The wonder of Nature: From Land to Sea ... its Bubble Blowing time

As previously mentioned, we are great believers in the healing power of nature and the animal kingdom. So what do we do when the road to health has begun? We have played with the lions, watched the elephants and added a dog to the family ... so what is left that will be exciting?

Leave it up to Bubble Blowers, a scuba diving company in Cape Town. They arranged a scuba course and then the event that was absolutely perfect to round off the cancer year .... a 40 minute scuba dive with five (5) ragged tooth sharks.

Apart from the 'adrenalin rush' Kirstin found it to be an amazing experience ... a mixture of fear and power .... The fear factor is carefully and amazingly managed by the Master Diver that stays at her side throughout the dive. Brandon, Bernie and Anthony ... thanks for making it real!!

Helloooooo 2012 .....

Well its still a week and a bit to go but hey ... the 2011 cancer year is almost behind us. So how is Kirstin ..... well lets just say that 'The K is back'!!

She is back to her old self, been back on the rowing boats and into the gym ... and yes ... most importantly she has HAIR .... GLORIOUS HAIR ....

And of course ... lets not forget that she is now 18 ... SEMPER FI
So what does the water lady choose to do for her 18th birthday ..... mmmmmm

YIP .... if we can beat Chemo then lets face a new challenge .... lets just go scuba dive with the ragged tooth shark ... actually five of them !!!

2nd of August 2011 - CHEMO GRADUATION DAY

Its here ... it has arrived ... its ...

 

One of the milestones that we have been looking forward to has now come and gone ... yes today was the last day of Chemotherapy.

What would a graduation ceremony be without cake ... our local SPAR Supermarket outdid themselves with this one ... never before had they been requested to create such a cake but they rose to the challenge and created a masterpiece.

We were worried that the cake was way too big but between the staff and the fellow chemo patients, the cake just made it.

So what was the last day of chemo like ... well much the same just with a lot more smiles. It started as per usual with the blood count ...

and the 'good old' port needle insertion ...

and then the usual drip, drip, drip ....

An added special bonus today came from Kirstin's friend and confidant Bronwyn who decided to spend the chemo graduation with Kirstin as did her sister ...

So in short ... that was Chemo graduation day ... as for a celebration ... well that will have to hold off until her jittery white blood cells decide to behave themselves again ... yes she got Nuped again!! Nuped being Kirstin's version of nuke it, referring to the Neupogen injection.

AND last but not least ... here is the MAN of the SHOW ... Dr. B



Terry's Pens

The pen collection hand crafted by Terry for us during our journey ...

Kirstin's pen ... with the violet Hodgkin's ribbon crafted into the body ...

Moms pen ... crafted in the form of a satellite view of the world ... representing the kids as her world ...

Jordan's pen in red ... representing her love of her sister ...

The Oncologists pen ... representing the technological advancements in fighting cancer ...

And the Cardio Thoracic surgeons pen of appreciation ...

PAROLE DAY is in sight

Roll on Tuesday the 2nd of August 2011 ... SEMPER FI ... its parole day, yes its the last day of chemo ... in school terms ... Its Chemo Graduation Day.

JUNE - The jail sentance

Well ... why no posts for the month of June ... simply because June has not exactly been such an exciting month. Its been a month of imprisonment for Kirstin, thanks to her 'jittery' white blood cell count and as an added bonus the seriously weird weather that we have been having. One day cold, one day slightly warm and as for the rest ... Gauteng appears to have been under the impression that it is now a Province of Ice-land.

Apart from the effects of 'cabin fever' Kirstin is doing well and has reached the level of boredom that is even getting her to study and catch up on school work!! Maybe I should have had the illness at school!

Anyway she is now on the wonder drug - Nuepogen - amazing drug with a few nasty side effects but the side effects are a small price to pay for increased white blood cell levels. Her main side effects are head aches and bone and general body aches.

The good news is that we are headed for the second last regimen ..... Semper Fi

The Pen is mightier than the cancer

In celebration of Kirstin's remission, Terry a friend of ours who hand makes pens, designed her a cancer emblem pen which he hand crafted. Trust me these photos do not do this craftsmanship any justice ... but its the best I could do

The Violet ribbon has been crafted into the wooden grip ... how ... I got no idea!! but it looks awesome.

And ... mother was not left out of the loop here ... mom got her own exquisite pen. Now she cant wait for the next board meeting to really 'step out in style'.