August. 2011. And finally he met Scott Cam.

Owen and Scott Cam

Well, our Make-A-Wish connection and all round good bloke, Hugh, made some phone calls and surprised Owen with an opportunity to meet Scott Cam. The famous builder who Owen has been a fan of since "Backyard Blitz". It was possibly going to be a handshake, a photo and a pat on the head and then he would be gone. So, we went expecting just that. We turned up at "The Block" at 8am because we knew that he was going to be doing a live cross to a morning news program. 

Just hangin' around in the sun

Waz's lady glasses

Waz setting up sound for Owen.

As we walked up to the house, Scott Cam walked around the corner with Polly and Waz, and Rod and Tania...... How cool was that...! There were no crowds, despite all the hype about the show, and we stood with them while they prepared for the cross, and just chatted. Owen gave Scott a funny picture that we took showing Owen nail gunning a picture to our fridge and then showed him his beads. He was stunned as were the others by this snapshot of Owen's journey. It was a calm, relaxed and wonderful atmosphere and we walked away after 45 minutes in the greatest of spirits. Another round of thank yous to Hugh, Sarah (Channel 9), P & W, R & T, and of course Scott, who was generous in his praise, time and genuine interest. The journey is now complete for Owen. Jason Hodges and Scott Cam.... There is no-one left that he wants to meet.. Un-believable.. He has met so many great and genuine people in the past year, all organised by wonderful friends, charities and supporters that have wanted to make a difference in his life. And Owen has cherished and appreciated every one of these opportunities.
To finish off... Jason Hodges emailed him this week to ask him how he was going after meeting him a year ago... And Polly and Waz won "The Block"... And Make-A-Wish called him to tell him that his wish has been granted.. What a most amazing few weeks he/we have had..

August. 2011. Time for an update.. and all is good

Yes, all is well... 1 year and 9 months down..
  Owen is full of beans and life seems to be slowly slipping back into normal routines. Funnily enough, he is going in tomorrow for his monthly checkup, lumber puncture (25+ times under a general anesthetic.. losing count), chemo top up into his port and usual smiley and cheeky catch up with the Day Oncology nurses. We barely know any of the patients as a new group of children go through the same harrowing ordeal with their shattered parents. We smile and are relaxed seeming like old hands at this. Methatrexate.. check,  Mercaptopurine.. check, Dexamethasone.. check, Bactrim.. check, as we smile at the Oncology Pharmacists. Owen gives cheek to his saviour, Dr Waters and if all goes well, he is back to school at lunchtime.. It is strange yet so normal for us, yet I remember the children that sat next to me in Day Oncology that are no longer with us. Lots of brave faces in there.
  Within all of life's strange twist and turns, Joel and Owen still have managed to get away on a few camps and a huge slumber party with the Challenge, the charity that has looked out for us in our early days. Owen recalled asked being by a friend on how he managed to get to do all these great things. Simple answer - All you need is to get cancer, he answered. He thought it was funny.. Black humour..
After months of pushing him, he finally relented and applied to the Make-a-Wish Foundation for something special. Make-a-Wish is a charity that grants wishes to children with life threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy (and now the tears start....getting soft in my old age). Three helpers came to our house to talk to Owen about his wishes and they will get back to him with an answer.. We keep our fingers crossed..

Polly and Waz....!!

Rod and Tania....!!

In the Man Cave

Anyway.... turns out one of the Make-a-Wish helpers is related to the funniest people on television. Polly (and Waz) from THE BLOCK. Yep, a show about renovating which Owen loves. By the next night, O, J and I were sitting in their house, on their couch watching the Block with Rod and Tania (legends) as well. 25,000 people lined up last weekend to look through the houses and we had front row seats.... Unbelievable...Then a tour of both houses including playing poker, with screws, with Waz locked in his Man-cave. It was a wonderful and uplifting experience. A bonus, but most of all. the joy of being in the company of genuine people. Click on the photos to see the fun. Thanks heaps to Polly and Waz, Rod and Tania and Special Thx to Hugh..

Still here and Owen is booming along....

Quick catch up.
Yes... I know that it has been a while.. Sorry.....

The Goalie....

Where did that hair come from?

We have been absolutely flat out.. Preparing our backyard, fences, water tanks, while landscaping has been happening. After living here for 12 years we endured our final Summer of closed doors and dust. Then a massive job at work that ran for 4 weeks. Now we are playing catchup. Landscapers have gone, but the gates, bbq area and more still need our attention.  
The boys are back to school and loving it. 3 boys in 3 different schools.
About a week ago Owen said that it was 1 year, 5 months and 1 day since diagnosis. It seems a lifetime away.
 But.... we get little reminders. The District Nurse every 2 weeks or so, taking blood samples for checking. The Dr appointments with lots of positive remarks. He is doing really, really well...

The original hairdo....!

A little surprise this week as the phone call came through from Oncology. His neutrophils  (protective white cells) are dropping to a level that means any temperature spikes (indicators of potential infections) and we are off to Emergency. They have stopped his oral medication until we have improvement. It is important that the medication knocks him about, because it is a sign that it is doing it's work. Owen is definitely flat and tired but we count our blessings.
He is back with a vengeance.. and he now has CURLY, WAVY HAIR......! And plenty of it.
Make-A-Wish foundation. (Click here to see their work)
Owen was asked at short notice to appear in a fund raising television advert for the great charity "Make a Wish". A Children's Charity that grants all sorts of wishes children who have battled, or are still battling life threatening diseases. It is currently running on Television. We have not seen it but lots have been complimenting Owen for a great job. Owen, as yet has not made any requests to Make-A-Wish, even though he has paperwork and is a worthy recipient. He does not believe that he is done yet..... But any opportunity to get his head on TV... No probs....  
Click here to see the Ad. It's a beauty