TAKEN OFF GROWTH HORMONES

7th to 13th January 2012

'There are times in our lives when life isn't all we want it to be but we should see each new morning as an opening door to a better day than the one before.'

After suffering from dreadful constant headaches that made my head feel like it was actually going to explode and feeling so ill last week, we were able to speak to my Endocrinologist this week about my headaches, pain and nausea since taking the growth hormone injections, Genotrophin.  He told me to stop taking them immediately, he was really concerned about me and he tried to organise an MRI of my brain as soon as possible, the earliest we can get is the 1st of February which was when I was scheduled for one anyway,  unless a cancellation comes up earlier or if I have to be rushed to hospital because the headaches become worse including blurring of vision, dizziness or vomiting.  You see a complication of taking growth hormones when you have a brain tumour is that it can cause an existing tumour to become aggressive or it can actually cause the return of tumours very quickly.  I am hoping that this is not the case, of course my residual inoperable tumour has enlarged slightly in the last MRI's but has remained stable so hopefully it will remain that way. 

I also have to have another bone age scan which will be done at the same time as the MRI on 1st of February and then I have to have another MRI which will be on my spine on the 8th of February which is not only my first day back at school for this year but also my Birthday!

I had physiotherapy also this week and although my x-ray did not show a fracture, the physiotherapist feels that it is extremely likely that it could be a stress fracture which would not show in an x-ray but would show in an MRI bone scan.   Also the actual x-ray that they did was not done standing and that would also show a fracture more clearly.   She would have put a boot on my foot to help it, however my foot is too small to fit one, so I have a tubular bandage on it at present to protect it.  It is so frustrating to have a foot injury yet again as it is painful to put pressure on so I have to keep off it as much as possible, it is also still swelling sometimes so having a shoe on hurts. My leg muscles are also rather tight so that is causing me some problems and they needed to be loosened off.  I have physiotherapy again in two weeks time and I am hoping that Kaitlyn will be able to help me to recover in time to throw in the Athletics ACT Junior Championships on 3rd of February.

Although my headaches have improved a little since been off the growth hormone, having felt so ill really knocked me around so we have not been doing that much this week.  I am relieved though that the pain in my hips and legs that was waking me during the night has virtually disappeared now, so I am sleeping much more soundly and that makes such a difference to how you feel the next day.

Yesterday we did go to Interclub, Nalani competed in the discus and shot put, I could not compete again because of my foot and Jarrett is not back to track running yet because of his foot injury from last year, the track, even though it is synthetic, it is quite firm so he does not want to risk re-injury.  There was a mile championship on, which Jarrett would have competed in if he was able to run on track.  It was a terrific race, because Martin Dent was running in it, he won the race in 4:24 he is a really terrific distance runner, he is hoping to make it into the Australian team at the Olympics. 

Today I got my new uniform for School, because I will be in Year 9 and that is Senior School, we have a different uniform.  It is a taupe, pleated skirt, white blouse with navy piping on the pocket and a navy tie, it looks really smart although the sizes are all ladies so it is a little large on me, I am quite a bit shorter and smaller than most girls my age. 

I am still trying to think of a new and unique fund raising idea for this year, if any of my wonderful followers have any splendiferous ideas, I would really love to hear them.  If we can raise more funds and awareness this year then we may get just one tiny step closer to finding a less devastating treatment or a cure for brain tumours.  Have a blessed week filled with many special rainbow moments.