Off-topic - Apologies for recent absence

[pmsmechanic]

What a beautiful young lady! Wishing all of you the best in the new year. Merry Christmas!

 

[3930dave]

It's great to hear another good update Patrick.

Best Wishes for the Holidays and New Year to you and all your family.

Rgds, Dave.

 

[PatrickS2222]

Thank you all for your kind comments. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year to everyone.
Yes, she is quite the young lady these days - quite well-rounded and smart, but the last year's experiences have, in that respect, had some effect on her as well. We went shopping together yesterday for some last-minute presents, and took the opportunity for some driving practice as well. It was a lovely afternoon and it reminded me how fortunate I am to still have two lovely daughters.

One last time Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year to everyone.

 

[Wagtail]

And to you & yours Mate.

 

[shaeff]

Merry belated Christmas to you and yours as well, Patrick! So glad to see she's doing well!

 

[PatrickS2222]

Thank you for such wonderful remarks and thoughts. She's finished secondary school, working part-time, driving practice as my chauffeur :laughing: and doing very well too :thumbsup: I might add! Just four instalments of Chemo- left! We're cautiously optimistic, all appears very encouraging, but the war isn't won yet.
May the New Year bring more good news. :thumbsup:

Best Wishes to All and their families for the New Year - I truly hope it is the Very Best year yet. :thumbsup: Cheers! :drink:

 

[PatrickS2222]

Hey, time for another update!
Last Saturday was exactly one year after Jenny's operation ..... what a totally different frame of mind we're in this year, compared to last year!
One year ago we all were so nervous and worried about the future. This year she's a picture of health again!
She had a high-resolution MRI scan yesterday and the result was ... no visible evidence of any regrowth! :thumbsup:
Her last instalment of chemo- tablets also resulted in very little reaction - seems to be a further reduction. Three lots to go!
We were advised her learner's permit is definitely re-instated, so I registered her car and she's thrilled to be driving her own car - a Mercedes Benz of course - although being only an A170 it's hardly a bitumen-burner. But it is a great little vehicle, a real girl's car, bright red, 2-door hatchback, and although she's usually quite humble, it gives her a little style when she's on the road. :laughing: She has also had a couple driving lessons with a qualified instructor, who says Jenny is one of the most natural drivers she's ever taught .... maybe those hours on the mower were a real help!
When she has time, it's some part-time work, some skating training, or a little coaching for a couple of younger skaters.
We remain optimistic and we hope that with the help of all your positive vibes her recovery continues, and also that she stays as positive about life as she has been until now. :drink:

 

[3930dave]

Excellent news !

A first car, getting back to sports, work :thumbsup:

Thanks for sharing the journey...... it's an important reminder of many things, for all of us.

Rgds, D.

 

[PatrickS2222]

Well time has flown by and I can't believe it's been well over two months since our last update!
Again, I'm thrilled to report all news is good. :thumbsup: She has well and truly exceeded the 100 hours driving under the supervision and instruction of a licensed driver - mostly my wife on their way to skating training and related trips ... and maybe just a little shopping here and there! She has booked her test on May 8th.
She has one last instalment of chemo - that's next week, then it's "all appears Ok, but watch out for trouble" mode.
The best news is ..... we currently have what is known as the British Commonwealth Games being held mostly within 100km or so from here. They wind up with a Closing Ceremony this Sunday night. This includes acts and performances similar to the Opening Ceremony, but is generally on a bit smaller scale and not as long an event. However, I will undoubtedly find it much more interesting because ........... Jenny and another skater from her club are included in an event during the ceremony! They are supporting other artists and local stars - I'm not privy to much more than that because they have been sworn to secrecy :laughing: and won't tell me!
So ..... we all will just have to watch and find out what's in store for us! Just hope it doesn't rain, because they just cannot perform their routine on a wet floor. We need dry weather! It begins (at least the television coverage begins) at 8.15pm AEST time. How that converts to anyone overseas local time I have no idea! However, it may be live-streamed by the GOLDOC or Comm Games website, or uploaded at some stage.
I'll try to upload a clip somehow - not sure I can but I'll try though.
Keep up the good vibes ..... they've certainly been working!

