Wednesday 27 April 2011

I'm posting this from Natimuk where I'm having a 10 day Autumnal Easter break. Helen is care of Susan and Jo and the dogs as Louis and Emma have returned to Brisbane. Susan has arrived with the lovely Freckles - a beautiful looking and gently natured red cattle dog crossed with something taller and more elegant. Freckles is 6 and both humble and sensible. Umphy as you all know is about 8 months and full of exuberance and Jed is now a dignified 12 and intermittently somewhat grumpy. They make an interesting trio. Now that Jed has fully adjusted to Umphy in his life, he seems to be feeling jealous when Umphy and Freckles interact, but I look forward to all 3 bonding and enjoying each other's company.
Helen is going well - still enjoying her talking books and the occasional visit or outing with friends.
At our oncology review a few weeks ago we were told that the latest CT scan showed a new small metastatic cancer in her brain. This is the first sign of the cancer's ongoing activity, as the lung cancer (which is the primary) is actually still looking the same or a little smaller. There is no treatment we are prepared to consider for this new brain lesion (more radiation would be the only option) so we just have to wait and see what happens.
It really all depends - it is likely to grow and to spread - both around itself and to seed new areas in other parts of the brain, but there is no way to say how quickly this will happen and certainly at the moment the one seen on scan is very small and is not likely to be causing any obvious symptoms. There is a possibility that it relates to the period when she was so unwell off her steroids but it is hard to be sure.
Personally I have not felt really distressed at this news - we have had so much longer than we thought likely at the outset and as the new lesion isnot causing any symptoms at the moment it seems rather abstract. Helen too is not distressed by the news - although she certainly varies a lot in her processing and quite likely is not remembering it enough to be upset by it.
For now we go on as we are.
My own new news is I am taking a job in Darwin for 12 months with AMSANT (an organisation representing Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in the NT). Louis is about to go to Europe for another yoga connected trip. Susan and Jo will provide the bulk of Helen's day to day care while he is away and we will revisit things on his return and see how Helen is and how everyone is going.

Helen receives a Life Membership from NT Writers' Centre at their 2011 AGM

more photos from 71st party time

photos from 71st party time

8th April 2011

Helen's birthday celebration was a delightful day. We had visits from Kaye, Shirley, Megan, Bronwyn, Marlene, Bilha, Stuart, Stephen, Naomi, Asha, Jo, Doreen, Lil, Kathy and Fergal as well as Louis, me, Doug, Emma and the dogs.
Lovely calls from Margaret, Robin, David, Sally, Peta and families and cards, packages and letters from Peter and Joyce, Peta, Kathy et al and more. She has been lavished with love and gifts including a special Israeli liqueur, butterfly cakes and an assortment of delicious unguents for hands, feet and skin.
The week following has been pleasant and uneventful. Today we all went to the hospital for the latest CT scan and bloods - due to see the oncologist again next week. This afternoon Louis, Helen and Emma are going to Kaye's house for lunch.