March 2nd, 2008 - A long weekend
It’s turned into a very long weekend. Not in the sense of a holiday weekend, but it seems like far too much time has passed since we have been able to visit Cameron. This is the weekend that I had finally convinced Leigh to swap places so that she could come home and spend some quality time with Carlton and Owen, but since Carlton was diagnosed with shingles last week we have been in quarantine as far as Cameron’s doctors are concerned. Of course none of us are particularly happy about that but Carlton is on medication now and we are hopeful that the home-based half of our family will be able to recommence visiting Cameron towards the end of next week.
Cameron still has a bit of nasty cough and still gets odd, or rather inexplicable aches and pains in his legs and elsewhere but he is remains in good spirits. When I spoke to him on the phone earlier he was very cheeky! Amazing really. Until not very long ago it would have been perfectly natural for us to have interpreted cheek from Cameron as a bad thing. Now we cannot interpret it as anything but a sign of health! Go figure… Cam has developed a penchant for hot chips and chocolate… which isn’t actually the ideal diet for him to be following right now. He needs to be in the best shape possible for the start of his next cycle of chemotherapy, which begins Wednesday. Leigh was telling me that she didn’t want him eating too much chocolate because, to quote: “it has zero nutritional value”. Personally however, I find it impossible to believe that something which tastes so good could possibly have ‘zero’ nutrition… That was all it took. Ha ha. Actually it’s quite a serious issue because some kids come out the other aside of chemo with diabetes… so we’ll have to find a way to get Cameron to slow down on the chocolate.
Meanwhile I had to come up with a strategy for keeping the boys busy this weekend to distract them from the fact that they are unable to visit Cameron or Mom. Yesterday Owen was invited to the birthday party of one of his classmates, which was held at Aussie World, a local theme park that is ideal for the younger kids. So I told Carlton to invite a friend and I’d take them all along to Aussie world. In true Carlton style he ended up being accompanied by two friends. A good time was had by all and Owen’s favourite activity was definitely the dodgems, which he dragged me onto at least a dozen times. The funniest thing was that he failed the height test, which meant he had to be accompanied by an adult and wasn’t allowed to sit on the driver’s side of the two person car. There wasn’t any rule saying that he could not drive though… so I just let him sit on the passenger side and have the wheel… He absolutely loved it.
Today I was going to take them to the beach, but after church they invited themselves along to Rod and Gabby’s who looked like Pied Pipers on their return home. Turns out Rod’s brother in South Africa had lymphoma about 12 years ago and is today fit and healthy. Also Gabby’s father in South Africa was recently diagnosed with lymphoma and is at a very similar stage in his treatment as Cameron is. Only difference is he is almost 70 and I understand that he is not at all well, telling Gabby this morning that he feels like he is dying. Our prayers are with him and all of Gabby’s family. Which got me thinking about just how many people are affected by cancer and how incredible it would be if there was a vaccine, or at the very least a treatment without the severe collateral damage associated with chemotherapy. So, with my beach plans trashed I found myself online at the Leukaemia Foundation site and I have setup a group for the forthcoming “Shave for a Cure” event. Please do not feel obliged, but if you can donate, or you’re in a position to participate it would be nice just to see how much money all of you fantastic supporters of Cameron can raise in his name. Besides, it would be nice to know who else is going to join Cameron and I with bald heads on the day…. 
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:54 am
Hi Cameron,
At last i have been able to get to send you a message. We have been following your progress on the website and have many family and friends praying for you here in SA. You are doing great so far and with all the prays we know that you are going to beat this. We will be thinking of you especially this week as you start your next treatment. May God have a special angel at your side at all times to comfort you when you don’t feel so great. Will be in touch again soon.
lots of love
Mark, Louise, Kimberly & Chelsea
Johannesburg, South AFRICA
March 3rd, 2008 at 7:35 am
Hi Cameron,
Well it looks as if Dad is going to be a bit chilly on top!!!!I’m afraid if I do that my hair may not come back, and then what? Mind you, it may get rid of all my grey hairs though, heh? This weekend was a disaster as far as SA rugby was concerned all the visitors from “down under” and your ‘other’ part of the world!!! Took us to the cleaners in the ‘super 14′ Never mind we’ll show them when we get over there……….I HOPE!!! Hope you are bearing up under the strain. Don’t worry, from what your Dad and mom tell me they will all be able to come for a visit again real soon. Now it’s poor old Carlton heh!! SEE how much he misses teasing you!!!! As usual we all send our best wishes and keep you in our prayers. I will keep you up to date on the rugby side, but we seem to be getting weaker and weaker, but I still hold out that we will come right, and show you ozzies a thing or two!!!! Keep smiling even if it hurts, we know you can then make us all smile. Lots of love from South Africa Grandad Bill XXXX
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Hi Cameron,
I wanted you to know that we continue to pray for you at MBC. You look fabulous with your new hairless cut. My neice Lauren is going to join Shave for a Cure and has already raised $2,000, she’s 18 and will look dynamic!!! I’m with you on the chocolate issue, tastes good, makes you feel good – but don’t tell your mother because I should be on her sensible side. Both my children Karl (19) and Charlotte (14) send you their love and prayers for a speedy recovery. You can tell Carlton we have added him to the prayer list and also a young girl you would know called Anike. Thinking and praying for you heaps.
Blessings & Love, Kate Bartlett
Life Group Coordinator
Maroochy Baptist Church
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Cam!!! Buddy, so good seeing you today! I simply can not stop thinking about you! That smile, the bright eyes… oh boy- you’re constantly on my mind! I think my friends are all getting jealous! They all wanna meet this awesome Cameron fellow I constantly talk of! I couldn’t stop smiling when we left today- you have the most beautiful spirit! I get so encouraged by you and I bet all the other kids n their families get encouraged too! You gotta keep being the light my boy!
I’m gonna find out dates so we can organise a date to a Reds game! (and get some sweet free tickets hopefully! But shhh… don’t tell Caleb!) And the Reds WILL win… just because we’re there!
Keep smilling!
Lots of love, Elicia
March 5th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Hi Cam, how you holding up? It was so great spending those few days with you, we had some good laughs, which is what we all need hey!!! Good luck for your next lot of chemo. Mark will hopefully get to see you on Thursday but only if he is well enough as he has had a bad dose of flu – well actually it was “man flu” which is so much worse than normal flu!!!! Keep smiling and will chat to you in the next couple of days. Lots of love and kisses, Megs, Mark, Holly and Taylor. xxxx