Friday, March 18, 2011

TEST RESULTS AND SCHOOL

12th to 18th March 2011

'Sometimes we worry too much about the future and brood on the past, life if more splendiferous if we focus on the present enjoying every day to its fullest'

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for my Great Gran, she is still with us fighting, she remains in hospital on oxygen but is becoming a little stronger.  This week I received some more devastating news about someone else special in my life, Cate, I have spoken about her before, her son Ash interviewed me for Planet You last year, I was so saddened to hear that she had a heart attack and then two minor strokes within a couple of weeks of each other.  She has pulled through but has been left with some brain damage, she is an extraordinary person as she is always helping others, again I am left questioning why it is those who are so wonderful and caring are the ones chosen for the most difficult journey's.

We returned from Sydney to a long weekend in Canberra, which I spent, resting, finishing recovering from my illness and doing some school assignments.  On Sunday I went to running training and walked around some of the paths around the grounds of the AIS with my rollator. The uneven surface makes it more difficult for me, as sometimes the wheels of the rollator seem to have a mind of their own but I feel so much more confident with walking with my rollator now.  Around the house I do some walking without it, some days I am quite steady but other days my balance is not terrific so I have to use furniture to help me regain my balance.

Tuesday was back to school for a short week, in Science we are learning all about plant and animal cells, it is extremely interesting that a cell is made up of so many different organelles like nucleus, golgi body, ribosomes, mitochondrion and cytoplasm. We have to make a 3D model of either a plant or animal cell, we have to be imaginative when we make it.  In English we are working on a character study from our novel 'Holes' the character I am working on is Zero.  When I have to concentrate excessively at school I find that my eyes with my nystagmus flicker so rapidly I think they are going to pop out of the socket and it makes my vision extremely blurry.  I ended up with a really dreadful throbbing headache and then I had this terrible tingling down my right arm and felt excessively tired so I had to go home.  After resting I recovered but still felt rather drained of energy for the rest of the day.

I had a bone age scan on Wednesday, as well as my flu injection and visit to the doctors for my blood test results.  The bone age scan showed my bone growth is that of a twelve year old, so my growth is falling behind my chronological age.  My blood test results were not the best, I have absolutely no immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, whopping cough, hepatitis A or B or pneumonia.  Normally when you have chemotherapy your immune system is attacked but builds back up again however mine is not, I can not have immunisation because of my treatment.  There are some other blood tests that have been sent to Sydney for further investigation and they are for blood and immune system diseases, results won't be available for them for six weeks.  When I had my flu injection, around the site where it was injected became excessively red, swollen and hot to touch, it lasted for two more days but has now settled not being as large but still a little red and hot to touch.

Today I had physiotherapy which I was ecstatic about because now that I am doing some walking with and without my rollator I am using my calf and hamstring muscles more, but with use they are becoming tight so I was relieved to have them massaged, stretched and released.  I also had some work done on my neck as I have continued to have tingling in my right arm which could be coming from my neck as it has exceptionally tight muscles in it.  Rhiannon put heat on it also and did some traction, it is much looser but I now have a headache from it being released and that is normal.  I did the sit to stand and walk around the stool short walk which I did in 24 seconds and 22 seconds, last time it took me 35 seconds and 30 seconds.  With assistance from Rhiannon I did some very slow high knee steps, it was rather scary as I felt really off balanced like I was going to fall flat on my face,  then I did some bum kick steps, again I felt quite off balanced but not as much as the high knee ones. I was immensely pleased with my physiotherapy session today. 

Nalani has started at the gym, I bet she will be running easily by the end of three months, that will give her time to compete in some of the Cross Country Events which she really loves and either do track in Summer or continue with the Cross Country summer events.

Jarrett is racing next weekend in a Cross Country Junior Point Score event, it is 4.2km, I think he will run a great race, he too loves his Cross Country running.  There is always a younger children's race before the main races I am hoping that this season I may be able to go in one of them, even just walking in it.

I wish everyone a splendiferous week full of many rainbow moments.

6 comments:

Rhiannon said...

And I was immensely pleased with your physio efforts today! Keep up the great work chickie! Rhi xx

Anonymous said...

Dear Dainere
What a great effort with your physio exercises and especially walking on your own. Just think, this time last year you were hardly able to walk at all without assistance and now look what you are doing. We are so proud of you, you are such a fighter and we are sure you will achieve the goals you have set for yourself.

