Well Christmas is only days away.
This year we are looking for a miracle in Santa’s sack.
Brenda had an MRI scan at the beginning of December. The results are not good. The tumour has regrown almost to the size it was pre-operation and has invaded other parts of her brain. The Chemo Oncologist gave us the results and also said that the tumour was not responding to the Chemo. He said we should stop chemo and let the palliative care people make life as comfortable as possible. Brenda felt that things were not going well up to the scan and this proved to be the case.
We left the Chemo Oncologist and went to see the surgeon. The surgeon had the same news. He would not attempt to remove any more of the tumour as this would do more harm than any good as this time he could not follow up with Radiotherapy. Brenda received the maximum dose of radiation the first time. Any further radiation would damage the brain.
We came away quite depressed; the prospects are now NOT good. The tumour is quite aggressive and it is only a matter of time before it takes over.
I have dreaded having to write this update. I thought I could just sit here and let it roll off but it’s not coming.
Well I guess I should continue as I started and just tell you what Brenda has been up to.
Last Sunday we attended Carols by Candlelight at a park in Yangebup (a Suburb nearby). The Carols were put on by our church along with several others. Well can someone tell the weatherman that is now summer and you don’t go to Aussie Christmas Carols in you overcoat, scarf and beanie. It was quite cold at the Carols, we had taken some folding chairs but Brenda needed a rug. Friends from church were sitting beside us and they had a quilt on the ground for their young lad to lie on. I remembered I had a lined picnic rug in the car so we swapped the rug for the quilt and Brenda and my Mum snuggled up under it.
My Mum arrived the day before flying in from Parkes in NSW.
She had to get a commuter flight from Parkes in the middle of New South Wales to Sydney. She then boarded a Virgin flight from Sydney to Perth. The Parkes-Sydney flight is an hour then about an hour and half in Sydney then the Perth flight takes 5 hours. It is great to have Mum here.
Brenda is still able to walk with the use of the walking frame. We like to keep an eye on her as she is losing strength in the left arm and leg. The pain is mostly under control as the nurses have been fine tuning her medication. Brenda is still able to laugh and has been entertaining her visitors well.
Christmas will be here at home with Brenda’s Mum and Dad and brother Keith coming up from Collie for the day. Brenda’s other brother, Brian will come over with his partner Dale. Brenda’s nephew Brad and his partner Teegan will come up from Collie on Christmas Eve and stay for Christmas lunch then go to Teegan’s parents at Peaceful Bay down south. On Boxing Day Brenda’s niece and her partner Dean and son Ryley will join us. My Mum will be here as well.
We will enjoy Christmas as best we can as we enjoy each and every day.
God Bless
Love Steve
Steve Blackstock 