A new suprise!!

Guess what!!!,

we have exciting news that does not relate in any way to the resort or gorgeous Imogen..

WE ARE PREGNANT!!!...(well actually I am pregnant ; P )

8 weeks and 3 days, due the 27th of September (3 days prior to Big boy Kody’s birthday).

I know everyone tells you should wait till three months, but we thought stuff that we have had enough of melancholy news let’s share some very, very exciting news.

So begins another new journey and a very precious gift for all of us, another five year gap, someone must know I would not cope with many babies at one time.

Kody is excited tho determined that it will not be born on his birthday, lol we will see about that.

Immie was very excited, as she came to the scan with us, and an exclaimed “We are having baby, You are having a baby, I am having a baby”. She often asks “what’s that baby is doing right now?”.....it could be a long seven months for one lil girl.

So Hurray and Yay for us!!!!,

Love to all
Fee, Jas, Kods and Immie.

Day by Day

Immie with her earrings aka hearing aids

Hi all

This week...has been...emotional.

Monday bought Angel James funeral, a beautiful service though heartbreaking for Vanya, Shane, Liam, Brent and all of us touched by this amazing kid. Rest in Peace, James Thomas.

Tuesday involved chores and trekking into the resort to pick up contrast for Immie's CAT scan on Wednesday. There was also fun, as we got to catch up with Karen, Shannon, Hailey and cute lil Dylan.

Wednesday began early as Immie had to have her contrast two hours before her scan mixed with ¾ can of lemonade. Who thought it would be soo hard to convince a 4 year old to drink lemonade at 7am ( or actually about 6.20am due to how long it took to get her to drink it all....about 40 minutes). Then we left for the hospital at 7.40am arrived at 8.20am- time for a coffee (YAY). Up to CAT scan, and discovered that Immie needed a injection of x ray dye which meant a cannula. She was a very very brave girl, just a little cry and ouch. The injection of the dye cause more concern due to the fact it was cold. Immie laid very still, and the scans were done super quick. Everyone viewing the scans looked happy; I hope that is a positive vibe. We won’t find out the any results till next week.

Then back down to the ward and off to do a finger prick (another ouchie!!). Then back to the ward, a very very quick wait (very happy). We saw Dr Phillips, and discovered that last week’s echo was all fine, tho the GFR had not returned any results yet. Imogen’s skin has all clear up and now she has resumed her Accutane, and we wait to see the side effects this time, every time is a little different.

The Dr’s will call us next week with the results from the CAT scan. Immie is no longer having her MIBG scan and injection next week, as there has be another new diagnosed neuroblastoma case (ARGH!!!!) and we were asked to give our appt to them. Of course we said Yes, as we know how urgent those first scans are, and another Nueroblastoma case is devastating. After we had finished our appt with Dr Phillips, we went in search of Beth to organise how we are going to get Immie to lay still for an hour and half for the MIBG (any ideas??). It is the first time we will be having the MIBG without a GA.

We finished all of that so quick that it left us with a huge gap between the times finished 10.30 am till the time the Hearing Australia appt was 2.15pm. Yeap there was a cancellation, so Immie got in early to get her “earrings” (Immies words), also commonly known as hearing aids. We spent a lot of time strolling the city streets and realised how boring the city is for young kids. Finally 2.15 arrived; we had a lovely audiologist, and got Immies earrings programmed to her hearing. She seemed quite keen about them to start with, tho was not that impressed a few hours later. We caught the cat bus back to the resort, pick up the script and finally began the trek home at 4 pm.

On the way home we had to pick Kods up from Key board lessons, thanks to Granma for dropping him there. Then home to collapse then reassemble for the Trombone meeting with obnoxious parents – blah!!. Then I arrived home again to collapse and fall into a deep sleep.

Thursday was Immie’s Mr Rener appt, we drove over to Attadale to discover that Lee was sick and they had tried to contact me once by leaving a message while I was getting school stuff ready – argh!!!. Back to school Immie went, full day of fun. Then after school Immie’s day care big friend Keeley visited. Immie was very happy and excited.

Friday, today was a full day of school for both my loves. Free Dress today to raise funds for the Victorian Bushfires.

This weekend will be emotional as we mark the fact that on the 22nd of Feb 2009, it will be two years since we heard those words...”We think your daughter has an aggressive form of cancer called Neuroblastoma”. When we look back on the last two years we are constant in awe at how much has happened in this time.

Also how much precious time we have had to be able to spend with Immie, with the help of hospital treatment and Mr Rener’s knowledge on biochemistry. We continue to stay strong and forge forward into the uncharted years of the future. We are confident that these two years of treatment will be overlapped with the number of years out of treatment in remission into the positive and amazing future.

Imogen will live a long, healthy and happy life.

Thanks to all our avid supporters, Family and Friends divided between past friends (that still surround us with love, you are now far and few between) and our new friends we have met on the way. Also to the hospital staff, where would we be without you ( I shunder to think : ( )xx.

