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Calen vs The Big C ! 
Welcome to Calen's Journey from his Diagnosis of Adreno Cortical Carcinoma on December 10th 2001 - a rare soft tissue tumour at the age of 6.
Hannah
Liam
Joel
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"We are only as strong as the links in our chain of support."
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"WHAT CANCER CANNOT DO"
Cancer is so limited....
It cannot cripple Love
It cannot shatter Hope
It cannot corrode Faith
It cannot destroy Peace
It cannot kill Friendship
It cannot suppress Memories
It cannot silence Courage
It cannot invade the Soul
It cannot steal eternal Life
It cannot conquer the Spirit.
Author Unknown
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Welcome to Holland
by Emily Pearl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...
When you are going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum, The Michelangelo David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean, Holland? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland, and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So, you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new groups of people you would have never met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, Holland has tulips, Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I planned."
The pain of that will never, ever, ever go away, because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.
Please leave us a message in our Guestbook - Calen loves to hear from you all!
Childhood Cancer
Calen gets many smiles from Squirrel Tales!
Please check out Calen's Quilt!
CALEN'S View
One day during our drive home from the hospital, Calen mentioned we were lucky because we were "Out on Bail".
And we were usually allowed home "On Bail" but had to report back to the hospital regularly for "Trials" - the diagnostic tests. Our Oncologist is "The Judge" and the kids on treatment are "In Jail". So I asked if he had a good solicitor - his reply "Yep, you Mum."
Journal
Saturday, January 24, 2009 9:45 PM CST Funny how much occurs when you aren't really taking notice!
Master Calen reached his 4 year clear mark without much ado in October.. as usual there was too much going on to focus on it much.
He's still quite a challenge but we are starting to make headway with the Aspergers.. well maybe starting to understand some of it! :D
Year 10 is on the horizon and for once he is actually enthusiastic.. that can only be a good thing. ;) His subjects are English, Maths A, Graphics, Business Studies, Film & TV and 2 computer based. And much to his chagrin.. he's doing PE this year too! Ha!
Hannah is cruising into Year 3 with as much grace and style as she can muster. I'm sure she is more beautiful everyday.. and possibly even more intelligent (but shhhh don't tell her that! :P)
Liam is picking up new things everyday.. sayings, thoughts and his ever cheeky grin... he can melt anyone's heart with his sweetness and does regularly!! His glasses are part of him now, he searches for them and asks if he can't find them. Kindy is great and he's accepted for who he is. His confidence is growing daily and he really is blossoming.
Joel is the little man. He can make you laugh with just a look or a move. He has worked out the LCD tv..the DVD player and the CD player rather quickly and is moving onto Calen's Wii... ;)
His ability to scale small mountains in minus 10 secs has to be quite a talent!!
All this and he's yet to turn 2!!!!!!
Kindy is also helping him develop into a confident happy lad (although I'm pretty sure his ego was healthy to start with!!).
Calen's 14th birthday on Jan 11 was another quiet affair.. but I'm sure he'll make up for it soon. He's off to new member camp at Canteen in just over a month at Magnetic Island. Just spreading his wings a touch while I sit and contemplate how I got to be the mum of such an amazing being.
Our precious friend Miss Jessie Schroder passed early on January 13th this year. For myself, it has been one amazing journey. Meeting Kellie, Bow, Courtney, Jess and Leila has enriched our lives beyond belief.
The earth is missing another angel but we are the ones who are blessed.
To all who have been there along the way.. from the deepest part of all I can give - Thank you, I know you too are eternally blessed.
C
Read Journal History
Hospital Information: Patient Room: Home!!!!!!!! Royal Childrens Hospital
Herston Road
Herston Qld 4029
Links: Childhood Cancer Support Inc. An amazing organisation who are always willing to support children and families facing cancer, whilst dealing with the illness and after.
Zoes Place. Help build a Respice centre for children with life limiting illnesses and their families.
Camp Quality. Great get aways for kids and families with cancer, Fun, Fun, Fun!!!
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