My Pages

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Year 5 school camp

Emma had her year 5 camp this week which I was lucky enough to go on as well. 

It started with a very excited little girl jumping up and down on our bed at some early hour of the morning.  We were not due to leave until 10.15 so it was going to be a very long morning.  We had packed and got everything ready the night before to save time but we would have had plenty of time anyway. 

Unfortunately the weather was not nice and it was raining.  Oh well......

The first day we spent the afternoon down by the creek searching for creatures that live in the water or surrounding rock puddles.  We managed to find 3 small fresh water crayfish and a few toads.  The children all managed to get themselves some ochre so by the end we had lots of painted faces.  They had a great time.  We cleaned up from this activity and headed to the "barn" for afternoon tea and then went back to our rooms for some quite time before dinner. 

Camp Idol was held after dinner and can I tell you that I haven't laughed so hard in ages.  The children all had something to show us, some good and some acts were totally not so good...... LOL.........  Every child participated though which was great to see.

After a sleepless night we started day two off with a big breakfast.  Our first activity today was orienteering, what a hoot trying to find all the clues etc......  Our team ended up winning but boy oh boy did I get some exercise with that one.  The second activity was bush skills where the children learnt how to start a camp fire and cook billy tea, they also learnt how to pitch a tent and other skills required when camping.  The tea was pretty good too might I add.  Lunch followed this activity and then for our group it was off horse riding YAH.  I loved the horse riding the best and wish that Emma and I had our own horses.  Just a dream I have and one that will probably never come to fruition.  I couldn't believe how sore I was the next day though.  Ouch definitely had a sore bottom....
After our dinner tonight we had a bonfire gathering.  We sat around the bonfire and Nick the school chaplain came down with his guitar and we sang songs and toasted marshmallows.  The kids loved this part the best I think.
Day three was time to go home.  Emma was feeling very tired and stressed by this stage so we left a little earlier and did not participate in the final activity.  She was not feeling well either and had started to get a bit of a cough so I figured it was better that we go home and for her to rest. 

She is due to have her tumour removed on September the 9th.  Mixed feelings about that as I know that she has to have it removed but I am sad that she is going to have to go through all this, the pain she goes through just makes me want to cry but I have to remain strong for her sake.  They say that she will be in ICU for about a week and then on the ward for one to two weeks.  Poor little munchkin

Anyway I must go and finish the housework as I am going to visit a girlfriend tonight.  Emma has gone down to Tea Gardens for the weekend with her nan and pa so she can see her cousins and aunts and uncles.  She gets home on Monday afternoon.  She has an appointment with the hospital psychologist on Tuesday so we are hoping that this meeting will put her at ease a little with all that is about to happen for her.

Hope you are all happy, healthy and wise

God bless
Leanne xx

Friday, August 20, 2010

New Scrapping room

A little messy - yes but it will look much better once I have organised it all
My favourite corner in the new room

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Back to school

Emma is finally back at school until the next lot of surgery.  She is heading off to school camp on Monday and mummy is going too........  They are letting me go to keep an eye on her.  It is going to be so much fun. 

Not a lot has been happening around here lately.  Just trying to get things back to normal before the next round.  I am heading into the office for a few hours this morning to get my desk and stuff organised.  Our website is now up and running fully and you can check it out by clicking the link in the right hand side of my page.  We also have a facebook page so if you want to click on that then go for it.  It is so exciting to have our own business again.  There is so much freedom working for yourself. 

Anyway Emma is nagging for me to go do her hair for school (Praise God she is nagging = normality/bliss) so I had best go

Will be back to share photos of my new scrap space.  Nothing really exciting but I would like to share it anyway.

Leanne xxx

Thursday, August 12, 2010

surgery

Emma will have her next lot of surgery in approximately three weeks time.  She will be in ICU for the first week and then another week in the general ward.  I don't think Stuart and I were prepared for the size of this surgery.  They have to break her jaw in the middle of her chin and basically open her face up like a book.  She will have a tracheotomy in for a week and be fed through a tube in her nose.  I honestly thought I was going to vomit when the doctor was explaining all this to us.  My body went warm and I felt awful.  There is the chance that she will lose all feeling on the left side of her lower face and not be able to feel her teeth.  

I think I was in shock but this is the only option we have.

