MEETING A SPECIAL FRIEND

5th and 6th July 2010

From glorious sunshine to inclement, wet weather, how easily weather can change from one extreme to the other. It was virtually snowing today as once again Canberra experienced an arctic blast.

I started my day yesterday with my upper body exercises which I found were a little difficult, I think the cold weather made my muscles slower to respond. I tried to also ride the exercise bike but once again my knee just kept sticking and I could not make those pedals rotate.

Mum, Jarrett and I went grocery shopping, at least it was warmer this week than last week in the shop, they must have had their heating working this time. I bought ingredients to make some cupcakes because we were having Ally and her Mum Di over the next day and I wanted to make her something special. I decided on strawberry cupcakes with little butterfly decorations on top of the strawberry flavoured icing. In the afternoon I cooked them and I was really proud of how they turned out. We played Upwords twice and had a game of Buzz Pop Quiz on the Playstation and I actually won.

I found out that Borders in the Canberra Centre have sold out of all my books, so now the only way to get them is from Tass at IGA Deakin, from me or online. Kevin the Manager at Borders was really excited that all ninety books they had sold out in less than a month. With those ninety books sold they will send a cheque that I can then send to the Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation Brain Tumour Fund, I do hope that what I am doing is really going to make a difference, when I am in pain I don't want anyone else to have to suffer like I am.

My pain continues to cause me so many problems, it makes me feel fatigued, ill and weak, I continue to take pain killers, use heat and massage but it only eases for such a short period of time and the time frame is becoming shorter and shorter that I have any relief. I tried to stand a few times today but each time I fell, one time I slipped from Mum's grasp a little and I felt like my ankle twisted.

I watched MasterChef and was blown away by the challenge they faced, it was interesting that Peter was eliminated when Marion's effort on her purple macaroons was inedible. I am not sure sometimes how decisions are made and I think Marion is extremely lucky.

At 1.30am I heard the rain and wind outside the bedroom window and called out to Mum in pain, unable to straighten my right leg and I had dreadful pain in my foot. I had a lump on the side of my foot when I was in Year 4, they called it a Blastoma, it was painful then and I was unable to walk properly on that foot, I had to use corn pads, heat and wear soft shoes and it disappeared. This time it is more painful, it is swollen on the side and under my foot and even to touch it sends shooting pains up into my ankle. I might have to go to the doctors, for him to have a look at it if it does not settle down in the next couple of days.

Today was an exciting day even though it was so wintry and bleak because Ally and Di were coming over, I have been emailing Ally now for quite a while and we have spoken on the telephone but it was terrific to think I was actually going to meet this wonderful person who has become a special friend to me. When they arrived they were both so friendly and it was like we had known each other for ages. We chatted, played Upwords, did a puzzle game that Ally brought with her, made card houses, Ally taught me some card tricks and we had my cupcakes. Ally and Di gave me a very special cook book, it is one that was done to help raise funds for boys who have XXYY Syndrome, it has the most delicious recipes in it. Di brought over their extraordinary vacuum cleaner called 'Rusty' it is a iRobot vacuum and it was so cool, it vacuums the house by itself by hovering around and it even takes itself back to a home base to recharge itself. Meeting Ally and Di was marvellous, we will be keeping in touch and hopefully able to get together again, I think I have said before that I have met some of the most incredible people through my journey and that is such a gift.

Having visitors is terrific but I often find myself extremely tired afterwards and today was no exception, I had a rest on the lounge chair after they left then watched some Sabrina the Teenage Witch Episodes on DVD while the rain began to fall more steadily outside.

Nalani has to go to the Sport Physician tomorrow morning, hopefully they can help sort out her knee so that she is able to do all her sport again, she said she knows how I feel now, not being able to do the activities that you really enjoy.

Today was Bill's funeral and I was hoping that the sun would shine but as the rain drops fell it reminded me of the tears that many would cry for him today. Perhaps after the rain though a rainbow will shine for him to celebrate the wonderful person he was.

'Friendship is a living thing that lasts forever when it is nourished with kindness, empathy and understanding'