So as usual I left you all hanging there for a while after the swimming carnival and our year post chemo results, so thought I better update you.
The swimming carnival was great. I was so proud of harry for taking part and to top it all off he got a third and a fourth. Which considering he hasn't done any swim training for 2 years isn't bad, and the other small fact that he can only use one arm was pretty outstanding.
I was involved in helping with the places of the children, and one of the kids who came 5th was having a real strop and decided he wanted to go home and didn't want to swim anymore. Honestly after watching my son swim with one arm and just be so happy to be involved, I could have easily drowned this child. I suppose the problem is that we have now been faced with a life that has become the norm for us but for so many others it is not.
Quite a few parents didn't even realise that harry couldn't use his arm, and it was so nice to hear everyone cheering him on, and yes I did cry.
So now I just have to try and encourage him to do some swimming - even if it is just for fitness.
Harry has also done his end of year tests. This involved a kidney test, heart test, hearing test, bone scan and CT of his chest. Whilst it is always a nerve racking time, I know that he will be ok, and if he isn't you will find me on the floor with a bottle of vodka.
We now go to scans every 6 months and blood tests in between, which is great as it means less time in hospital, and let's just hope that the chemo and surgery has done enough to stop the dreadful disease ever returning.
One of the pictures that I have uploaded is actually a poem that Harry wrote during his first term in year 6 this year. Not sure if you will be able to read it as it is quite small, but it is worth a read.
Another mother of a child who was diagnosed a year ago, put this on facebook and I think it really sums up how your world changes when your child is diagnosed with cancer. ( I have changed it to fit harry and his story)
A year ago today my childs life was forever changed...a year ago today a doctor came to us with news that our then 9 yr old son had osteosarcome...a year ago today my sons normal became anything but that...a year ago today we began a journey that will last a life-time....a year ago today the worries I had before didnt hold a candle to the worries I would face as a parent of a child with cancer...a year ago today my son started to fight for her life...a year ago today i began to watch them pump toxic chemicals into my sons body ...a year ago today i started learning my new vocabulary of words I didn't even know existed...I never thought I would be dealing with a sick child and watch him suffer but find it in himself to smile through the pain...I saw my son become the strongest person I know...a year ago today is now our forever.
I am definitely going to print off the blog after this post.It is funny reading back over the blog as I write it like it was 'us' going through the treatment and not just harry, but I suppose that is because I have been there every step of the way.
It has been a year since we finished chemo and began living our life back at home and away from PMH. I sometimes can't quite believe what the hell just happened, and if I sat and digested it all I am pretty sure I would fall in a big heap on the floor and it might take me a long time to get back up. This however I WILL NOT DO!
Harry has got to live with the effects of his cancer for the rest of his life and unfortunately he has grown up way to fast after being faced with a situation that a child should never have to go through.
I hate the 'C' word and wish that it had never become part of our lives, but I suppose for now we just have to get on with it and hope that the little bastard never comes back.
I will continue to update the blog at intervals but if you want to send us an email at any point feel free. vic@suremigration.com
This is your last chance to be mentioned in the blog, so if you have been a part of our life over the last couple of years then please feel free to leave a message.
For now its goodnight from us xx
