Journey

Rory has lower back pain.  He’s had it for about a week.  It is at its worst when he has to stand, sit or bend over.  He had a massage on Wednesday to try and ease the pain but it was only temporary.  He saw our GP Dr Morrison on Thursday.  On Friday Rory had a blood test and gave a urine sample.  We are watching him closely for sudden decline and new symptoms, and awaiting an x-ray.  I am not a worrier, preferring to deal with what is in front of me, but the worsening pain is concerning.  We take the good health of our children for granted, it never occurs to us they could be diagnosed with a serious illness.  Once it has happened the blissful ignorance and security never returns.  With every ailment you think and mentally prepare for the worst.  When a doctor tells me Rory’s symptoms aren’t a sign of something major I laugh at them in disbelief.  Lightening has struck in Rory’s life multiple times and I know it isn’t over.  I am trying to stay calm.  I tell myself his back pain is likely a pinched nerve or a pulled muscle but I am not convinced.  My mind races ahead to further cancer (lungs or spine) or kidney problems.  When I voiced my concerns to Sean the other day he said ‘Surely not, how much can one boy take’. 

This fortnight Rory enjoyed lunch with his IHS Te Awhinatia friend Oliver and checking out the cars at Americarna in New Plymouth with Support Carer Shaun.  He has had a visit from ACC Physio Josh to discuss the deterioration in balance and walking ability.  Josh will work with Rory when he returns from leave.

Sean had surgery to remove a bigger margin around his abnormal mole.  The scar on his chest is almost as large as the one on Rory’s back from the melanoma removal. 

The light in our fortnight was when Colt brought home a certificate for best Junior male swimmer at Inglewood High. 

In the field last week I collected some Indian peacock tail feathers shed from male birds in a wild flock.  The patterns on the feathers look like eyes.  In many cultures, the all-seeing-eyes on peacock feathers are believed to provide protection against evil spirits and negative energy because they are continuously watching.  I have brought a bunch of the smaller feathers into the house.  Let’s hope they work.