A TELEPHONE CALL THAT HAS TURNED MY LIFE UPSIDE DOWN

21st October 2010

This is a special Blog entry today, it is another twist in my journey which has turned my life upside down and has made me more disconsolate than even my diagnosis with a brain tumour.  Late yesterday afternoon we received the deplorable telephone call from Sydney.  They wanted me to organise to get there as quickly as possible because they had reviewed information about my seizures with other medical professionals, along with my weaker pulse and blood results, they are deeply concerned that what we have thought to be seizures may be mini strokes.  They are admitting me to hospital for tests with a Paediatric Cardiologist, you see there is a five per cent chance after having my high doses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy that there can be heart damage and the possibility of stroke.  Mum questioned some things and they told her that they felt they wanted to see me sooner rather than later and if anything happened overnight she was to take me to hospital immediately.  Well nothing did happen, except for my usual pain and joints stiffening so this call has left us all really puzzled.

Even though I face pain each and every day and I am debilitated when I do have the seizures which is what I will still call them unless diagnosed otherwise, I actually am feeling well considering all I have had to endure and will always retain a positive outlook, so you can see why this telephone call really hit me like a ten tonne brick.  I have so many wonderful events and experiences coming up at school and home, I don't want to miss out on any of them especially the fun run and my Raising  Awareness presentation, I would be absolutely devastated to miss them and there is no way that I intend to miss them.

Today I went to school, it was to help me to forget about the telephone call and it did because I was so occupied doing Australian Studies in which we were given an assessment task about the Australian Flag, it is an assessment where you have to put much thought and creativity into it.  After Australian Studies it was double Maths and we were working on a Rich Task where you choose the work you are going to do and gain stars for completing it.  I did a Glossary of Terms for Angles and earnt two stars and then did two worksheets they were both worth two stars each also.  We have to have achieved a certain number of stars by a given date.  Even though my mind was in a total whirl today, I am slowly starting to really comprehend angles, practise certainly does pay off. 

When we came home at Recess, Mum had to organise our airline flights for tomorrow, as well as reorganising and cancelling numerous appointments that we had.  Once at home Mum and I both sat down and cried together, Mum takes such good care of me and thinks it is so unfair that I have to face so many hurdles.  I just want to have a life, I am trying to move on and make the most of each and every day but this is like Mount Everest appearing in my path and I don't know how I am going to climb it.

In the afternoon we had running training, it was a lovely Spring day with just a gentle soothing breeze in the air, so Mum and I went for a walk around the oval in my wheelchair, the fresh air really clears your head, if I can't go over this mountain then I will go around it before attempting to climb it.  We saw a family of rabbits nibbling the lovely, thick green grass, normally as you approach them they hop away nervously but today one rabbit just sat there nibbling, we were so close before it hopped off into the safety of its burrow. 

I will keep you all updated on my progress in Sydney but now I have to go and pack my suitcase ready for our departure tomorrow morning.

'Sometimes we let fear stand between us and our rainbow but if we have courage, our hopes and dreams will lead us to our pot of gold in life'