Happy "in between Christmas and New Year!" to all of our wonderful family and friends. No cards were sent this year as we've made a nice donation to "Redkite" who have been a fantastic source of support to our family.
Our Christmas has been quiet, but blessed....this time last year we didn't think there would be four of us for Christmas 2009. BUT....there is!! And Meggie is doing great. She has reached her 6 months remission mark, which has been confirmed even more by a clear CT scan (the results of which we received on 23rd December, along with a HUGE sigh of relief!). Monthly blood tests and 3 monthly CT scans will continue until at least next June, and she'll be declared cancer free after 5 years without relapse. THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN......
Tomorrow is a significant date in our lives. It's one year since Meggie began her second cocktail of chemo which she endured for 5 months. It's also going mark the beginning of the second round of chemo for our lovely friends, Ali, Michelle and their amazing daughter Evie. Our hearts and thoughts are with them and we're praying for a positive outcome. It's also our wedding anniversary....15 years....which is apparently our crystal anniversary.
We wish you a very happy new year. Let's hope that 2010 brings peace, stability, love, calm and health to us all...... Jane xxxx
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Six months down....!
Just a quick post to let you all know that we had the results from Meggie's last blood test and everything is still good! Yay!! That's 6 months in remission now! Awesome! Obviously we're still not "out of the woods" but we just try and take every day as it comes and it's so fantastic seeing Meg enjoying a normal life again.....school, parties, riding, dancing to Michael Jackson,fighting with her sister (well, that part isn't very enjoyable for Phil and I!) We're starting to gear up for Christmas, although I think it'll be quite a laid back and quiet time, which actually suits us fine. The weather has been really kind to us so far - only a couple of stinking hot days, so we're able to enjoy the sunshine and the ocean.
Last Friday we were asked to go back into the local radio station for a follow up interview. Meggie went dressed like Michael Jackson (her obsession is impressive!) They wanted to catch up with all the special kids that they're met over the year. Em and Sam Mac were pleased to see how well Meggie was looking and surprised to see that thick head of red hair!
Please spare a thought and prayers for Meggies little friend Evie who is back in battle with her cancer. She and her parents are having a really tough time at the moment, and we know how that feels. We were in the same boat this time last year and I can't find the words to explain how terrible it is.
Meggie has another CT scan and blood test on 16th December and then results on 23rd. Hoping and praying that things continue the way they have been and that everything is good. She's doing amazingly well - L O N G may it last....
Have a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2010!
Jane x
Last Friday we were asked to go back into the local radio station for a follow up interview. Meggie went dressed like Michael Jackson (her obsession is impressive!) They wanted to catch up with all the special kids that they're met over the year. Em and Sam Mac were pleased to see how well Meggie was looking and surprised to see that thick head of red hair!
Please spare a thought and prayers for Meggies little friend Evie who is back in battle with her cancer. She and her parents are having a really tough time at the moment, and we know how that feels. We were in the same boat this time last year and I can't find the words to explain how terrible it is.
Meggie has another CT scan and blood test on 16th December and then results on 23rd. Hoping and praying that things continue the way they have been and that everything is good. She's doing amazingly well - L O N G may it last....
Have a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2010!
Jane x
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The new normal....
Hi Everyone. Long time, no post....sorry!
Well, we're back from Bali and had a good time, although it really wasn't what we expected. I suppose as Pommies, we were expecting a beautiful island paradise, but the reality is rather different in that the island is really very dirty, and sometimes quite smelly too. We just didn't expect to see that so it was a bit of a shock. Also the condition of the animals, especially the dogs, made our hearts ache too.....We ended up travelling 3 hours to the only animal welfare organisation in Bali so that we could offer some help.....!
However, the Balinese are just the most gorgeous (inside and out) people. So polite, obliging and happy. Many of them have so little and live a life that we cannot even imagine, yet, they're happy.....
Just before we left for Bali, Meg had a review for the results of her CT scan that was done a couple of weeks earlier. We were told that there seemed to be a follicle on her right ovary, which they're sure is nothing to worry about, but she's having an ultrasound tomorrow just to be sure. We really don't expect this to be a problem, but I personally prefer to err on the side of caution and rule it out.
Meggie is doing great! Still looking good, and even has a bit of a tan now! On the whole, she enjoyed Bali, especially the snorkelling day we had at Mengangan Island. I was really proud of her! She's always very reluctant to get into the ocean here in Oz (probably because there are so many things that can sting or kill you!), but at the island, she slapped on her mask, snorkel and flippers and floated around watching the most amazing variety of fish, AND a turtle(!) for 2 hours! It was awesome!