 

[3930dave]

Excellent update Patrick :drink:

Please post a vid if you can, that would be great...... international live broadcast links don't always work, but local news feeds might ?

Rgds, D.

 

[shaeff]

Glad to year you're all doing well, Patrick! That's great news!

 

[PatrickS2222]

Thanks guys. I will do my best to put up a clip, but have to work out how first! We will be there but I doubt I'll be able to record her routine on my phone. We will record the TV broadcast, so that might be a help - I'll find a way! :thumbsup:

 

[PatrickS2222]

Well what a fiasco that turned out to be! I reckon by now you have heard about the most ridiculous event I've ever attended. Nobody has had a favourable word to say about it, and it has made us a world-wide laughing stock. I cannot believe charging $380 per ticket but presenting a program of such s**t .... totally incredible and an insult to intelligent adults.
This is after the opening ceremony being comprised mostly of aboriginal music and dance, and promoting the lovely beaches here in Australia. I have nothing against either of these, but Australia has much more to offer people considering holidaying here. That said, it has just been announced the total cost of staging both was $43 million .... an unbelievable amount in anyone's language!
Anyhow, enough about that. The last two weeks have been a mental roller-coaster ride for the girls - they've been included in the performing line-up, then excluded .... time constraints was the excuse, then included again after a re-organisation of the show. After all that ..... 15 minutes prior to their scheduled appearance the Safety Officer declared it was too unsafe for them to skate, due to moisture (dew), confetti, glitter etc on what was already a questionable surface - some rocket-scientist decided to paint it earlier that day without checking with anyone first.
I tend to agree it was sensible to not skate - one hour earlier dancers were having issues with grip and one very nearly slipped over, so I'm happy they came home perfectly fit instead of with some sort of broken bone or other injury, not to mention the hospital visit, the clip going viral and their being constantly reminded and embarrassed. In retrospect they're probably better to not be associated with such a fiasco! They have bigger things to focus on - here's an article from our local newspaper:

No Xanadu for Buccan skater | Jimboomba Times

Jenny's chemo starts tomorrow ... hopefully the last one! She has also booked her driving test - 3 weeks to wait though! I'm sure she will pass! :thumbsup: She's a better driver than me! I'll try to get a nice pic of her with her car. :thumbsup:

 

[Wagtail]

Patrick... I hear you on that crapfest of a closing ceremony. I put it on the telly in the background... mostly to try and spot your daughter.

I'm sorry to say (yet thankful) that I turned it off after 10 minutes due to the constant aboriginal promotion.

I'm glad that, in the end, your daughter and her associates (despite their efforts & being stuffed around) won't be connected to that 'production'.

 

[3930dave]

The pc times we live in.......

What that article does illustrate well is the strength and resilience of your daughter, and her friend.

Rgds, D.

 

[PatrickS2222]

Yes guys, it was just too much for me as well. It appears nobody has a kind word to say about it .... not at all surprising.

She and Amy have both put it behind them and are focussing on training for State Championships. They both have the same goal this year - to go to World Championships in Paris I'll just keep working and funding that credit card .....

 

[PatrickS2222]

There's been a bit happening recently. Here's some much better news:

Here she is with her car:
She passed her driving test - first attempt :thumbsup: last Tuesday. I'm not at all surprised ... she's very capable. Now we have to stop at the green traffic lights too!


Today we all went to the Childrens' Hospital. This was so Jenny could assist staff from our local bank branch with the branch's choice for this year's community donation of $10 000 toward research into brain cancer. :thumbsup: One of their staff had put forward the suggestion after recognising Jenny's photograph in the newspaper. After we arrived we learned they had contacted other branches in Brisbane, and their donation had increased this year to $90 000! I was as amazed as the hospital staff! :laughing:

Last weekend was State Championships - Jenny scored a second place which qualifies her for Nationals ... again That's in early July.

 

[shaeff]

She looks so happy, congrats to her!

This is heartwarming news

 

[Wagtail]

Ta for the update.

 

[3930dave]

Excellent news, and karma !

Rgds, D.