Off-topic - Apologies for recent absence

[PatrickS2222]

Just before... got back to my room and opened your post. They have lived in many parts of the world but settled in Brisbane. My wife and I were there in early March vacationing in Noosa Beach for a week... beautiful area! Wishing your family the best!

Wow, that's no more than 60 miles away! I certainly hope you and your wife enjoyed your visit. Plenty more great places to visit here though :thumbsup: But then, I reckon I could spend 5 years touring (wandering) around the USA and Canada and still not see everything on my list! :laughing: But that's just me - I reckon real, everyday people living in the smaller, off-the-beaten-track towns, certainly in rural areas - big cities don't really interest me. Some attractions such as Disneyland would be fun, I could easily be wrong but I expect they would almost certainly be crowded. Other cultural and historical attractions such as the NASA Space Centre, the Smithsonian Institute, The Calgary Stampede, Niagra Falls, there are several US air museums, areas like the Mid-west, Manitoba - I could make a huge list! I'd have to ensure to drift north only in summer - stay south during the colder months ... Brrrrrr! California, particularly Hollywood would have to be included though.
Brisbane is somewhat well-known for a few reasons - one not many might be aware of is that Neil Diamond's wife hails from Brisbane :thumbsup:
My older brothers as well as my wife and I have been life-long fans of an absolutely incredible artist. We've been to two of his concerts - both in Brisbane. Both very special evenings, the second was only 4 or 5 years ago, unbelievable he was still touring at about 72 years of age!

 

[PatrickS2222]

It appears the tiredness from her radiation has really kicked in now - sleep seems to be Jenny's preferred pastime! :laughing: I'm advised though that this will be quite a temporary issue. She has enjoyed a lovely weekend with one of her Godmothers whom whilst having been widowed several years ago just adores Jenny and loves her coming to visit. She lives only a few miles away. This weekend she also has two young grand-daughters staying as well, and they all had a great time together. Jenny wanted to take the girls skating this afternoon but was just too tired, and was in bed asleep by 6pm! The only other thoughts to mention are that her doctors are still very happy with her health; and school term break starts at the end of this week. Cheers for now.

 

[GAFarmer2]

It appears the tiredness from her radiation has really kicked in now - sleep seems to be Jenny's preferred pastime! :laughing: I'm advised though that this will be quite a temporary issue. She has enjoyed a lovely weekend with one of her Godmothers whom whilst having been widowed several years ago just adores Jenny and loves her coming to visit. She lives only a few miles away. This weekend she also has two young grand-daughters staying as well, and they all had a great time together. Jenny wanted to take the girls skating this afternoon but was just too tired, and was in bed asleep by 6pm! The only other thoughts to mention are that her doctors are still very happy with her health; and school term break starts at the end of this week. Cheers for now.

That put a smile on my face this morning. Hope and pray she continues to improve!

 

[PatrickS2222]

I had mis-heard the general opinion of Jenny's tiredness - it is not temporary, but could last several months. That said, either she seems to be contending with it a little better, or lately it is becoming less severe. She also begins the next 5-day set of chemo-therapy tablets next week.
Today (June 16th) is Jennifer's 17th birthday. She certainly enjoyed the day, was intent on going to school because it is the last day of Term 2 - now they have two weeks' break. The School Principal is quite sport-oriented and thrilled with the exposure Jenny gives the school through her skating pursuits. He is also generally family-minded and extremely concerned for her well-being and recovery. At morning assembly the whole school (several hundred students) sang "Happy Birthday" to her! :laughing: She was indeed amazed because it was a complete surprise. She told me dozens upon dozens of students - most of whom she doesn't know well at all - were giving her birthday wishes through the whole day!
I'm surprised she has gone to a party tonight with a nice young guy she is "good friends" with, he is quite sensible and very supportive for her. I expect it won't be a late night - she will certainly sleep well tonight! :thumbsup: It has been wet weather for several days with light rain-showers - good sleeping weather.
Almost forgot to advise ..... Jenny had her first competition event last weekend - between the four local skating clubs. She was in the Open Short routine and placed third among ten skaters. :thumbsup: Her coach has basically retired - she is quite elderly and Jenny was her only remaining skater. There are several others well-qualified to coach her and she will have to decide shortly.
Cheers for now. :drink:

 

[Wagtail]

Glad to hear, Mate.