Love to you all

Love The Holmes Gang

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/theholmesgang/DayByDay#

Granma celebrating her 51st birthday - hahaha

"Super Star" James

Hi all

I was not sure how to write about another incredible kid, James Thomas, gaining his soft angel wings and top position in the heaven Tee ball team after an amazing battle with cancer. I have written some words to express how we are feeling for his family.

I heard your voice,
And my heart begged I didn’t,
My soul broke,
The morning you rang me,
I never believed I could continue to feel such pain,
For you my fantastic friend, Vanya,
A friendship bought together by chance,
Your beautiful boy,
James Thomas,
Had left this land,
That once bought him hope and happiness,
To begin again,
With the other angels,
How could it be?,
We all ask why,
A forever unanswerable question,
Lays resting on our lips,
Though the lessons you taught,
James and all the angels,
Could never have been learnt,
Without the guidance and love you have given and shared,
Forever grateful we will always be,
To have known such,
Bravery, strength and Kindness,

Rest in Peace,

JT

James Thomas.

Sending Vanya, Shane, Brent and Liam strength, thoughts and prayers to guide them through the hardest days. You are forever in our thoughts xx

Love

The Holmes Gang

What's happening??

Hi all

Well I have been pretty slack with the updates, though the first ‘almost’ two weeks of school has flown by.

Kody has settled into school with ease, though in the last week the homework has upped the ante and as you can imagine he is not that impressed with this occurring. Kody has the same teachers, same class room and majority of the same kids. So instead of having to settle in again with new teachers, classrooms or students, it’s like they just had an extended weekend (of approx 10 weeks lol). He is also back on the bike after the accident, and riding to school every day.

He is also back to keyboard lessons, swimming lessons (with my awesome friend “taskmaster” Dana), Scouts and a very cool Art class on Saturday mornings (organised by Granma). Last week we received paperwork, stating that Kods had been selected to play a school instrument...he was picked to play the trumpet. Apparently they had testing done last year, and Kody obviously passed the rhythm test (must get that from me lol). Kody has grown up so much in the last year, and continues to amaze us with his humour and passion for life.

Immie has been settling into school like the star she is. Mrs Barker is amazed daily, by what she has picked up since last year. Immie also has the same teachers, classroom and majority of the same kids in her class (talk about making it easy for me to remember names and class numbers!!). She loves going to school, and is still only doing half days at least till the end of this week.
I would probably say her only difficulty is her lack of sometimes hearing and the kids in her class (not from last year) staring quizzically at her very short hair cut. Though this does bother Immie one bit, she continues on in her very happy and giggly life.

Imogen got castings taken for her hearing aids and had another (long 40 minute) hearing test at Hearing Australia on Tuesday last week. She was very good. Her appt to be fitted with the aids is on the 27th of February, as this was as soon as they could get her in.

Yesterday we went to the resort for Immies GFR (kidney function test), arriving at 8.30am to get the drip installed to allow to provide access for the GFR injection and the hourly blood collection. Imogen decided she did not want emaula (the numbing cream), as she hates the bandaids that are used to keep it on for the time needed. Immie lay so still while they put her drip in and jiggled around her veins finding the right way to insert the canula (Immie veins are all very crappy after so much treatment : ( ). Then off to nuclear meds to receive the injection, and then it was with a pray and a lot of hope for the unstable cannula to last the 3 – 4 hours needed. Thankfully it did, and after many visits from beautiful hospital people, we were off. Immie was given another week off Accutane as her feet have still not fully recovered. We had a wait of about an hour and half for the booked echo (cardio test); we filled the time by going to Megazone, the park and keeping the hospital canteen with a constant money supply.

The echo ran on time and we will get the results for these next week, though they are all routine tests. Next Wednesday Immie will have a CAT scan, then clinic to ensure she is ready to begin her third dose of Accutane. The following Wednesday is the big test, the MIBG the most accurate test to tell us the full story of all the treatment Immie has gone through since September 2008. We have an appt on the 4th of March for results. The waiting is horrid and extremely hard.

Fortunately the week before this, I begin Uni so that will be somewhat of a distraction. What else??, oh Kods and me were involved in another car accident on Saturday, a young guy ran in the back of our Daewoo, so more quotes and fixing needed. I had to go to the doctors and get checked out as I am still under a Motor vehicle claim for the Sept 07 accident. I was deemed all ok and was very happy about that.

Well life marches on we are trying to find a normal balance, a little more difficult than from the first time we were out on good behaviour bond for nine months. Tho we believe (or hope) that it will continue to get easier over time. We still believe we are so very lucky especially as we watch the news surrounding the Victorian Fires and Queensland Floods.

Please keep Immie in your thoughts as we undergo the tests in the next month, sending all you can muster for positive beautiful clear scans,

Love to all and a special pray and strength sent to all scarred by the Victorian Fires and Queensland Floods,

Love the Holmes Gang

More gorgeous pictures of our delights : )

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/theholmesgang/NewBeginnings#