BACK TO SCHOOL FOR TERM 4

15th to 21st October 2011

The sun was shinning ever so brightly for our return to school for Term 4 this week and what a busy week I had, filled with new topics and culminating in four assignments. 

In Maths we are learning about Cartesian Planes, they were developed by Rene Descartes, a French philosopher and mathematician, he created the system of positioning on the number plane with a number pair, which are called coordinates.  I am finding this interesting and not too difficult to do.  

For English we began a new novel called Lockie Leonard - Human Torpedo, it is written by the Australian Author Tim Winton, it is about a boy in Year 8 who has moved to a new town with his family, he loves surfing. He meets a girl that he just can't get off his mind, it is a story about morality, standing on your principles or ignoring them to belong to the group.  It is a very different novel to what I prefer to read but is quite humorous at times.  A television series has also been made about it and we have to do an analysis, comparing the characterisation in the book and the series and differences between the two. 

In Science we are look at Plant and Animal Energy, we began by talking about systems in the human body, these are the respiratory system, circulatory system, endocrine system, lymphatic system, immune system, nervous system, reproductive system, digestive system, muscular system, urinary system, skeletal system and cardiovascular system.  I really enjoyed looking at this area of Science, I have learnt so much about many of these systems through my illnesses.  We also learnt about how substances get in and out of cells by doing an experiment with potatoes, cutting them in half and then scooping out the middle and putting sugar in one and water in the other then placing them in a dish the one with sugar in it was put in a dish with water in the bottom and the one with the water in the top was put in a sugar solution, we placed them on a shelf in the Science Room and will see what has occurred next week.

In Integrated Studies we are doing a unit on The United Nations and International Parliament, we had to select a Country and learn as much about it as well as looking for news articles.  We have to then represent our Country at our in class International Parliament.  We need to know a lot about our Country and be ready to answer questions from representatives of other countries in regard to issues and events that are occurring there. 

I have now finished my embroidery project, I made it into a cushion, it looks so amazing and I am really proud as it had fine motor skills involved and they were often quite challenging for me.  We will now begin on our felting project and that will take us until the end of Term. 

Last Friday afternoon I competed in the Athletics ACT Interclub Competition, I threw discus first, feeling rather unstable and nervous I found my inner courage and was able to stand to throw the 750gram discus.  My first throw was a foul, but my second and third throws were successful and I threw the furthest I have, 5.92m.  I no longer felt nervous and when my shot put event came up my butterflies had gone.  Shot put is more difficult for me as the weight of the shot put is heavier at 2kg, again I had to get balanced and then I threw, three good throws with my best being 2.19m.  Competing in two events was tiring but I had the hugest smile on my face because I was there with other athletes doing my best , enjoying myself and making new friends.

Jarrett ran in a 1500m, he was awesome, he won and achieved a personal best time of 4:16:29, then in the 400m he also ran a personal best of 57:86.  Nalani did some throwing with me and although not throwing personal bests she threw well considering she has had her knee surgery. 

I saw the Nutritionist today, she was happy that the elimination diet she had placed me on was showing that I was having problems with some of the chemicals in foods, I have to continue on the diet noting down when I am affected.  During the Christmas Holidays she wants me to then just have the foods with the chemicals in from each group for one week at a time, if the affect is too adverse then I have to stop.  This will then pinpoint exactly what is happening and we will be able to then move forward.  The groups of chemicals we are investigating are salicylates, amines and glutamate.  Then we are going to also look at food colourings and preservatives through elimination also.  She is also copying recipes and writing a diet plan to assist with my cholesterol.  She checked my BMI and is happy with it and as I have not grown and with cholesterol and insulin resistance she felt the diet I was on before was damaging rather than assisting me.  

Tonight I am competing at Interclub again, this time in the javelin and shot put, Nalani is throwing with me also and Jarrett is doing an invitational 1500m and a 200m.  The weather is perfect and we are taking a picnic dinner to have, so I am really looking forward to it although I am rather tired from my hectic week at school.

I see my Paediatrician on Monday, I think he will be so impressed that I am doing my athletics and that the Nutritionist is sorting out my stomach problems.  I have to have blood tests, MRI and bone density organised and any other tests he feels that I need to have done.  

As the gentle breeze blows refreshingly through the open sliding door I wish to remind everyone that Bandanna Day is on 28th October, I will be wearing one of mine, in support of those are suffering from Cancer.  I also pray for those whose lives have been affected by this devastating disease and continue to wish that a cure can be found so in the future no one will suffer from Cancer.