Journey

It is great to see Rory come alive in the outdoors even though what he can do has been severely curtailed.  On our final day at Grannie and Grandad Gardiners we drove out to the coast.  There was a brief photo stop at the location with the world’s longest place name, Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.  We walked Te Paerahi beach at Porangahau, and Blackhead at the southern end of Te Angiangi Marine Reserve.  Rory and I like looking for treasure on the beach, this time Paua and Cook’s Turban shells. We always manage to collect a bag of rubbish.  It was very cold and windy on the coast.  As we made our way back to the car at Blackhead the sky went dark and it started to rain and hail.  Colt and I, who were without coats, made a dash for the car.  Sean helped Rory back as they were already covered.  When they got to the car Rory said to me “you left me out there to die!"

We returned home to Inglewood to complete week one of the school holidays.  Time indoors with kids when the weather is cold and wet is enough to drive any parent insane.  We are all itching to be under the sky blowing off some steam.  Rory was lucky to spend a day out with both Rob and Natasha this week.  He has also built a lego Marvel set and has been passing the time with a colouring in app.  A raft of medical appointments await next week including his 3-monthly CT scan.  Rory has now been in remission from osteosarcoma for a year.  Each scan is an anxious reminder he lives on borrowed time.  In spite of the ever present threat of recurrent disease we try and look ahead and live life to the fullest.  Next week we are exploring a couple of opportunities for when he has finished high school.