2 Years!

Over the last few weeks I have come up with a million things to put in this post. Now that it comes to writing it and posting it I suddenly seem to be at a complete loss.

The last two years have been an amazing journey. Some of it has been challenging, but I’m glad to have been here to have gone through it. I am incredibly thankful for having such incredible and supportive family and friends. There is any number of times through the eight years I was ill that +Kim Robertson  could have thrown his hands in the air and walked away from me. Half of our married life I was sick. That cannot be an easy thing for anyone to cope with. My children have also worn a great deal of the rough end of this journey. They all cope (or don’t) in their own way. I am particularly proud of +James Robertson . He has had to cope with everything from “We can’t go and do that, my Mum is sick” to staying with his Grandfather while his Mum was away having brain surgery. After I came home, he kept tabs on me like a mother duck. Woe betides the mother who forgets to take her mobile phone with her!

+Peer Q , I know I keep saying it but I thank you for helping me have the confidence, courage and will to go and ask for one more opinion. You really have had a huge impact on my life in so many ways. You also started the Survivors group which has been a great source of comfort and information for the now 550+ of us.

Ted Ewen certainly needs a mention here. I met you a matter of months before I headed off for surgery through EVE and 30+ of all things. We chatted almost daily both before and after I went off. I really appreciate your friendship and all you have done for my family and I.

Helene and Anthony, I’m not sure you quite you really understand just how much you have done for me by including me. I don’t think I would ever have even considered running. I can’t say it was something I did after primary school (I wasn’t too bad at it all those years ago). You have inspired me to take that extra step out of my comfort zone and try something I couldn’t have imagined or even hoped to do 3 years ago.

My awesome brain buddies. There are just no words to express how you have kept me going. Because of you and your stories as well as my own, I am now on a path I could not have seen coming. I am headed down the road to researching brain tumours so that no one has to ever experience the things we have on our various journeys.

To my new found old classmates. It is wonderful to catch up with you and be a part of your lives again. I may not remember all the things we did in school but I am enjoying making new memories. I’m not going to name every single one of you, there just isn’t enough and room here or time. You have all had an impact on my life and my recovery and I thank you all for that.

I have started my pre uni course. The second week in I aced the chemistry test and scored honours across the board. Tuesday this week was my pure maths test and I’m pretty sure I haven’t passed. Tuesday next week is another chemistry test. At this point my biggest problem is memorising things. I understand the processes and the mathematics of the various elements however without the period table stuck in my head and valence, I’m a bit crippled in the chemistry department. Maths is very similar. I “know” how it all works, it makes sense… but I don’t remember the formulas. I’m going to go and see the disability officer at school to see what assistance they can give me to get through these issues. I do have the most amazing Chemistry and Pure Maths teacher. She is so enthusiastic and excited by what she is teaching you can’t help but enjoy the learning experience. My Biology and General applied science teachers are also extraordinary. I have managed to have some wonderful teachers at MSIT last year and again this year.

All things going to plan, next year I should be at Uni studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, then on to neuroanatomy and from there, Brain tumour research. The very first step of this goal was to donate my tumour to the brain tumour bank. It is there to help study brain tumours, how they grow, discover possible ways of screening, may be even early detection methods, preferably a cure.  I have put together a short clip on youtube showing 10 facts about brain tumours. There is very little public awareness about brain tumours and brain cancer. It is also severely underfunded. I have been trying to reach a goal of $5000 by my 2 year anniversary. $5000 is about half of a small brain tumour research grant. If 99 people donate $40 each, I’ll reach that goal. The page will be up until 28 February.

It sometimes takes a life changing event life this to change your perspective on life. I have learned :

1.  The small things really ARE small and don’t matter.
2.  There is no reason to accept and pander to negative people in my life.
3.  Friends are the ones who stay when the going gets tough, help when and where it is needed, give you a swift kick in the pants when you need it and hold your hand (even virtually) when you need them. (It also works the other way)
4. There is no point in worrying, it doesn’t solve anything and just makes you feel bad.  If it can be fixed, it will be so no need to worry. If it can’t be fixed, it won’t be so why worry?
5.  Sometimes life just sucks. Acknowledge it and then move on.
6. Being nice to people makes them stop and think. It often causes them to be nice to someone else. It has a fabulous knock-on effect
7. You really are stronger and smarter than you think you are.
8. Be the best you that you can be.
9. Reach for those goals. If you don’t try, you will never know if you could have made it there. At least if you try you’ll know you gave it your best shot regardless of the outcome.
10. Stand up for the things you believe in. Don’t be a slacktivist. Get up and or out and DO something to help that cause that you feel strongly about. Sharing facebook status images really doesn’t achieve much more than annoying your friends or guilt tripping them into doing the same. Meanwhile nothing is actually being done to really help.
11. Aging is a beautiful thing. It is a natural part of life. Accept it, embrace it and enjoy it. There are a whole lot of people who will never get to be the age you are.
12. The outside doesn’t matter it’s the inside that counts. There are some beautiful looking people around who are truly unhappy and some of them are just nasty. Same goes for some of the less conventionally attractive. There are however beautiful hearts out there.  If you had never laid eyes on them you would still feel the beauty in their souls.
13.  DON’T EVER GIVE UP!

I have started my 2 year anniversary with a photo session on Mt Coot-tha this morning for the dawn. It was a beautiful sunrise. The company was wonderful. Of course we had brain cakes as well!

Be safe, enjoy every minute, each one is important and to be treasured.