Tuesday, December 27, 2005 1:21 AM CST
***NEW PHOTOS FROM CHRISTMAS***
***UPDATE***
1st January 2006
Well, good morning everyone! Happy New Year!!! It is already the New Year here in Australia. I am going to leave the update on below because I only just wrote that a couple of days ago...so catch up with everything that has been happening.
So what did we do for New Year? Alan, Isaac and I attend an AOG church which is about 95 to 98lack African. It is a great church and it is tradition that we have a celebration service/party on New Year's Eve. There is prayer, worship, dancing, items, choirs, food, testimonies...and then when we count down to midnight...and then it is the New Year...the Africans go wild with their African music and dancing. This is all the tribal type music. And they sure know how to dance. I was surprised that Isaac did not fall asleep but stayed by and joined in the dancing as Isaac and I joined a congo line and danced around the church. The food was good, the company was great and we got home around 2am. Got to sleep late. However, the Africans often dance til something like 4 am in the morning. Needless to say that I am tired this morning even though I slept til 1115am. Isaac slept in as well and Alan...but not nearly as long as me.
So it is now 2006 and we look forward to what God has in store for us this year. Hope you all have a Happy New Year!
Love Charisse
PS. Please also read below. It is only a new update
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Good Afternoon Everyone,
First of all...just before Christmas on the 19th December...Alan and I celebrated our 7th year wedding anniversary. I was only 20 when I married Alan and he was 21 years old. Praise the Lord that we are still together 7 years later. Praise the Lord that I am still alive to this day. We have a wonderful marriage and I love Alan very much. Thank you, Alan, for 7 wonderful years of marriage. I love you.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!!! We did and we are still having a great time. Alan is on holidays until just after New Years and it has been great having him home for once!
We have had an eventful Christmas...on Thursday last week we went as a family to a little Town called Lobethal. This town has the majority of the houses all lit up with fairy lights in different designs and stuff on the houses and in their front yards and in the windows. It is so Christmasy and beautiful and we thought that Isaac would appreciate the lights this year. They also have a live Nativity Play with real camels, sheep, goats, a real baby and people and a choir and music....we sat and watched that as well. Many times during the night I sighed and looked at Alan and said that I was in Heaven. It was so nice to ignore everything else and appreciate what Christmas is....appreciate Jesus for who He is and appreciate my family. I will have some pictures in the picture section of Lobethal.
Then on Christmas Eve we attended our African church for a service. I sang an item about Jesus and there was a Naticity play done by the children and Christmas carols...it was lovely.
Then when we got home, Isaac went to sleep and we put the presents out under the tree. When Isaac woke the next morning he was so excited to see that Santa had come. We have also shared the real meaning of Christmas with Isaac. We want him to know about Jesus.
He opened his presents and was so animated and excited. He got a wooden microwave, fake food and a doctor's bag....from family members...more cooking utensils and train sets and you name it...can you guess that Isaac likes cooking?
Alan and I enjoyed opening our gifts as well. We had lunch with Alan's family and dinner with my family. it was a busy day and we got home just after midnight.
The days after Christmas have been spent tidying up and relaxing. Isaac has been playing non-stop with his new toys and his train set...which is Thomas the Tank Engine...has had real usage.
Tomorrow we plan to go to Monarto Zoo....it is a drive through zoo where the animals are in their own habitats and you drive through into the enclosure with them...they have cheetahs and all sorts of African animals..I will post the photos after tomorrow.
Then tomorrow night Alan and I are going to go and see "The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe"....a marvellous book and film that basically is about Jesus and the sacrifice He ultimately made by dying for us all and raising from the dead again....except that He is represented by a lion in this film...it is a magnificent book and I am excited to see what the film is like.
SO check out the photo album as I am putting new photos in there tonight.
Bless you and catch up soon. Have a great New Year!!!!
Love Charisse
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Monday, December 19, 2005 5:28 AM CST
Merry Christmas Everyone!
I am feeling heaps better. Although I had my infusion on the weekend and I am still feeling the effects of my reaction. That should be over by the weekend and Christmas time! My white cell count has now come up again since the flu.....I always long for better counts in the long run anyway..sinc they have been fluctuating quite a bit lately...however, praise the Lord that my white cell count in up - no wonder I am feeling better and more energised.
