12 days in beautiful sunny and warm Queensland, Australia

We have only recently returned from 12 days in south east Queensland catching up with family, friends and was so pleased to be able to meet up with some of our mesothelioma family while on the Gold Coast.

The first evening we attended a birthday dinner for Keith's brother - Ross who turned the big 60.  A great night spent with family and friends.  The next night he held a party and we caught up with grandkids and son Elton.  So very proud of him, he has just moved back to Queensland/Brisbane where he is working in a profession that he loves and is so good at too - Building Design.

Friday morning I caught the bus to Pacific Fair shoppingtown and met Kim and her beautiful mum Margaret.  They lost their brother/son Peter to mesothelioma.  We had a lovely time catching up and remembering Pete and his kids.

I got to spend time with my youngest daughter, Debbie and my 2 little Brisbane grandkids Lux who is 4 and little Evie who turned 3 while we were there.  We went up to Caloundra, Sunshine Coast for a couple of days and celebrated Evie's birthday there.  The boardwalk is so amazing and beach just beautiful.  I did heaps of walking with the stroller!

Monday night we visited Steve and Gail Cook in their beautiful home for a wonderful meso dinner party with Pat, Marilyn and their daughter Nicole.  A wonderful evening catching up on meso/and we all got along so well.  Thank you to Steve/Gail for hosting the night at their place.  Steve had chemo that morning while Pat was going to have chemo the next day - 2 very brave and beautiful warriors.

Tonight we had a birthday dinner party for our wonderful neighbours who very kindly look after our siamese cat Charlie when we were in Queensland.

On another note, the day before we went to Queensland I had an appointment with Dr Feigen/radiologist at Olivia Newton-John cancer centre.  He went through my last scans and said that he couldn't help me.  So back to see my oncologist next Monday afternoon and discuss possible chemotherapy around the heart area.

I have just finished skype with Jan from UK - she is doing it tough atm, my heart goes out to her.  I hope the medical team can help her get through this big hurdle she is facing.  It appears that the medical team have basically given up on her.  I know she is much stronger than what they give her credit for - she is a fighter and I love her so much.

There are others who are doing it tough around the world and my heart goes out to them.

Weekend of winter weather in Macedon Ranges, Victoria, Australia

Our winter is finally here after a false start of 4 weeks of reasonably sunny and mild days!  Freezing cold outside, heaters on inside and sometimes at night the open fire lit with Charlie our siamese cat sitting in my favourite comfy chair waiting for me to finish on the computer and sit there with him and enjoy the warmth and television.

Keith is currently sitting there watching the Formula 1 Grand Prix ... with Charlie on his lap.

We had family over yesterday for lunch, it was a lovely day sitting around our dining table catching up on the latest with what the kids and their partners are doing.  As we grow older ... the next generation seems to be catching up slowly ... and we seem to be the 'oldies'! 

I found it hard to get out of bed today, very fatigued and it took until midday to come good.  My breathing was a bit shallow, swelling of fluid tightness in the diagrahm area and under the chest area though nothing major that I couldn't work through myself!  We went for a drive up to Mt Macedon and stopped to get our PO box mail there then did a short walk.  Half way up the hill I started to get chest tightening so we turned around and walked back to the car and then home.

Later in the day Keith got the chainsaw out and cut a few fallen gumtrees while I carted the branches down to a fire that he has going to burn all the tree rubbish in the middle of the paddock.  We are on nearly 5 acres of beautiful rolling countryside with lots of lovely old gumtrees that are starting to fall branches due to old age and wind/drought weather.  Tonight I feel better although my tummy area is still tight with fluid.  It will pass .... .

No word on my appointment with my oncologist as yet.  I will phone in the morning.  The radiologist, Malcolm Feigen was presenting my case last Thursday to the multi discipline medical team and then report back to my oncologist Allan Zimet.  So hopefully this did happen Thursday, if not it will take place this week and my appointment will be scheduled for then.