A HOT WEEK

22nd to 28th January 2011

I have felt like I have been cooking in the oven this week with temperatures in Canberra soaring into the high thirties for most of the week. When we have it that hot it is also extremely dry and that really tires you, although I have heard that people who have had brain surgery are often more severely affected by extreme hot or cold temperatures and I believe this to be true.  I find that both the scars the one where the tumour was removed and the one where the build up of fluid was drained became extremely painful even to touch gently and I feel this is caused by the extremely hot weather conditions.

This week I have visited my doctor to get a form to have a blood test prior to going to Sydney next Tuesday, whilst I was there I told him that I had been experiencing a painful right ear for a few days, he checked my ear and said it was not inflamed and then he found that I was getting some new teeth, my twelve year old molars and that had been causing my ear to ache. 

All week I have been working with determination whilst sweating on all my physiotherapy exercises, I want to be at my strongest before I go back to school on 9th February because I know that school will zap my energy levels as being in Year 8 this year the work will be much more demanding.

I went to the orthopaedic surgeon with Nalani for her review, he was exceedingly impressed with her progress especially in the degrees she was able to bend it without assistance, however, her quad muscle is still slightly weak so he wants her to wear the brace for a little while longer for weight bearing so that it will heal and be stronger.  She goes back to see him again on 7th March but in the meantime she is working hard on all her physiotherapy exercises.  He also told her that when she goes back to see him in March that he will begin a program for her for resuming sport.

Tinkerbelle had her annual vet check up this week, she is in excellent condition, with the vet commenting on what a beautiful and healthy looking coat of fur she has, I had washed her the day before her vet visit and her fur glistened and felt as soft as fluffy white clouds.  Mum's cat Paris also went to the vet with Tinkerbelle, Paris will be twelve in April, she is also in good health.  She had to had what looked like a blood blister on one of her back paws pricked, a sample put on a slide and then investigated under the microscope.  The vet confirmed it was a blood blister and thinks that because Paris is old that her blood is pooling in this one particular area and she will have to have it popped if it comes up again, she also mentioned that if it is still coming up regularly in three months that she has to go back to the vet to have it investigated a little further to eliminate a tumour.

My blood test was a breeze, I am able to sit calmly and it makes it so much easier for the blood nurse to take.  I had to have an FBC which is a full blood count, I also had to have my calcium, phosphate and Vitamin D levels done, that meant they had to take two vials of blood. 

Wednesday was an extremely proud day, because we celebrated Australia Day, we are so fortunate to live in such a free and splendiferous Country that has some of the most beautiful landscape in the world and such a diverse multicultural population.  I eagerly went onto Christine's website of Australian Quotes and found so many inspiring quotes, the site again is http://www.australianinspiration.com.au/ it is marvellous just to look through it but is also a valuable resource for school projects, essays or speeches.

I am so proud of myself because on Sunday when Jarrett had running training at the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) I took my rollator and with the spirit of determination in my heart, I walked one lap of the entire track which is four hundred metres, it was perhaps at a tortoise pace compared to what Jarrett was doing but I achieved a goal I had set myself.

Today was my haircut, I was so excited yet a little nervous at the same time, I has been almost two years since I have had a haircut!  When the hairdresser began to cut my hair it felt wonderful,  it made me feel gorgeous, which after all I've been through you don't often feel that way.

I have not received my final MRI results as yet, the preliminary results have shown that the remaining tumour has increased slightly in diametre but remains stable, there appears to be increased enhancement in my spinal region which may need further investigating hopefully I will know something on Monday before I have to go to Sydney on Tuesday to see my oncologist and have my lumber puncture.  After my nightmare visit to Sydney at the end of last year I am a little fearful about this one but I will have the whole family there to support me.