I guess I will be praying madly for the next three weeks that her surgery will go without any problems. 

Poor little Emma has a real attitude at the moment too, she is being a bit of a drama queen (as the doctor put it) but I feel that is because she is absolutely terrified and does not know how to deal with it.  My heart breaks knowing how my poor little munchkin must be feeling.

Ok I will be back with more at a later date.

Oh before I forget  I am now a DT member for mad about scrappin, great bunch of women and loads of inspiration.

There is also a cyber crop this weekend for Scrap of Difference, head on over and give some of the challenges a go.  Prizes to be won for all the challenges.....

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

IT IS NOT CANCER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Praise God it is not cancer........

The tumour she has is a desmoid tumour and with any luck we will be able to get it all removed by surgery.  This tumour has a habit of growing back though if not every cell is removed.  If the results come back that they didn't get it all then they will treat her with chemo once every three weeks for a period of 6 months.  The oncologist said that she should not lose her hair although it may thin a little.  Emma has very thin hair to start with so hopefully we won't have to travel that road.

I am praying with all my might that the surgeon will be able to remove every single cell of this horrible tumour.  Apparently it has a mass of a tennis ball.  No wonder Emma is in pain and so unable to eat properly. 

We have an appointment with the surgeon and oncologist tomorrow at 11.30am and are hoping that they will get her in early next week for the surgery. The sooner this thing is gone the sooner she can get back to her normal life and us too.

Anyway I will post again tomorrow night after we get all the details from the specialists. 

Thank you once again for your prayers, gifts, thoughts and love.  I have been able to stay so strong knowing that there are people out there rooting for us.

Leanne xxx

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Our daily happenings

Emma decided that this morning she would go to school for a little while.  I went with her and she managed about half an hour before she wanted to come home. She only wanted to go as she had maths this morning.  She said that the noise and everything just made her feel a bit yuck so we left.  We went down to see daddy as he was in the new office.  We have the walls up now and the painting is almost finished.  We have purchased most of the furniture but there is still a little to go.  Our website is up and running and you can find us HERE

As you can see I have put some photos of my darling little princess, she was not feeling the best this day as you can see.  Poor little munchkin has been so brave and has soldiered on.  We go back to the Royal Children's hospital on Wednesday to see the oncologist and then Thursday for the surgeon.  We are hoping that the news will be great and that she will only require another operation.  We can only continue to pray and ask for His help.

Before we found all this out I did manage to scrap a couple of layouts.  The first one is when we went to Movie World.  Emma has always loved Austen Powers even though she has never seen the movie or has any idea who he is and the second one is from when I was down in Tassie with mum.  We went to the snow - fun but so dam cold brrrrrr.



Anyway I have to go change Emma's dressing on her cut. Ewww, not the nicest thing do have to do but something that needs to be done anyway.

Love and thanks to all

Leanne :-)

Sunday, August 1, 2010

whirlwind

Firstly Stuart and I want to thank everyone that has called, send messages and prayed for Emma.  The kindness from everyone has been so touching and overwhelming. 

Emma had her surgery on Wednesday morning and it all went well,  they removed two sugar cube sized pieces of the tumour for biopsy.  She did not handle the anaesthetic all that well and morphine does not agree with her.  She was not a happy camper at all.  Thursday was spend running around the hospital having a bone scan and another CT scan.  Poor little munchkin was so tired by the afternoon and in loads of pain.  We didn't get much sleep that night as she was up most of it crying in pain.  Friday she just laid in her bed most of the day, she hadn't eaten anything since dinner Tuesday night and with all the medications that she has been on she has found it impossible to keep anything down.  We did finally get her to eat something today though and that has stayed down, she has lots more colour in her face as well and has been sitting up watching tv. 

We are in for a long road with all that she is going to have to have done.  We do not know how bad it is yet but the surgery alone to remove it is quite big.  She will need to be in theatre for approximately 7  hours.  They have to be delicate and careful around all the nerves etc for her face.

They have said that she may need a few rounds of chemotherapy and radiation but we will cross these bridges when we get to them and take each day as it comes.  She wants me to take over to school tomorrow to see if I can get her some homework as she doesn't want to fall behind, lol so typical of Emma.

Anyway when I find out more then I will let you know.  She is happy at the moment so that is all that matters to us.

Leanne :-)