My Medical Week so far

This week is my medical week - a medical appointment each day of the week, finishing with a mammogram on Friday!!

Monday - blood test in the morning with results going to the oncologist for my 2pm appointment. Well..... all good. Tumour markers are not high, liver function is as good as can  be expected. I am to continue on the low dose of oral chemotherapy and come back for another check in 6 weeks.  I told him of my plans to travel overseas in the middle of the year and he told me to 'go for it'. 

Tuesday (today) - a 2pm appointment with the radiotherapist to discuss the outcome of my radiotherapy treatment.  All good here too.  He said that he was delighted with the outcome - in fact, it is better than he expected it to be. No need for any more radiotherapy - for the moment.

And ahead - Wednesday - visit to Dr. Chen for acupunture and consultation.  Thursday - visit to GP for regular overview of my health. And Friday - mammogram.......ooooh goody!

Right now it's Tuesday 24 April @ 8.26pm

Home again, home again

So....... I spent a lovely time with the family in Brisbane and then on the Gold Coast. For the last week I stayed with great friends, Carolyn and Warren, in their home on Currumbin Creek. It's like my home away from home. Did movies and lunches and a lot of lounging around.

On Thursday I visited Isabel and her family again, had lunch with my ex-husband and went to a Pilates class - an interesting combination of activities in one day. On Friday morning Carolyn deposited me at the Gold Coast airport for my 8am flight to Sydney.  I caught a train from the airport and was home in my own place by noon. I had never been to a Pilates class before, so.....needless to say...... I can hardly move now. Ouch. I guess this too shall pass but I won't be going back in a hurry.  It's the kind of hard work I used to do...... but it's so far in the past that my mind and my body just can't manage it any more :)

Meanwhile I have ahead of me a week full of medical tests and appointments. I also have meetings with wedding couples and two weddings to conduct next Saturday. Keeping busy!

It's Sunday 22 April @ 5.23pm

And now you've seen the whole family

Big brother, Oscar Charlie Eddy

Isabel with her dad, Tim Eddy

Here's Looking at You1

Isabel and her Mumma Tez

New mother and daughter

Debs Alyssa Skene and her new daughter, Isabel Skene Eddy. Two beauties :-)

Here she is :-)

Isabel Skene Eddy
Born @ 9.13am on Thursday 12 April 2012 to parents - Debs Skene and Tim Eddy.

Isn't she beautiful?

The little girl has aRRIVED SAFELY

At 9.13am today Isabel Skene Eddy came into our world weighing 8lb 2oz and standing 56cm tall.  Mother, Debs, and daughter and father, Tim, and big brother, Oscar, all doing well. I have tears of happiness streaming down my face as I write this.  Just as well you can't see me. :-)

Photo to come soon

Thursdsay 12 April @ 12.25pm.  I'm in Toowoomba in the Hopemobile

Moree - Mungindi - Goondiwindi

From Moree I drove 122km west to Mungindi, where my niece and family live.  What a wonderful couple of days I had with Bianca, Cahrlie, Tom and Sam.  They live in cotton and wheat growing country and have a crop dusting business - very busy.

Charlie took me up in his helicopter for an overall look at the coutryside and at the spraying operation as well as the cotton picking procedures.

Charlie and Tom

Bianca and Sam

Flying low to spray cotton

On the ground with the cotton

Picker unloading a bale

Picker in action

I'm in the picker!

Cotton from the air - ready to pick

 So, after a beautiful couple of days I had to say farewell to them all at Mungindi and get back out on the road.  I drove to Goondiwindi  and stopped for a break by the McIntyre River.

I could smell petrol and wasn't sure that I should be, so I called roadside assistance and the RACQ man came in his truck to see what was wrong - if anything.  There sure was something wrong - the hose that takes petrol from the inlet to the tank was broken and petrol was leaking at quite a rate.

The Hopemobile had to be towed to a mechanic and the hose replaced

onto the tow truck

As it was late afternoon by this time and they weren't sure how long it would take to replace the hose, I booked into a motel for the night.

So, here I am in my motel room on Thursday morning, 12 April, having picked up the Hopemobile (with its new hose) getting ready to get back on the road - to Brisbane, where my newest grandchild will arrive today!!!  Very exciting. I anticipate receivng a call with the news of his/her arrival, gender, name, size etc and that all is well with everyone, while I am on the road from Goondiwindi to Toowoomba.

I'll keep you posted :)

On the road again

Well, right now I am sitting in the Hopemobile, having had 15 minutes in the thermal pool at the caravan park where I have stayed overnight in Moree, having showered and dressed and had my breakfast.  The sun is shining beautifully and all's well in my world.

When I left Carinya Downs on Thursday I drove north for just a short way to a property between Cowra and Canowindra where I stayed for 2 nights with beautiful friends, June and Ross. Above you can see Jo, almost 60 years old, ready for a drink at the tap. Also the cattle and some of the beautiful landscape.

After 2 special days and nights with them, I headed north for Parkes where I visited The Dish, the satellite that played a role when man landed on the moon back in 1969.

I drove on and stayed overnight in a quiet carvan park at Narromine.  That brings me to yesterday, when I headed off north again, driving through Gilgandra, Coonabarabran, Narrabri and on to Moree. I stopped in each town and some points along the way, to enjoy the scenery and the local towns. Lunch by the river at Coonabarabran.

Wide open spaces and native vegetation - beautiful. This is on the road between Narrabri and Moree.

Meanwhile, no pain, feeling great and enjoying this beautiful country. I hope that everyone has had a pleasant Easter break, celebrating in whichever way you choose.

It's 8.13am on Monday 9 April, 2012

Pics from Carinya Downs 4 April 2012

Very cute

The hut by the dam

Cooling off in 29; heat

The farm house on the hill

April Update

Well, here we are - the Hopemobile and I.  I am at my Dad's farm between Harden and Young in south west New South Wales.  It's absolutely gorgeous. Sunny, blue sky, gentle breeze, green, green, green and some beautiful golden autumn colours. Quiet, quiet, quiet.

The head is now clear, since most pain killing drugs have been totally eliminated - and there is no pain!!

Went to my Chinese Herbalist/Acupuncturist last week who also gave me the thumbs-up, saying my chi/qi (not sure of spelling) is excellent.  

So we are on the road.

Wednesday 4 April 2012 @ 1.25pm