I have completed all my Christmas shopping and feel excited about Christmas day. Isaac is 3 years old this year and already has an expectation of Christmas. Last year he didn't really know what was going on...but this year...he seems so excited, thus making me feel the spirit of Christmas more and I feel like an excited child. It is gonna be good this year.
I have a bone marrow biopsy booked for January some time...yuck and I have an ENT appointment on the 30th December...does anything ever stop? No...not really....oh well...commit it to the Lord.
My nanny is working out so well. It is good to have the house cleaned for me on a Thursday....she does it so well, she cares for Isaac well when I am asleep...she helps out when I am awake, she gives me time out with Isaac.....and she is great company for me as well...we talk like close friends....obviously we are not close friends since I have only met her twice...but she is so easy to chat to and has bought FA bands off me and been real interested in knowing more about FA.
Well, I need to get to bed. I am trying to save my energy for Christmas day. This next year will be an interesting one. Some exciting things are gonna happen I am sure. With Jesus in control, life is always exciting and full of expectation.
God bless you all and remember that Christmas is a beautiful time of giving...the ultimate gift that was given for us human beings was Jesus....Praise Jesus for His faithfulness, love and peace all year round.
Lots of love,
Charisse
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Tuesday, December 13, 2005 11:38 PM CST
Hello All,
don't mind me but I found out more about my inside female parts the other day and I wanted to share with you all about it.
As most of you know I have a son, Isaac who was born at 27 weeks gestation and weighed 950 grams ( 2 pound 2 ounces)...he was in hospital for 3 months and now he is a healthy 3 year old boy.
I just want to publically praise God for the miracle He has done for me. I knew that I had an abnormal cervix after the birth because they did exploratory surgery on me to see why I had Isaac so premature.
I didn't realise until yesterday the extent of the abnormality when I really had it explained to me properly. I was under the impression that it was in the wrong place....my cervix and shaped wrong and so it was incompetent and couldn't hold Isaac in properly.
Excuse me for being graphic in explaining...may be this will also help mothers and fathers with female FA patients in relation to this whole gynae area and having babies.
A normal cervix comes down into the vaginal shaft usually....and that is where they do pap smears and tie stitches for incompetent cervixes......well my cervix doesn't enter the vaginal region at all. There is no bulk to my cervix...it is flat against the top of the vaginal wall (inside I am talking about -- going up towards the womb).....I have a flat cervix which has NO length or any kind of bulk to it at all......but there is a cervix..this might be confusing and I don't know how to explain it properly via computer.
Anyway.......I could show you with a diagram...hehe
so...since it is flat.....there is nothing to hold the baby in and they told me that Isaac would usually come at 20 or 22 weeks gestation and when he did come...that is why he actually fell out without laboring - and that it is a pure mircale of God that he survived long enough to be born at 27 weeks......and then to be a normal little boy! He is my miracle.
As many of you know I am a born again Christian and I give all my praise to Jesus....He gave me Isaac when I had no idea that I cannot hold a baby, physically past 20 to 22 weeks. So Isaac is my miracle.
Also, because of this FA abnormality......they were trying to do pap smears on me for ages and couldn't see a cervix or reach it...they had no idea what they were doing.....now we know..........well we found out after Isaac's birth.....but I have pap smears done under a general anaesthetic so they can get to my SPECIAL cervix. And I prefer to call it special rather than abnormal.
So any FA ladies or girls....if you are having trouble in this area...there could be an anatomical problem and it is very helpful to find out. Finding out about all this has helped me with the female things.
Bless you all and have a safe week....I hope I didn't bore you all.
