Ellies 6th Birthday

Today my little girl turned 6 and at 5.50 this morning I was woken by Harry who was asking if we could wake Ellie up. Unfortunately as she was lying next to me I wasn't able to keep her asleep so we had a very early start. Anyway she was very pleased with her presents and enjoyed her day.
We started off with school assembly as Harry was getting his school certificate and also got an award for doing the maths test last term. He did so well, as he got a credit and also got the 'prudence award' for the number of answers right consecutively. He did the test whilst in hospital and after 48 hours of chemo. He was with the school teacher and he came out pretty quickly and said 'I can't do anymore I don't feel well!'. Being the caring and nuturing mother that I am, I replied with 'are you sure?, you have only done half the test! Oh well at least you will get a certificate of participation!' So I had to laugh today when I saw the results and that he had got 15 answers right out of 30. They were the first 15 and the only ones he answered, so not only does he look like me, but he must have my brains as well!! I then popped to his class where he took the xrays of his arm and leg and explained what had happened to him for his news. The class were all lovely and listened really well and asked lots of questions, and it is just so nice to see him back there and mixing with his friends. He has been at school all week, but tomorrow we have a couple of hospital appointments so he might not get much time there. He was very sick tonight for the first time since he has had this chemo, but other than that he is doing ok and went to bed early so fingers crossed he will be good in the morning.
I then went to preprimary with Ellie and we had morning tea and some cupcakes. Ellie had some lovely presents. Godmother Jane (Harriet and Peter) popped over with a few goodies wrapped up which Ellie loved. Lorraine, Steve and Elliott, bought her some lovely earrings, and Nic, De, Deb, and Abs bought her a lovely night lamp and some books which she adores. Ella Harwood made Ellie a lovely card and bought her a birthday fairy, so thanks ella. Nanny Jen and Kong Kong bought her the new ipod touch with a camera, so have been loading it with apps and music this evening so she is ready to roll tomorrow.
I am feeling very gutted as the love of my life - my canon camera - is not working properly. I just don't know how I am going to get through the weekend without it. Of all the times it is Ellies birthday, so better get on to it and get it fixed. Wonder if it got dropped after the big session on Saturday, but then that is a question I doubt anyone would know the answer to, as who would remember!!??
It is so nice to be at home and just feel like life is slightly normal - well as normal as it can be in these circumstances. We hopefully have another week at home and then only 15 weeks till chemo will be finished as long as we have no delays - which we won't! I am slowly realising the things that are important in life and people never cease to amaze me. Being thrown into this situation, of which you have to just get have to get on with it, makes you see things from a very different point of view. I am still the same person I was on June 13th, 2010 when I was happily living in my world of denial and thinking that Harry would be in hospital for a night or two at most. No I don't walk round in tears, and yes I am still organising things but if I just curled up in a heap then what good would I be to my boy. He has enough to deal with and to try and make sense of right now, without having to worry about me as well. Although having said this I will spend the next 11 out of 16 weeks in hospital with Harry, so despite trying to live as normal a life as possible, life is far from normal.
And far from normal is exactly why we are going to jump out of a plane on January
8th in support of Ward 3b - the oncology ward at PMH. I can't believe that we will have about 20 people (maybe more) to jump out of the plane and raise money. Nanny Pat is also hoping to be out here and watch us all jump, but unfortunately said that she probably won't jump this time!! To all the special people who are going to jump, we thank you for your support and to all the special people who are going to be there with the champagne at the bottom we thank you too!! The website is up and running for donations, so if you want to donate feel free it can be done online and won't take long.

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/i_am_jumping_for_ward_3b

I have to share a secret with you... I don't know how the hell I am going to do this and have to keep telling myself that if Harry can go through 8 months of chemo and 18 hours of surgery I CAN jump. When the first donation came through - and thank you Jenni, Jo and Sandi, I was nearly sick as this is real and there is no turning back and I CAN and I WILL JUMP!! Why sell chocolates when you can jump out of a perfectly good plane!

To all the good guys - I love ya - to everyone else 'Go Jump' and not from my plane!!