 

[davedj1]

Good to hear. Wish her a belated Happy birthday from my wife and I.

 

[PatrickS2222]

Good to hear. Wish her a belated Happy birthday from my wife and I.

Done Dave, thank you and your wife. :thumbsup: Also, thank you all for your positive thoughts.
Jenny's on school holidays now, and well into the next course of tablet-chemo, had a great few days and weekend but is again very tired as a result. That said, she manages it much better and it is notably shorter in duration. She is also happy her hair is beginning to regrow in the area affected by the radio-therapy.
She is looking forward to the roller-skating National Figure-skating Championships next weekend - being held this year at the venue closest to where we live. While she isn't competing this year, it will be a great opportunity for her to catch up with a lot of interstate skaters she has met in previous years. I expect she will spend a lot of time watching, socialising and just enjoying some time off the rink. :laughing:

 

[PatrickS2222]

Just a quick note to advise you all Jenny is doing quite well. She finished another course of tablet chemo last Monday, after a couple days her tiredness wore off and she's feeling quite well. Her hair is growing nicely, and she's just yesterday had it cut quite short! :thumbsup: It's apparently called a "Pixie cut" - so now all of it grows from the same length. :laughing:

 

[Wagtail]

HUZZAH!

 

[Bird]

We always like to hear good news! Thanks for the update.:thumbsup:

 

[GAFarmer2]

 

[shaeff]

Great news, Patrick! I think of you and your family often, sending good vibes your way!

 

[PatrickS2222]

Thanks to all - good vibes and positive waves all seem to help :thumbsup: Doctors are very happy with the results of her last blood tests.
She's one very determined young lady - still training and recreational skating. She's starting to coach a couple of younger beginners as well :laughing:

 

[PatrickS2222]

G'day All, it's been two months so I thought I'd better check in and let everyone know how Jenny's doing.
All your positive thoughts appear to be a great help! :thumbsup: The specialists are still thrilled with her progress. Especially happy is her surgeon, whom she hadn't seen for 2-3 months, until a chance meeting while she was awaiting her Oncologist's appointment. He was thrilled to see her "looking so fit and well, and so happy and bubbly" which only made her even happier.
The chemo- tablets don't seem to affect her energy quite as much as they once did, and she's looking forward to finishing them. She's also spending more time at school as well. In the meantime she's still skating, training, learning new performance routines and enjoying it more. Additionally, it isn't long until the School Formal - a highlight of the final year at secondary school. :laughing: Several months ago she asked our neighbour to chauffer her and event partner there. He has a lovely restored 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air, he told her he would be proud to, and wouldn't let anything prevent him from doing that for her. :laughing:
She also has Toby, her little dog - a King Charles Spaniel - who we all love, and he's a lot of fun for us all, especially Jenny. She's had him since a small puppy and has taught him some manners, as well as several tricks. One day he will learn to leave the cats alone, until then he chases them, then they box him up!
Next month is an MRI scan to ascertain no regrowth has appeared - the doctors don't expect any but there is always a chance it could.
"So far, so good".

 

[3930dave]

Great to hear that update Patrick.

She's thinking about the prom coming up....... good to see that things are getting back to normal, for all of you.

Rgds, Dave.

 

[PatrickS2222]

Great to hear that update Patrick.

She's thinking about the prom coming up....... good to see that things are getting back to normal, for all of you.

Rgds, Dave.

Thanks mate, yes, life is about as close to normal as it can be.

We were advised today she can't resume driving until next January ..... was quite a disappointment for her.
Looks like she's restricted to the ride-on mower and tractors for a while longer!
But on a brighter note she's feeling fit and well, her hair is regrowing nicely and the days are nice and warm ... although the weather has now been wet for almost a week, we needed rain after almost seven months of very little rain.

