Permanently Tattooed

Today, Friday 27 March is a beautiful Sydney autumn day.  At 9.00am I was at the radiology department of the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse for my radiation planning session.  Radiation therapists Kim and Simona looked after me and Dr Dianne looked in.

The planning session consisted of me being placed face down on a bench.  I was manoeuvred around until Kim and Simona were satisfied I had been correctly positioned.  Markings were made in my pelvic region on each side and my lower back.  A CT scan was taken.  At the end of the session, the three markings were permanently tattooed so that I can be properly placed for each radiation session.

I start radiation on Tuesday 7 April and finish on Friday 8 May, my sixty-fifth birthday.  I think this will be a good birthday present!  This means I will not be undergoing radiation when Barbara goes to the US and gives me almost two months to fully recover before travelling to Uganda in July.

I then went to Clinic D to check on arrangements for the accompanying chemotherapy.  I wanted to be sure chemotherapy commences on Tuesday 7 April.  I was sent to the chemotherapy day treatment where Josephine took details.  She will email me the information.

Last night Barbara and I visited our new grandchild before going on to ESFNG (Every Second Friday Night Group).  Brian and Bonnie, friends from Vancouver were special guests at our gathering.  Good to have some social time with family and friends.

I confess to feeling very tired and a little apprehensive.  It has been a whirlwind five days moving from wanting treatment to radiation treatment being arranged.  At the same time, Barbara has been a very busy grandmother.  She stayed on four overnights our oldest grandchild from Friday to Monday so while the parents were with our latest grandchild at hospital.  Tuesday our other granddaughter came for her usual day with Barbara.  Thursday, our oldest grandchild came for the morning rather than most of the day with Barbara.  We are looking forward to some quieter time.

Reflection on Cooperation and Collaboration

I am so grateful for the cooperation of the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse doctors, nurses and staff that has resulted in me starting radiation from 7 April.  People arranged prompt appointments and procedures.  All were professional, caring and courteous.

I am so blessed by my family’s love.  Barbara, as you know, is a rock.  Alison rang me from the US yesterday to check that all was OK after she read my previous DHC Hope blog entry.  Our two families with children are full of love and spend a lot of time with each other; this means Elsie and Laura are friends.  It is only a couple of weeks and Will, our youngest, will be thirty!

I am so amazed at the level of cooperation and collaboration that exists in The BezCan Project:

• Within our Governance Group
• With Bezallel and Canaan Schools
• Between Bezallel and Canaan Schools
• With the McEvoys and their Church, Holy Trinity
• Enabled by the generous financial support from family and friends

The extent of collaboration experienced during my February/March trip to Kamuli, Uganda was exhilarating.  It couldn’t have been better.

In recent years I have come to the view that cooperation between human beings is one, if not the highest of human achievements.  It is wonderful to have this experience in three key areas of my life.

Time to take a break from writing blog entries.