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21 November 2008
MICHAEL LAWS
LUCY'S DADDY
UPDATE on LUCY - Friday, 21
November 2008
As a number of people have reminded
me, it has been awhile since I posted any progress report
on Lucy. I apologise:
the arrival of Theo, NCEA exams, school trips, work duties,
etc has really stretched our household very thin in terms
of time.
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| Lucy holding Theo and Zoe refusing
to take direction! (Nov 2008) |
Last week, Leo took Lucy (and Theo)
up to Starship for Lucy's monthly lumbar punch and spinal
injection of chemotherapy.
She was placed on steroids as soon as that was finished
so ended up as a combination of irritable, hungry and demanding.
They don't tell you that about chemo: it makes your children
fractious - but Lucy generally handles it well. In fact,
she has handled all treatment well. She has been a real
star.
And I've stopped complaining about
the unfairness of it all. First, because Lucy is responding
so well to the
treatment
and her hair is starting to grow back again (check the
photo), but, second, because so many kiddies we met on the
child
oncology ward are so much worse off. We've kept up with
the children we met at Starship and Ronald McDonald House
...
and a couple have already departed this world.
We visited
one of our favourite kids last weekend - brave little Oliver
Currie - and his exceptionally brave mum
and dad. It reminded us that God's grace and exceptional
medical
talent don't always prodice equitable outcomes. It was
the first time I've cried since the early days with Lucy.
When people ask as to Lucy's progress,
I always say the same thing; she's well, responding to treatment
and we
have the
next two years of chemo to negotiate but ... so far,
so good.
And I count my blessings - literally
- that we were blessed with an intervention in February.
With our miracle. I think
you get one in a life. This was ours.
Lucy is at my shoulder
as I type this. She is saying that I have to read her a book
before bed, and lie down in bed
with her. That she is not going to bed until I am finished.
That is my Lucy: defiant and yet loving within it.
She also
asks repeatedly: "when will I stop being a
boy?" This is because of her No.2 haircut as the growth
starts to bed in. And yet she is such a girly-girl - loving
her frilly fairy frocks and insisting upon her high heeled "clippy-cloppers" and
long summer dresses.
We got a local photographer - Mark
Brinnicombe - to take some pictures of the girls and Theo
in the mayoral
chair
in the council chambers - as a front photo for the mayoral
Xmas card. I enclose an out-take - but it gives the flavour
of Lucy. Knowing, wiser than her years, empathetic. I think
that's what most cancer kids who survive eventually become
...
I hope this e-update finds you well.
It has been a very big 2008 and Leo and I are both exhausted.
But the kids
sustain
us and I guess they always will.
Best wishes
Michael
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