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Hi Everyone
Yesterday was a big day for Brenda. Brenda was transferred to St John of God Hospital in Subiaco. At this Hospital she will be under the care of a doctor that will take care of all her needs. This will include physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, Chemotherapy Radio Therapy and any other therapy I forgot to mention.
It was rather sad leaving the comfort zone of the Mount Hospital. After 2 and a half weeks there we felt part of a big family taking care of Brenda. A family that not only attended to her physical needs but also her emotional needs. As we left yesterday the nursing staff lined up to say goodbye.
To all the staff at the Mount Hospital we like to say Thank you

Brenda’s rehab will start in the next few days.

Hi Everyone

I would just like to up date you on Brenda’s progress.

Brenda continues to improve daily with her mobility. She now only requires one person to assist her in and out of bed.

The last two days have been a bit tiring as she has been fitted with a mask for radiotherapy and a CT Scan to setup for the therapy.

This involved an ambulance trip across the City. Both days we had to have the ambulance booked so that we would have ample time to make to appointment. Then it was wait around at the clinic, have the procedure then book another ambulance back to the Mount Hosp.

The mask is made from a plastic that they soak in warm water for several minutes then place it over the patients face to mould it for an exact fit. Luckily the plastic forms a mesh so it not to claustrophobic. The worst part of this process is the patient has to lie on a metal table that is part of the Radiation machine. The Technicians use laser beams to line up the ears and eyes so that they can put the patient in this position when they do the treatment. The Mask insures that the head is in the right position each time.

The treatment will start on the 4th July and it will be 5 days a week for six weeks. Hopefully Brenda will be home by the start of treatment and I’ll be able to run her up and back. The treatment only lasts for several minutes but it takes about 10 minute to setup.

The CT scan will be used by the Doctor to setup where to target the remaining tumor. This is worked out by a computer and when Brenda comes in it will setup the beams in the right spots to attach the tumor.

We are now waiting to go to the Rehab Hospital. We think it will be St John of God in Subiaco but it hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Robert has setup up a site where I will post these reports. If you want to let anyone know of how things are progressing please go to
Blackstock.id.au

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
God Bless
Love Steve

Hi Everyone

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers.

Brenda is progressing well. She is now waiting for a bed at the Rehabilitation Hospital. The Physiotherapists at the current Hosp are helping her regain the full use of the left side of her body and she is now able to walk 20 to 30 meters with minimal assistance.

This week will see her at the Radiotherapy clinic for measurements for a mask. The mask is used to enable the technician to set up the machines quickly and accurately each time she goes for treatment. It also incorporates protection for her eyes. This will be followed by a CT scan the next day. We hope that she will be at the Rehab Hosp when treatment starts as this will minimize the time to transport her to the clinic.

Brenda is in good spirits as demonstrated when the Surgeon saw her on Thursday night. Brenda has had half her head shaved and the other half has been clipped short by the nurses. She asked the surgeon if she could wash her hair and he replied yes she could. Brenda then said to the surgeon than she was in a dilemma. The Surgeon asked why. Her reply was

“I’m not sure what style to have.�

The staff at the Hosp a great, they pop in and out to see how she is progressing and offer encouragement. They are so impressed with her attitude and amazed with her progress.

Thanks for all the flowers cards and prayers. Brenda is appearing on pray lists around to world.

That’s all for now.

All my love and God Bless

Steve

Hi

You won’t have heard from Brenda for the last week. Well I have some bad news.

Brenda was admitted to hospital last Tuesday night with a brain tumour. She hasn’t been well for weeks now and her doctor has been trying various things to help her. In the last two weeks she had been getting unsteady on her feet and has had several falls. She agreed to go to the doctor last Tuesday and her GP noticed that her face appeared to droop on the left side. He immediately suggested she go to hospital for a Scan and tests. I took her to St John of God Murdoch where after a scan the doctor told us that she had a tumour of the brain. He had spoken to the best Neurosurgeon in Perth and he wanted her to go to the Mount Hospital where he would see her. She was transferred by ambulance and the surgeon saw her when she arrived at 8:00pm that night. From the scans he suspected a very aggressive tumour and had booked surgery for Saturday 4th June.

MRI scan further confirmed the worst and Brenda elected to have surgery with all it risks.

The surgeon was able to remove 50% of the tumour and Brenda pulled through the operation very well. She had started to lose some mobility in the left side of her body but after the surgery this appears to be improving. They had her standing less than 20 hours after the Op and she is still progressing well. She will remain in the Mount Hospital this week then will go to another hospital for rehabilitation. This will allow us time to set up support for her here at home.

The surgeon will also arrange for Radiation therapy to slow the growth of the remaining tumour. If the Surgeon had attempted to remove any more of the tumour it would badly affect her mobility and possibly cause severe paralysis.

Brenda and I have been receiving tremendous support from our daughter Sarah’s Church and friends and family here locally and to where ever the news has spread.

I will be checking her email so I can keep her in contact with everyone. I hope she will be back at the keyboard very soon.

Love from Steve