I thought I was going to be allowed to stay up all night!
Instead of going to bed... we all got in the car! It was very exciting.
We were going on our second Camp Quality camp.
We were excited, because every single person on those camps knows just how awful and terrifying the kids' cancer wards are. Every one of the people at the camps knows the numbing fear of facing childhood death, and the panic that can bring. At the camps, it's like... we are with family.
So, I was happy and I knew I was going on as adventure... and then...
Man!.... I had to sleep in the same bed as Charlotte!
I was so excited to be at camp that I didn't go to sleep on Friday night until 11pm! Mum even laid next to me, but it didn't work!
It was a great way to start a relaxing Camp Quality weekend.
I was so tired I fell asleep! I like camp!
Mum and Dad had some fun seeing who was the best at archery,
while my sister and I played on the mat. Mum got a bulls eye.
so she walked a little closer... and the wombat ran towards her! She was scared!
The wombat actually lived under the front porch! See it's footprints?
and because my sister is too little yet,
Mum and Dad got to have lots of fun doing the activities
and my sister and I had lots of time playing together.
Everyone feels happy at the camp!
and Dad was next to her. It was so early, though,
and I like sleeping in with Dad, so we rolled over and ignored her!
It was very cool to have a whole Father's Day together! Dad got some cool presents and we had lots of cuddles and raspberry-blowing in bed. (This is our third Father's Day together. The first year, I was in hospital and was about 3 months old. I hadn't come home, yet. The second year, I was between chemotherapy rounds for my hepatoblastoma (liver cancer) and I was pretty sick. This year, we enjoyed the day at the Camp Quality camp!) |
You know he's going to get you... and you wait... and wait...
and then, it happens! He blows big raspberries on us and makes us laugh!
Often, I can't see... but, I've always loved the sound of motorbikes
and these helicopters were just as good!
It was such a busy, and relaxing weekend,
that I accidentally fell asleep in my pram!
My sister stayed awake a little longer than I did, but...
by the time we were in the car, she was asleep!
The day the doctor told Mum about my enlarged liver was one of the worst days we've had. For Mum, telling Dad was just as hard. We had a few tests before they confirmed it was cancer... Then, we had to wait to find out whether it was
'the good kind; which would respond better to treatment,
or 'the bad kind'; which was much more difficult to treat.
That was an awful time! I had surgeries (and for me, 'recovery' is very bad!)
and biopsies, my central lines was put in place and
my chemotherapy rounds began.
After each chemotherapy round, I was toxic for a while and Mum and Dad
needed gloves to clean me when I was sick. Mum had to be extra careful,
because my sister was growing inside her, and we had no kisses for a while,
each month. My hair fell out, so we shaved it.
I needed platelet and blood transfusions each month.
I got very sick.
For about eight months, our lives were all about the cancer.
You never realise how strong you are, until you have to be!
So, for us, becoming members of the Camp Quality Family,
and being cared for for a weekend, is just fantastic.
We never thought we would be the family people talked about...
and pitied... but, we are.
We wish we weren't, but...
some things don't ever change, so you just get on with things.
We are also the family some people respect and take inspiration from.
We've always supported the i98FM Camp Quality Truck Convoy,
and we want to do that in an even bigger and more public way.
We want to teach people about childhood cancers (and cerebral palsy)
and we are slowly doing just that!
One way we support the i98FM Camp Quality convoy,
is to support the People's Truck.
The 'people' can donate $20 and get their name on the side of the truck!
Easy! All donations are tax deductible and a receipt will be issued by Camp Quality.
This year, we're looking for "Dexter's Mates'...
people who would like to have their name written on the truck, near Dexter's.
If you would like to be a Dexter's Mate, and support Camp Quality,
send us a message or an email - [email protected]
We are hoping to get 100 names as 'Dexter's Mates'.
That would be $2000 for Camp Quality!
The 2013 Convoy launches this week!
And, to everyone who supports the convoy, thank you!