I joined a telegroup this week that is facilitated by Redkite. We're a group of 6 parents of children fighting cancer, from all over Australia, and once a week we'll be having a "conference call" to talk, support, vent, etc.... This week we talked about "The New Normal". This is a way of us realizing that what we considered to be "normal" will never happen again. Once a child has (had) cancer, they change...... I really can't say how what Meg has gone through, truly affects her.... I see it all, I support her through it all, but I can't do it for her. I don't have to have needles, big operations, poison pumped into me, lose my hair, people staring at me, the uncertainty of my future. At the end of the day, in spite of all the love and support that she receives, MEG is the one that has to go through these ordeals. And that MUST make her angry as hell..... I'd be bloody angry.... and I'd want to vent that anger. And that seems to be what the "new normal" is for us at the moment. Lots of volatility, for the slightest of reasons, but at 11 years old, maybe that's the only way she can get it out....? Even as an adult I have feelings that I just don't know how to process sometimes....frustrations, anger, sadness, fear, .... how hard is that for a child that's only been here for 11 years?! I know I'm rambling, but this is something that we're struggling with and I find that once I start typing, things start to make more sense to me.... The interesting thing is that once I threw this issue into the telegroup, I heard a resounding "I hear ya!" from the other parents. We're all going through similar kinds of behavioural issues. It's like the chemo changes your child's personality....but it's probably more that it changes their reaction to life, based on their horrendous experience of cancer.... I don't know....
The thing is, when your child is in remision, everyone thinks "Fantastic!! That's wonderful news!" And it is! It IS wonderful to see Meg doing regular things, enjoying life and being a normal young girl. BUT, it in no way means that your anxiety, struggles and fear are all gone. I'm constantly scared that it's back. The slightest twinge or pain, and I have a fear that "something" is going on. And there's a "fallout" - the results that are left from the damage that the diagnosis, the treatment, the experience, and the unpredictability of the disease leave. It makes me SO angry.
I know I shouldn't say "Why my Meg?" and I really don't very often. I know that our lives are very blessed compared to millions of people around this globe. But now and then, I do ask that question. I'll never know the answer.
I also did something this week that I'm not sure I should have done..... I watched "My Sister's Keeper" on my own (which was probably better than watching it with anyone at all!). I ended up crying harder than I've cried in a long time.... I would call it a "purge". And like my lovely boss said - it was cheaper that 6 councelling sessions!! The movie covers only the surface of what cancer patients go through, but enough to see what a nightmare it is...
I'm starting to think that this blog is a bit like a virtual councellor....
Anyway, ramble over.....off to PMH for the ultrasound tomorrow. I'm sure it'll all be fine and dandy.
My Meg ROCKS!
Well, we're back from Bali and had a good time, although it really wasn't what we expected. I suppose as Pommies, we were expecting a beautiful island paradise, but the reality is rather different in that the island is really very dirty, and sometimes quite smelly too. We just didn't expect to see that so it was a bit of a shock. Also the condition of the animals, especially the dogs, made our hearts ache too.....We ended up travelling 3 hours to the only animal welfare organisation in Bali so that we could offer some help.....!
However, the Balinese are just the most gorgeous (inside and out) people. So polite, obliging and happy. Many of them have so little and live a life that we cannot even imagine, yet, they're happy.....
Just before we left for Bali, Meg had a review for the results of her CT scan that was done a couple of weeks earlier. We were told that there seemed to be a follicle on her right ovary, which they're sure is nothing to worry about, but she's having an ultrasound tomorrow just to be sure. We really don't expect this to be a problem, but I personally prefer to err on the side of caution and rule it out.
Meggie is doing great! Still looking good, and even has a bit of a tan now! On the whole, she enjoyed Bali, especially the snorkelling day we had at Mengangan Island. I was really proud of her! She's always very reluctant to get into the ocean here in Oz (probably because there are so many things that can sting or kill you!), but at the island, she slapped on her mask, snorkel and flippers and floated around watching the most amazing variety of fish, AND a turtle(!) for 2 hours! It was awesome!
