THE SUN SHINES IN CANBERRA

28th and 29th August 2010

Spring is in the air in Canberra and as the glorious rays of radiant sunlight streamed into our lives this weekend, it put a bright smile on my face. Even though I may have pain and discomfort in my days, the sun seems to give you energy to fight harder through the tough times.

Spring means blossoms, colour and new beginnings, we had running training at the AIS on Saturday morning and just to remind us that it is almost Spring Jarrett had a track session. While Jarrett was doing his 800m repetitions for training, I took the opportunity to do some training of my own. I took my 2kg shot put with me and after doing 100m pushing myself in my wheelchair, I did some upper body stretches and then went to the shot put area to get in some practise before our Athletics Carnival on Friday. I focused and ignored the pain I was feeling and threw, I thought I had done well, I threw for a while until my arm became too tired. We measured and I had thrown 1.6m, I was proud of that achievement.

When we came home I helped Nalani and Jarrett with some of their homework, helping them come up on design ideas. Then I worked on my own design for my painting that I am doing for the new Ronald McDonald House in Canberra, it is my final design and I am going to transfer it onto the canvas ready to paint when I come back from Sydney. We then watched The Wizards of Waverly Place the Movie on DVD, it was a light, family movie that I really enjoyed. Resting watching a movie always helps me to recover so that I can do some more, so after the movie I played Upwords twice, I had missed playing it when we were in Brisbane.

My right arm became extremely painful in the late afternoon and I had to sit with a heat pack on it, thank goodness it gave me some relief because I was so worried that my shot put throwing had aggravated something. I was exhausted by bedtime but found my knee and ankle were swollen again and they woke me throughout the night again.

The sun was up bright and early this morning and so were we, Jarrett had running training again, today was a long run from the AIS. Whilst Jarrett was on his run I went and practised shot put and discus, for discus I throw a 750 gram one. I did my warm up again, because even if you are in a wheelchair it is still important to warm your muscles up before attempting any sport. Today my air was still feeling a little sore from yesterday but I did not care, I wanted to throw, I am sick of having pain stop me from doing what I want to do. I threw the discus first and my longest throw measured 4.2m, then I threw the shot put and did better than yesterday, I threw 1.7m. To anyone that does not have any form of disability these distances probably don't sound very long but to me they are magnificent throws because I am throwing them, sitting in a wheelchair without the benefit of my legs.

We saw Dianne and Lachie at the AIS, Dianne gave me some wonderful scrap booking materials from her very kind friend Linda and also a beautiful crocheted poncho that was in rainbow wool that a lady at her Dad's Nursing Home had made especially for me. I truly appreciate gifts that are from the heart and handmade with love.

Jarrett went for a run for over an hour today and I was relieved that he did not have any problems with his asthma, Mum had given the Coach his ventolin puffer just in case anything happened. Yesterday when he did the track work, he experienced some slight chest tightness again when he pushed extra hard, I think he is still recovering from his severe attack last weekend. Jarrett was smiling today because I think he too was relieved not to have had anything go wrong today.

We came home from training and my arm was quite painful, I did not want to say anything to Mum but she guessed, Mums are extremely good at that, they seem to know some things without you even telling them. I had heat and panadol to try to relieve it, at first it seemed to get worse but then it improved. I sat quietly and sorted through all the scrap booking materials and as I sorted them out, a multitude of creative ideas were flowing through my mind.

In the afternoon we met Tass, Gloria and Rosie for afternoon tea at Federation Square, Tass took another box of books from me, he is a prolific seller of my books and I am so grateful that he has assisted me to spread my story around Canberra, raising awareness about Brain Tumours and helping me to make a difference. After giving him a box of books and sending out an online order today, I now only have twenty five books remaining. We enjoyed our afternoon chatting and laughing over coffee and hot chocolate.

After a lovely warm, refreshing shower I sat down and began a special creative task for my Dad, I am making him a very special Fathers Day card using many of my new scrap booking materials. I hope he will like it, as I said before I think gifts that are made by hand and come from the heart with love are the very best.

I have school tomorrow until recess and then after lunch, again on Wednesday and then Friday is the athletics carnival. I have read the forecast and it now says that it will be 1 to 15 degrees on Friday with an 80% chance of rain. I hope that rain will not appear until after the carnival, it means so much to me to be able to participate in it.

Again I would like to thank everyone who has been leaving me beautiful, encouraging comments, lovely quotes and sharing their lives with me, I am so blessed that you have taken the time to share my journey with me and I never feel alone.

'As long as we have memories yesterday remains, as long as we have hope tomorrow awaits and as long as we have love today is beautiful'