AIDAN'S DIARY - APRIL 2002

5 April 2002
Aidan's stitches from surgery were removed this morning and he received the fourth dose of Topotecan.
The little guy is becoming more fatigued during the day due to the tumour and (possibly) chemo. His spirits remain high, his sagely comments bemuse his school teacher, he continues to argue with his sister (as only a brother knows how), helps to change and feed his twin brothers and remains a special little person.
- Dad

7 April 2002
We have become the temporary surrogate family for the Easter chickens from Aidan's class. He has been taking his mothering duties quite seriously, ensuring no harm befalls the pecking little flappers.
- Dad
 

Chicken Land.  Click to enlarge.

Aidan mothering some chickens. Click to enlarge.

8 April 2002
A small piece of good news. The lab results from Aidan's last CSF sample contained no cancer cells. We won't know if the tumour(s) have shrunk or decreased in number until the next MRI scan.
- Dad

12 April 2002
The annual Kalamunda Show rolled into our neighbourhood to promote local business and skim money from the locals by the side-show ride operators. A few days ago Aidan was bemoaning the fact he had never been to a "fair". He and Caitlin got faired all right on a mini roller-coaster,  ferris wheel and super slide. They left with suitably hefty show bags with all the best plasticy knick knacks that money can buy.
- Dad

13 April 2002
Aidan, Caitlin, Trish and I took to the air in a Piper Seneca with Captain John and Anthony Pocock for a round trip to Bunbury, a country town south of Perth. Aidan spent a brief stint at the "wheel" as co-co-pilot, steering the plane, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Caitlin's interest in the trip perked when we boosted her so she could see out the rear window.
Many thanks to John and Anthony for taking time out of their busy schedules.
- Dad
 

Aidan in the cockpit of the Pocock's Piper Seneca. Click to enlarge.

Aidan steering on the trip to Bunbury. Click to enlarge.

14 April 2002
Trish was reunited with her sisters, Rachael and Liz, who returned from the scholarly fens of Cambridge. They made the arduous journey to our antipodean realm to visit Aidan, the sun and, the rest of us too.
- Dad

16 April 2002
Aidan and Caitlin's kindergarten hosted a small class reunion this evening. The Boys (aka. The Twins) had a wonderful time, sitting on the little chairs and playing in the "home" corner. Aidan found his way to the "activity" corner where he could make stuff, because he's a "builder". Caitlin was in her element too.
The kindy teacher, Pam Rouse, remains a source of inspiration to the children and us.
- Dad

17/18 April 2002
Aidan spent 4 brief spells sandwiched in a radioactive isotope scanner, used to trace the flow of CSF around the brain and spine. The isotope was injected early in the morning on Wednesday 17 April and tracked by a scanner at 1, 2 and 4 hour intervals and then again at a 24 hour interval on Thursday 18 April. Results are pending, but we expect the scans to show the CSF is flowing normally, that is, there are no tumours blocking the flow.
- Dad

24 April 2002
Aidan was rather chuffed today with the arrival of a special care-pak, including a signed Denver Broncos football and team shirt and poems from Nicole Larson's second grade class at Village East Elementary. The package was organised by a good many people, including Brian Griese (#14) and George Coghill (#48) from the Denver Broncos, Jon Larson, Kathy Clanton, Cherie LeDoux-Capra and Bill Blattner from Maptek (Denver, Colorado, USA) and Nicole Larson from Village East Elementary. Kathy, Cherie and Bill are some of Aidan's guardian angels and former work colleagues of mine. The Broncos learnt of Aidan via Maptek and Nicole Larson, as did a groups of poets at Village East Elementary. 
Thanks to the Denver Broncos, Maptek and anybody else involved in this Pan-Pacific venture in which causal effect went to a good cause.
- Dad
 
 

Aidan and Caitlin impersonating Broncos players. Click to enlarge.

The Broncos football autographed by the team. Click to enlarge.

26 April 2002
Another small care-pak arrivied in the form of a signed photograph of Brian Griese from the Denver Broncos and a mascot teddy bear for Caitlin. Thanks to Diana Jordan, personal assistant to Briane Griese.
- Dad
 

Last updated: 11-May-2002