Journey

It has been an incredible week, Rory received his Ta Moko Tattoo, he attended the Halberg Games for the first time and his CT scan was clear! 

We returned to the Far North so Rory could have his tattoo done by Moko Kauri Ta Moko.  It was important it was done in the right place by the right person so it represented Rory’s whakapapa.  During the process there was a lot of swelling and some bleeding.  Rory was brave and Raniera took his time only tattooing what Rory’s body and mind could manage.  There is considerable meaning in the design.  The Maunga/Mountains symbolise the adversity he has overcome and the hills we have walked.  The Mangopare/Hammerhead sharks and their teeth demonstrate strength and a fighting spirit.  There are several to show our whanau/family.  The tattoo flows like the passage of life and there are references to Rory’s Ngati Hau and Ngati Wai ancestors. 

Our first night in Whangarei gave us the opportunity to do the activities we missed in January due to Covid19;  spotting fish in the Harbour while we walked the Hatea Loop walkway, having coffee with good friend Dianne, sampling delicious treats at DeLush Keto café and fresh oysters at the factory shop in Kawakawa.  The following three nights we stayed at Coopers Beach.  In addition to the Ta Moko we explored Rangikapiti Pa, admired the art work in Fern Flat Pottery’s open studio in an isolated valley, walked and swam at Shipwreck Bay at Ahipara and Sean and Colt went fishing and got a feed of fish.  We drove south to Auckland via Herekino Forest and Broadwood so we could catch the vehicle ferry from Kohukohu to Rawene.  We were rewarded with a lovely clear view of the Hokianga Harbour.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were spent at the Halberg Games at Kings College in Auckland.  The Halberg Games is a national sports competition for young kiwis with a physical or visual impairment.  Watching the athletes compete was truly inspiring.  They are enthusiastic, positive and strong of spirit.  They don’t let their disabilities stop them from giving everything 110%.  It definitely gave me something to think about when I heard one of the Paralympians refer to their disability as their ‘super power’.  Rory was one of 12 athletes in the Taranaki team.  They participated in all 20 sports on offer over the weekend and made us supporters proud.  Rory competed in; Cross fit, Tae Kwon Do, Athletics, Badminton, Archery, Gymnastics, Rowing and Turbo Touch.  His favourite was Tae Kwon Do.  In Rory’s words “You use your whole body.  It is action and fun.  There is an awesome sense of achievement when you break the boards and kick the mats, you feel you are strong”.  He showed a real aptitude for rowing, according to Olympian Eric Murray.  Sean and Rory stayed on site while Colt and I went back and forth every day from the North Shore.  Sean put in a good effort for the Taranaki supporters in the 100m parents race.  The Opening and Closing ceremonies are something like the Oscars.  The athletes walk in with their teams and there is deafening applause from the clackers of the supporters in the audience.  There are smiles and tears aplenty. 

It was a huge relief to hear Rory’s CT scan was clear.  He is now 9 months post treatment for Osteosarcoma.  It was a shock to hear the results had not been received by Starship Hospital for their Oncology team meeting on Friday morning, one week after the scan was done.  I had to make several angry upset phone calls to Taranaki Base Hospital to determine what had occurred.  It took over a week for the scan to be read as it was considered ‘routine’ and there is a shortage of Radiographers.  Rory’s scans are not considered routine by us.  Rory has had cancer twice in 11 years and there is a 50% chance of relapse of Osteosarcoma.  We live in constant fear and anxiety  this insidious disease will be discovered in his body again.  The scan request lacked a note to send the results to Dr Stephen at Starship so if it wasn’t for my follow up he would have been out of the loop, at least initially. 

Thank you to Denise, Lance and Jackie, Cindy and Neville for opening their homes to us and providing us with somewhere to stay while we were away.

Thank you to Raniera for the taonga for Rory.