Love Charisse
(FA Adult - almost 28 years old - mum of Isaac 3 years)
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Tuesday, December 6, 2005 10:43 PM CST
Good afternoon,
well I am feeling much better than I have the last month or two. I still tire easily and have to pace myself heaps...but with making sure I have a good night's sleep and pacing myself during the week...I seem to be improving. Both grandparents help out a bit and Alan and I have decided that it is right for us to hire a nanny/house cleaner on Thursdays to help take the load off a bit. I get tired with my housework and then I get aggrivated and exhausted. The nanny is from in house care.....not just a nanny.....and she will help me with Isaac that day when I need to have a sleep in that morning. Basically she will be my helper in everything that day to ease the work load a bit, espeically the house work. The governement helps us with paying her which is good. The nanny will not restrict me to staying home that day. I am still allowed to go out with my friends to shop or swim...she will be entitled to come along with me and help me basically....just the one day....I do not have people helping me here every day unless I am sick...I need to be by myself some days and just with Isaac otherwise I go crazy! Once again thank you to both Alan and my parents for helping us while I have been sick. And I will still enjoy the days that you come to help. Mum I love you and thank you for all the chats and "mother time" we have on Tuesdays. I want to say that yesterday I thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with you talking about Jesus, about the future and hope and then doing our crazy Christmas shopping. Thanks for that. I love you very much.
Anyway, Christmas is coming up...and obviously mum and I attempted the Christmas shopping yesterday and I think we both did very well. Isaac was very patient in his stroller. We did let him run around at times. I got most of my shopping done and felt very pleased.
I have SO many appointments!!! It is crazy. I counted them. I have 7 appointments starting from next week and going into the new year! Boy, talk about trying to fit it all in....these are just surveillance and check ups.....my haematologist cancelled Monday just gone...so I have that Monday, then I have an ENT appointment, my infusion, a liver appointment (gastroenterologist) and I go back to see my Gynae/Obst again .........by the way all my gynae surveillance was clear!
So it is busy and I initially felt a but stressed but I am gonna take it in my stride and be happy they are all over. Once they are over I actually feel like I can breathe and relax a bit better. I dislike appointments so having them spread out is sometimes overwhelming...close together is also overwhelming but I like getting it over and done with now that I am an adult.
That's all from me today so have a good rest of the week.
Love Charisse
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Friday, December 2, 2005 4:34 AM CST
Good Evening All,
it is Friday here in Australia and 9pm at night. I hope you all had a good week.
I have felt a lot stronger this week...Praise the Lord! I struggle so much emotionally when I feel physically lethargic and tired.
I am so proud of myself because I have done so much this week. A quick summary: I tidied the house and cleaned, did loads of washing on Monday, went Christmas shopping on Tuesday, attended a double session of kindergym with Isaac and friends on Wednesday, Thursday I did nothing literally except play with Isaac and today, Friday, we had Isaac's annual Premie Christmas Party from 1pm to 4pm. That is a lot for me when I am still feeling not quite "normal" within myself. I am definitely stronger but notice that I am not quite there yet...still a bit more strength to come back since the flu...it will come.
So today I went to Isaac's Premie Party which is put on and completely decked out by the Women's and children's hospital which is where Isaac was born 13 weeks early. Any baby born under the weight of 1000grams gets to attend this party every Christmas until they are 10 years old. Obviously this section is entirely different to the haematology section so not as threatening to me. The old part of the hospital is the part I struggle with. Anyway, the head neonatologist dresses up as Santa and they have a good time. Isaac LOVED his day. Nanna came as well. Unfortunately Alan couldn't make it to Isaac's special day. Isaac loved the lady bird ride even though he didn't want to get on it. He wanted to run around it like a train. He didn't want to look at Santa but some how Nanna managed to get a front on photo...well done Nanna! He loved the chips, the ice cream, having his hand painted instead of his face, playing with the football, making friends, seeing Humphrey B Bear. It was a good day. So I have put NEW photos in the photo section of our day and hope you like them.
What is left to update on. My mouth ulcers are almost all gone. The gums around the bottom front teeth are still red and swollen and sore but a lot better. Everywhere else has cleared up. My toe, well that is still going...once I was well they were going to start me on some anitbiotics that fight staph infections for 2 to 3 months. I have an appointment with my haematologist on Monday.
My parents went to see my haematologist for the first time last Monday. They have never met him before because I went to him as an adult not as a child. They were able to get to know him and have a chat with my permission....and they like him...so I am glad they had a good time.
Otherwise, that is it for me. Talk to you all later and have a good weekend.
Love Charisse
