Swimming lessons

28th of November 2007

Imogen loves swimming, so to start swimming again was a dream for her with her buddy Dhani. Immie and Dhani were also blessed with a excellent swimming teacher, she really knew how to teach the kids and look after them.

Floating...woohooo
Cheek a boo...jumping up
waiting for the jumping...THE JUMP!!
Big smiles
Dhani jumps

Bubbles

Under the hoop

Blowing the boat

more floating

Playgroup Christmas Party

Santa arriving at the Playgroup Christmas party

All smiles, not sure about the hand though...my lovely boy pointed that out (lol)

One of my favourite picture..she looks so carefree

Shannon, Hailey peeking through and Immie(all smiled out!!)

Cancer Support Group Christmas Party

On the 25Th of November 2007 we went along to our first Kids cancer support Christmas party, Immie had a blast - all her favs were there - horse rides, bouncy castles and face (or hand) painting and then an extra surprise the big man with the white beard bearing a gift!!.

It was a beautiful day and the kids cancer support group with their sponsors put on a great spread of food and fun for the kids. High five for them all!!

Love The Holmes Gang

Rides on every horse..a must!!

Hand painting..its a flower for you who are guessing

Bouncy castle
Simple smiles
Oh mummy
Santa arrives
Which is a little emotional for us...its amazing how much more you appreciate life when you kick cancers butt!!

Whata a cool Santa!!

ooo.....wonder what I got!!

ooo.....Dora the Explorer.. I love it!!

Cheesing with Immie

The trekkers are tops!!

These amazing trekkers with their amazing cars now help sponsor Kids cancer support Group. They help to make this Christmas party happen, help siblings and patients with the Camp Onwards held every year and other extras around the hospital. They are only new to the sponsor track for Kids Cancer Support but the difference they will make will be Fabulous!!

The Simpson car
25th of November 2007

All the cars lined up..wiggles, Banana in pyjamas

Whoppee Doo

Matter and Lighting McQueen - how cool are they!!

Full of Fun!!

Blake boy poking tongues
Clapping hands
Round and round the garden
The lovely Cherrie
Blake and Granma

Immie sorting Kai out with a clip around the ear

now they are best buddies

or not!!

Granny and Immie

Hi all

On the 20th of November 2007, we were lucky enough to be able to go to Full of Fun with Cherrie, Maureen, Kai and Blake. This was great as it meant Blake had enough neutrophilis to be able to hang out with Immie and not catch her multi resistant organism bug (to antibiotics) that she can only pass on to immune suppressed kids. Even though we have been through a lot of heart ache this year, we have also been so lucky to gain a new family of friends. At times I am not sure how I would have been able to get through these last 6 months with out Cherrie. She has always been there to listen, and is the one person who can truly relate to this horrible and difficult journey.

Blake as been in treatment now for 9 months and is only just over 13 months old, he has had more chemo then his little body can handle, several operations (one lasting 13 hours) and is now doing a stem cell rescue at PMH. He is a true marvel, and is one of the strongest kids I know.

Please send this beautiful family your hope, positive thoughts and prayers as they need every little bit!!

http://tinyearthangels.com/babyblake.html

Here's to a new year full to the brim of health and happiness

Love

The Holmes Gang

Four months out!!!

21st of November 2007
Four months out - Whoopee doo!!

Enjoying a ginger bread man (or spiderman, as Immie fondly calls them) after they have now taken ice cream of the list at the canteen. I tell you the world is going CRAZY!!. Who doesn't need chocolate or ice cream when your stuck in hospital - its nuts!!

Taking the finger prick blood

oooo..look at my bandaid, but the lady drew a cat on it for me!!

email sent 21st of November 2007

Subject: Imogen's Fourth Month out!!
Hi all

Guess what!!, today was Immmie appt for clinic...yeap four months out, blood, urine clear (well we will know the results, only if anything is wrong, but last months were super!!) and looking fit as a fiddle.We can't believe another month has pass...WHOPPEEE!!!. Our appt today was at 9am (hahahaha) got there at 8.30am and played in the park for a while. Went down stairs at 8.50am, got blood test paperwork, then proceeded to run into Dr Deanne (one of the wonderful interns we had at the start), who did not even recognise Imogen, which is another whoppee, because it means Immie looks fantastic!!.

Finally we got to the blood centre to find a 45 min wait!!..argh!!, so instead of being isolated we decided to go for a walk to our fav shop..Officeworks( yeap I know..but its walking distance..and has textas and stickers). Then we ran into another of the kids off the ward, Mia and her mum, and wasted most of our 45mins chatting to them. We got back to the blood centre at 10am went in about 10.10am and Immie was an absolute star with her finger prick, only a little squirm. She was very happy as the lady drew a dog on her finger prick bandaid : ). Then we got a call to tell us we were next, so come back down stairs.

We went down stairs and as there was not enough isolation rooms we had to wait in the hallway for another 45 mins. Though we did get to see three lovely nurses, Jane, Lizzie and Jess (3 of our favs). Then we finally got to see Dr Stephanie, to find out the blood machine had broken down, so we could not recieve any results..ARGH!!. Immie had a through check up, talked about her limp, that has now disappeared due her hip clicking back in??? a couple of weeks ago.Got weighed -15.65 kgs.

We then said Hello to Tim Campbell (Dan of Home and Away) and continued on our way home. We were out of there by 11.40 and home by 12.15. I was dissapointed to not get any finally numbers for her blood counts, but hey this is not the first time...As the saying goes no news is good news!!.So now the count down begins for another month, which will throw us just before Christmas!!. Where has the year gone!!

Please check out the blog for new pictures of Immies hair and funny stuff we have been doing...as I said last month I am getting there!!!http://www.theholmesgang.blogspot.com/
Hope your all beautiful, healthy and happy,
Love, Hugs and Kisses
The Holmes Gang xx