David's Birthday Breakfast

Helen's brother David has visited us for a few days this week and graced us with his presence for his 62nd birthday!

Saturday 24th July 2010

Charming Helen quotes from the last few days:

"I don't know if you can imagine how lovely it feels to be in this hammock".

"If you're not too sick the life of leisure is rather nice".

"I must say it's lovely to be doing this going out stuff". This last said after a day in which we went to the Frillies op shop and cafe and bought some dress ups for Bilha's cabaret extravaganza, lounged on a picnic rug at the Nightcliff foreshore enjoying the sea breeze of the Dry Season, visited Bilha and Stuart at home to offer our gifts, went back to the Gardens for a home visit with Dr Anita, had a nap then went out to an Italian movie at the Deckchair called "Mid-August Lunch" - an awful title courtesy of poor translation but very sweet and humorous and from my point of view terribly topical.

This was pretty much the most activity H has had in as long as I can remember so we'll see how tomorrow goes but it was all good fun and she still seemed pretty bright tonight when she went to bed.

Reading Group, Hammocks and Chickens

Tuesday 20th July 2010

Various news from the last 10 days: Helen is in good form - has been eating better and put on some weight! More independently mobile than she was and enjoying life. Douglas and Louis and I are continuing on a roster of 1 in 3 which is great. We have had some lovely visits from Helen's friends including her Book Group last Sunday who had their gathering here. A few outings - to the Wharf and Framed and the Fannie Bay Italian Restaurant. A less interesting one to the oncologist yesterday. For now we have decided to just go on as we are with no further chemotherapy - the cancer symptoms seem pretty minimal at the moment.

The chickens are growing into little monsters - bigger day by day! We have a small dilemma over their future - I am keen to keep them longer as they are fun to have around, Louis is keen to give them to the community garden at Nightcliff as they are reaching the age of increased destructive capacity, Douglas and Helen are somewhere in the middle. We have been letting them out to free-range in the garden and they are so tame and curious that to re-catch them I just have to go out and make a few cheeps and they come running. The downside of that is they spend a lot of time on the verandah and if given a chance will come into the house and hide under Helen's bed.

Yesterday I left Helen having a nap in the hammock and when she woke up not only did the chickens go into the house while she was powerless to prevent them, the afternoon sprinklers came on and sprinkled her for 20 minutes! Alas I was upstairs and not hearing her calls but luckily she was OK really. I'll post a few photos again soon.

Thursday 15th July

Helen's friend Shirley visiting to show progress on her work for the Senior Territorian Portrait Awards.

Monday 5th July 2010

We are having an early dinner and Helen is manfully, or womanfully, making her way through a bowl of risotto under her own steam. She says I should report she was "surprised how delicious she found the combination of leek and dill". There is rhubarb and custard to follow. The chickens continue to grow as amazingly as babies always do. Last night Helen, Kaye, Louis and I went to the wharf for dinner and Helen and I shared a fabulously greasy meal of fish and chips with 2 kinds of sauce while the others stuck to the more interesting Asian items on offer. This morning Doug took Helen on a wheelchair walk around the Botanical Gardens with Jed for an escort while Louis and I did this and that. It's been deliciously overcast all day which is now surprisingly resulting in a bit of afternoon rain. Not really on for the Dry and will no doubt mean tomorrow is steamy but it's fun while it's happening.

All 3 of us are quite amazed by how well Helen is doing. In some ways she is back to how she was before her last admission to the Mater back in Brisbane - well with some differences but enormously improved to how she was before she left Brisbane and in her first few weeks here. It's hard to say but Louis and I think a big factor is just being cared for at home by us. Even though the idea of respite and support from others is nice; it just doesn't inspire movement, eating, mental stimulation and love the way being with people who love you does. Anyway - we're enjoying it while it lasts.

2 July 2010

Louis returned this morning bearing gifts - accumulated mail and packages from Queensland - not to mention 28kg of paperwork to start on Helen's last 2 years of tax!

Delightful arrivals included a beautiful gourd card from Helen P and a wonderful indigo and burnt orange wrap with hand dyed fabric embellished with pieces of kimono. Also cards from Barbara and Sally plus a Darwin arrival from Peter and Joyce.

Helen is in great form this morning - reading a book of short stories Doug provided while we al sit around her doing crosswords (Doug), computering (me), cheeping (the chicks), collapsing (Jed) and snacking (Louis). Last night Kaye came over and hung out with Helen while D and I went down to Mindil markets. It was Territory Day and the fireworks went on into the early morning so Kaye had to bring her dog Lily over to be looked after as well. Luckily Jed's not so sensitive to loud noises and he and Lily got on fine. From my point of view the charm of the sparkly lights was pretty quickly outweighed by the annoyingness of the banging and crackling and having to keep the house closed up - it was 30 degrees in Helen's bedroom at midnight! Still - a true NT cultural experience and the Dry Season breeze came in at a refreshing 25 degrees this morning and cooled everything down.

Tonight I fly down to Melbourne for a work thing and will be back on Sunday midday and Louis and Doug will hold the fort. As far as I know there are no plans to go out at this stage but if she stays as good as she is right now maybe that will be an option. Otherwise visitors are welcome as ever.