I joined a telegroup this week that is facilitated by Redkite. We're a group of 6 parents of children fighting cancer, from all over Australia, and once a week we'll be having a "conference call" to talk, support, vent, etc.... This week we talked about "The New Normal". This is a way of us realizing that what we considered to be "normal" will never happen again. Once a child has (had) cancer, they change...... I really can't say how what Meg has gone through, truly affects her.... I see it all, I support her through it all, but I can't do it for her. I don't have to have needles, big operations, poison pumped into me, lose my hair, people staring at me, the uncertainty of my future. At the end of the day, in spite of all the love and support that she receives, MEG is the one that has to go through these ordeals. And that MUST make her angry as hell..... I'd be bloody angry.... and I'd want to vent that anger. And that seems to be what the "new normal" is for us at the moment. Lots of volatility, for the slightest of reasons, but at 11 years old, maybe that's the only way she can get it out....? Even as an adult I have feelings that I just don't know how to process sometimes....frustrations, anger, sadness, fear, .... how hard is that for a child that's only been here for 11 years?! I know I'm rambling, but this is something that we're struggling with and I find that once I start typing, things start to make more sense to me.... The interesting thing is that once I threw this issue into the telegroup, I heard a resounding "I hear ya!" from the other parents. We're all going through similar kinds of behavioural issues. It's like the chemo changes your child's personality....but it's probably more that it changes their reaction to life, based on their horrendous experience of cancer.... I don't know....
The thing is, when your child is in remision, everyone thinks "Fantastic!! That's wonderful news!" And it is! It IS wonderful to see Meg doing regular things, enjoying life and being a normal young girl. BUT, it in no way means that your anxiety, struggles and fear are all gone. I'm constantly scared that it's back. The slightest twinge or pain, and I have a fear that "something" is going on. And there's a "fallout" - the results that are left from the damage that the diagnosis, the treatment, the experience, and the unpredictability of the disease leave. It makes me SO angry.
I know I shouldn't say "Why my Meg?" and I really don't very often. I know that our lives are very blessed compared to millions of people around this globe. But now and then, I do ask that question. I'll never know the answer.
I also did something this week that I'm not sure I should have done..... I watched "My Sister's Keeper" on my own (which was probably better than watching it with anyone at all!). I ended up crying harder than I've cried in a long time.... I would call it a "purge". And like my lovely boss said - it was cheaper that 6 councelling sessions!! The movie covers only the surface of what cancer patients go through, but enough to see what a nightmare it is...
I'm starting to think that this blog is a bit like a virtual councellor....
Anyway, ramble over.....off to PMH for the ultrasound tomorrow. I'm sure it'll all be fine and dandy.
My Meg ROCKS!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Just called the hospital (for the third time) and finally got hold of one of the nurses that we know and Meggie's blood results are still all good! This is absolutely fantastic news for us all and yet another major achievement for Meggie. Well done honey!! We have to go back to the hospital next Wednesday for a meeting with the oncologist to go over the results of Meg's CT scan - they won't give those results over the phone - but I'm assuming that as her bloods are fine, everything else is too.
That's three months clear now - bloody fabulous!! My redhead is such a star!!
Now we can go away on holiday (we're off to Bali on 8th Oct) and really relax........
That's three months clear now - bloody fabulous!! My redhead is such a star!!
Now we can go away on holiday (we're off to Bali on 8th Oct) and really relax........
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Week 12 - Bloods and CT scan....
Well it's 6.30am and we're off to PMH for another blood test, and Meggie's three monthly CT scan..... nerves, nerves, nerves.........will get the results next week.
Meg's doing great; looking really well, her hair is growing beautifully, and it's still red! Yay! Her temperament just wouldn't suit any other colour!!
We HATE going back into hospital; it brings on really uncomfortable feelings that I can't even put into words, but THANK GOD for PMH. As much we we don't like going back, we're SO glad and lucky that they're there, and are so thankful for the wonderful care that Meg's received these last 18 months.
Thanks to all of you for your continuing messages of support. Pleasee keep them coming...
I'll post Meggie's results next week.
Jane xx
Meg's doing great; looking really well, her hair is growing beautifully, and it's still red! Yay! Her temperament just wouldn't suit any other colour!!
We HATE going back into hospital; it brings on really uncomfortable feelings that I can't even put into words, but THANK GOD for PMH. As much we we don't like going back, we're SO glad and lucky that they're there, and are so thankful for the wonderful care that Meg's received these last 18 months.
Thanks to all of you for your continuing messages of support. Pleasee keep them coming...
I'll post Meggie's results next week.
Jane xx
Monday, August 24, 2009
STILL IN REMISSION!!!!
YAY!!! And PHEW!!! Just called the hospital and Meggie's blood results have come back and she's still CLEAR!!!
WELL DONE MEGGIE MOO!!!!
XXXXXXX
WELL DONE MEGGIE MOO!!!!
XXXXXXX
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