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Please help keep our dream alive.

  • Closing Date and Update

      22 November 2022

    Thank you to everyone that donated or shared our page and the good wishes we received.

    Your help enabled us to hold my health insurance a little longer and assisted with some medical costs.

    I have been taken off the trial drug after suffering a number of side effects impacting quality of life.

    My medical team continue to monitor my condition with regular scans. Palliative care is never fun. I am still waiting on the referral with the dental unit. In the interim I have lost a further 2 teeth. I hope to hold the insurance a little longer although that is fast becoming unachievable.

    My daughter is currently recovering from a fractured pelvis and I am thankful to be currently well enough to assist her.

    I have extended the closing date by a few months this note is a little update on where we are at and an opportunity to say thank you. It really was very much appreciated.

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  • One step forward two steps back

      8 September 2022
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    Thank you to everyone that has donated or shared our page.

    It has been a help and greatly appreciated.

    We have been attending a few markets recently selling craft, baking and items no longer required to help stretch the budget meet living and medical costs.

    This also enabled us to spend time together to chat build memories.

    Unfortunately we will not be able to do this for sometime. Dawn has had a fall and fractured her hip. Dawn broke her pelvis in 2020 during covid lockdown.

    We have many weeks in front us for recovery.

    The additional costs couldn’t have come at a worse time.

    We recently sold the spa pool to ease the budget. Hindsight It would have been useful for Dawns recovery and something the grandsons enjoyed together when they visited. Difficult choices just have to be made.

    I have my next appointment in October and CT this week. Fingers crossed there are no new tumors at this stage.

    I am helping care for the boys and their transport after school where I can.

    We are hoping ACC will help cover some of the additional costs and changes Dawn needs to cope when discharged,

    Meantime I will continue knit and hopefully be able to sell some items through other formats than markets to help our financial situation. The distraction helps the emotional ones.

    If you are happy to share our page again to help raise awareness it would truly be appreciated.

    The lemons life gives we turned to lemon curd and was selling along with orange marmalade.

    Trying to stay in the moment but a little disheartened right now.

    Picture of our stall at one of our recent markets.

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  • Seeing the beauty in the small things!

      24 June 2022
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    Give a Little recently reminded me it’s Been a while since I updated. Thank you everyone who donated and/or shared our page. It is very much appreciated. . Your donation is being used towards non funded medical costs. Travel to appointments and general costs involved with living with cancer. My next appointment is in a weeks time.

    Today I attended an appointment with my daughter which was a pre operation check. Dawn is due to have surgery to help reduce her chances of developing and requiring treatment for ovarian cancer like myself due to testing positive for BRCA2. Her chances are 1/5. We didn’t realize how high the ratio was. It is a daunting thought and I do not wish this journey on anyone. Least of all my daughter.

    Neither am I Looking forward to my follow up. On the one hand things sort of ok however not in others. Been a big gap between last tests and experiencing major pain along my jaw and individual teeth which are breaking down and chipping. Hoping for a referral to identify next moves. The impact of chemo treatment has been far reaching resulting in a number of long term changes. Not necessarily good ones. Hoping we will not be looking at a fourth journey into chemotherapy.

    My cousin Gary Anderson recently did a motorbike ride around some north island towns raising awareness of mental health with his border collie Kairo in a side car. So proud steps he has taken raising awareness of mental illness.

    Makes me want to have the same determination what we can achieve with the help of family, friends and complete strangers. Some old, some new, some who have only just become known to us.

    I have resumed knitting some items to be sold, some gifted, giving back in a small way available in our situation. I used to knit for the prem babies at Auckland Hospital prior to cancer.

    Teaching myself crochet in an effort to keep the brain distracted. Currently working on a small dog coat.

    My daughter grandsons and I attended a couple of craft markets building memories. Catch up with the progress Like Mother, Like Daughter at Just Knitted & Craft on Facebook

    I was blessed on a recent walk to capture the beauty of a Monarch. When you think of their journey beauty comes from within from egg, caterpillar , chrysalis to peace and perfection.

    Wherever you are happy Martariki stay safe and have a great weekend. Once again thank you for your support and thinking of us on our journey.

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  • Xmas nostalgia another revived memory

      29 December 2021
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    Dawn and I both must have suffered a bit of nostalgia this Xmas.

    After not celebrating last year due to Dawn Wood being in hospital both of us baked this year.

    Dawn made Xmas biscuits something I had done every year dating back to Dawn being little until cancer sucked out the energy last few years and I made French Breakfast puffs another bit of history Xmas and Easter. Was go to for bring a plate.

    Being off cancer meds lessened side effect resulting in more energy and sensitivity to smell much weaker.

    Back to enjoying small things like baking for a while at least. May have been a frugal celebration still one of the best. Gift of love in homemade memories.

    We even ventured strawberry picking with Lucas and Austin. Just as well given the number of posts saying supermarkets were sold out and the increase in prices.

    A great end to the year.

    Hope everyone managed to have a great day under unusual circumstances. Stay safe and happy.

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  • Beautiful Weekend

      21 December 2021
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    Lovely weekend away with my grandsons. Building more memories. Walk to the beach. Austin road a bike. Got to love those smiles. Saw Quails amongst the bird life. Got a date today in January for surgery. Thank you everyone for sharing our page and dream. Have a wonderful Xmas and safe New Year.

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