We are so sorry to hear about Cate. She sounds like a very strong lady just like you so we are sure she will put every effort into her recovery too.

Your Science sounds really interesting. Things have certainly changed since we went to school.

It is not good news about your blood tests. We were hoping for better news but hopefully the ones they've sent away for testing will bring good results.

Chifley is progressing well since we last told you of his problem. He can now walk half the walk that we usually do without any problems. He doesn't seem to be in pain either. Hopefully he wont need that opertion as we think he is a bit too lively at this age.

We love your quote. It is very true, dwelling on the past is not good for anyone, and although it is good to look to the future we should appreciate every day.

We hope you also have a splendiferous week.

All our love
Nan and Pop xxx oooooo

Anonymous said...

Hi Dainere
Just read the last two blogs and am truly sorry to read about Cate. I will keep her in my prayers as well as your Great Nan.
I agree with your Nan and Pop, the quote is very inspiring. I will lock it in, and use it when things don't seem so gr8!

Are you in a footy tipping comp this year. I am and only managed 4 last week. The Tigers went down so fingers crossed this week that they can beat the Warriors. I chose Eels tonight and they just lost so you never know who's going to win.

Always hoping your health improves and praying that your pain is manageable.Nalani is doing well with her recovery, she is very focused and determined by the sounds of it. Jarrett's a star - 11th in Oz, he ought to be very proud of his efforts.

Regarding school, my son is in year 8 this year and his workload is heavy at present. Be kind to yourself, rest when you need to and you will then feel fresh to start again.

I hope you have a restful weekend, and that the week ahead is a good one.

Take care,
Love Fran XO

Anonymous said...

Hi Dainere,
I'm sorry to hear about your friend Cate. I'm sure she, and your Great Gran take inspiration from you and all you are doing to stay well and this will help them with their own struggle.
Isn't science amazing! I can remember, although it was many years ago, when I first discovered all the things cells had inside of them - how do they all fit in there!!
It sounds like you are Rhiannon's star patient - you always work so hard and try your very best. Hope your arm feels better soon.
Enjoy the weekend and hope the week ahead is a great one.
Love,
Catherine xo

Anonymous said...

Hi Dear Dear Dainere, Oh yes that is so true , your saying is spot on , my equivelant to that is the glass is always half full.NOT HALF EMPTY .
We continue to pray fpr your great Gran, and Now also Cate , that is terrible news Dainere and we are so sorry .
That is just magical that you can now walk aound the house without the rollator , my offer is still available Dainere about walking the track with you , BUT dont push to hard , rememeber what Rhiannon tells you . God bless you .

Yes Dainere I have noticed that with eye strain it gives me terible headaches even now after all these years since my last tumour . so I can sympathise with you , and Know what its like .

Continue to think positive , you are only 13 , you have time on your side , with the bone scans .

Sorry to hear about the blood tets results , Again you and me seem to be on similar paths Dainere , WE pray that your Sydney results will show what you want to see , and that the doctors have an answer for you . Sorry have no idea what the flu injection reaction is all about .

OH you are doing so well at Physio well done , we are so glad to hear this good news , also so glad to hear of Nalani's good news too .

WEll we will be thinking of you at the cross country races , you take great care now .

Dainere some good news and some not so good news in your blog , but keep on shining , as I look at your beautiful photo , you are splediferous, and so special, love to mum and dad , Nalani and Jarrett

Lots of Love stuart and Meryl xxxxxx

Anonymous said...

Dear Dainere

What a busy life you are leading! Exercises, walking, physio, etc...it's a wonder you can manage to fit school in! You are doing some interesting topics. Do you do the subjects for a term or a whole semester? I don't know about the ACT but there's not much left of Term 1 in NSW..only just over a fortnight. Easter is late this year, at the end of the holidays not the beginning.

The weather here is still hot, 33 deg today and we certainly haven't had the rain that you have had. It is still very dry and lawns are burned up. It doesn't seem right to have winter clothes in shops while it is still so warm!

Do hope things are still improving for Great Gran and Cate.

So glad to hear that Nalani is able to attend the gym again. She must be so pleased! Am sure Jarrett will do well at the weekend at the Cross Country. Best wishes to him.

Hoping that the rest of the week is a happy one for you all.

Thoughts and prayers,

Mariannemr