.

Of course.....I had to walk away as I burst in to tears. And....so did Sara. This is the first time one of my children is moving away to permanently live interstate. I am still like a mother hen with wide wings over my children. I can't spread my wings that far. It really makes me so very very happy for Andrea. She has had a string of nightmare relationships behind her and really deserves a break with a man who will cherish her. Mat will do that. He already does. But, selfishly, I want her to stay. I want my three grandchildren to stay. It means missing birthdays, and Blake's first day at a new school......and the everyday contact we have. It means that Sahnie has less people in her life who she trusts and goes to easily.

I can't help but remember that this time last year was when things began to unravel for me and my family. Different situation, but the enormous emotional drain, again. I am not superstituous and thinking that it's going to be downhill again. I guess I just really struggle with anything that opens the floodgates because I can't shut them so easily and I am so aware of how vulnerable I still am. So, Andrea is planning to move in the next school holidays....only weeks away. It's just going to be tough....again!!!! Somehow though I get through the tough times......learn new things about myself and my strengths or lack of!!!

Now, it's time to go to the podiatrist. Wish it was going for a massage instead!!!!!!