 

[shaeff]

Glad to hear she's doing well!

How is the rest of the family?

 

[PatrickS2222]

Thanks Shaeff. Everyone's doing Ok under the circumstances, although my wife has taken the major portion of the responsibility of Jennifer's care, planning her work around various appointments and specialists' visits. I have to work as usual, and it's a bit of a mission to arrange time off at short notice. Our son and his fiancee have purchased a land allotment and are having a house built. Our elder daughter has just completed her university qualification in nursing, achieving pleasing results along the way. While it's always in our minds and sometimes a worry that she may have more trouble, one must continue on in the meantime.

 

[Oldpath05]

The age old question, Why?, lot a people have to go through a lot in this life.

Deut.30:19> I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

 

[PatrickS2222]

I reckon it's well beyond time for a progress update.
The only complication is what seems to be that Jennifer has begun to have a sort of reaction to her Chemo- tablets ..... somewhat similar to an allergy. She went to the hospital and took her first day's tablets (of the most recent instalment) and her reaction astounded her medical team so much they kept four staff at her bed until they were convinced things had settled down, and kept her in overnight in case of a further reaction. My wife was happy they saw what had really concerned her during the previous tablets. She also stayed there, and all was well next morning. Fortunately she has only three remaining chemo- instalments.

On a brighter note, November here in Australia was Brain Cancer Awareness Month, and the Federal Government announced an allocation of $50m over 10 years to help fund research, and "Big Business" identities have got together and matched it $for$ which is an incredible gesture of generosity, particularly by one fellow Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest, who reportedly donated $10m himself! :thumbsup: He owns a couple coal mines and has a few other business activities to keep him busy. :laughing:
Many other organisations have also been fundraising - especially for the Childrens' Hospital, as has Jenny's skating club by holding a huge roller-disco, with lots of prizes donated by local businesses. The hospital have their own in-house "TV Station" operated completely by volunteers. They invited her to compere a show two weeks ago.

Rather than type it all again ... here's a Copy-&-paste from my facebook account which keeps family and friends informed: -

Jennifer suddenly has been quite the celebrity in the last fortnight or so.
First was the Year 12 formal where she and her partner for the event looked very smart together. I have only a couple of pics, but can't copy them from my phone. Others certainly have shared some of the several thousand photos taken on the evening.
The Lady Cilento Children's Hospital have an award-winning in-house TV station - run completely by volunteers - who invited Jenny to compere their weekly program. This I can help out with .... a link: Hint - Watching the segments is optional .... I merely skipped along the preview line and watched the intro to each segment.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...N56SY-0Awy7oefpz9m-oesisC7nRF0aVrxgatqh9CthC5

The Courier Mail - the main Brisbane newspaper - somehow were made aware of her battle, so they arranged with Debbie to come out here to interview and photograph Jennifer. The article was also published in the Gold Coast Bulletin, Lismore's Northern Star and several local newspapers. Here's a link:

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...b2DaEsVIWqUhomcvyD-Dvigux7oP3Ioib6aLl8g6JkcZ1

Oh, that lovely hair is indeed a wig ..... her own hair is growing quickly ..... but not quite that fast!
Hope you enjoy it!

She should be able to officially resume driver training in about three weeks. That said, we recently found that due to a administrative error her learner's permit was never officially suspended. She could have been driving six months ago! We were driving today, and she's really quite capable. :laughing: It must be due to all those hours on the mower and the tractors! I would give her a license. :thumbsup:
Lastly, she has found a car - a MB A170 - red, auto, 2-door hatch. We went and looked at it - was at a small car-dealer very close to home. He recognised me when he remembered me helping them out at their previous location. We bought the car - very cheap at $2000. Jenny is thrilled!

That's about all - it's late on Christmas Eve and this little black duck should turn his toes up for the night.

Merry Christmas to all, safe travelling and hope for some relaxing time off! :thumbsup: