Learning Opportunities

Had a tricky but interesting day at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey. Felt strange being somewhere new for us so Leo must have felt even more worried about things. His doc, Frank Saran, is awesome and we totally trust him. He is just one of those chaps you trust immediately. Just as well as we kind of have to really. Not much choice. He asked if we needed to be 'sold' on radiotherapy to begin with, and neither of us said yes, but then as he spoke and told us about long term effects, it's clear that even if Leo beats this thing, his life won't be a walk in the park. We've had a crash course in effects and late effects of radiotherapy today and both our heads are spinning and probably will be for a while to come. I catch PJ just shaking his head every now and then at the prospect of things to come.

There's a very high risk of losing eyesight to his right eye due to the need for radiation to the optic nerve as the tumour was compressing on it initially and so they have to treat every area affected when he was diagnosed with a 2cm margin so that includes the brain, carotid artery, pituitary gland and eyeball. We have to ignore the shrinking of the tumour this far as all areas which were present or affected when we took Leo to the hospital initially have to be treated. As we've previously been told; the tumour is like a wave - when it hits the beach and then recedes, it leaves behind things that in this case, an MRI will never be able to show you. So the areas which look like the tumour has shrunk away from may still have dormant or live cancer cells not visible by any method available.

Other high risk stuff includes risk of stroke in his 40s, up to 4% risk of brain tumours in his early adult years and a significant risk of slowed learning due to the radiation to the brain. So just as well PJ and I are both so keen on teaching and learning outside of the classroom already - indeed, Leo asked Teacher Daddy, as he called him, to take him to 'school' in our new lounge on Sunday so he could do some learning! It was so cute.

On the journey to the hospital this morning, we heard the most awesome song which was a chilled-out backing track with a US-accented, deep-voiced man reading the following words. And as we heard each line, PJ and I just kept nodding and saying 'that's true..that's so true' to each phrase. We've decided therefore to locate it and listen to it daily, so we keep in mind the important things and let the other stuff slide!

Hope you enjoy...

Artist (Band): Baz Luhrmann

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '97.
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...
I will dispense this advice now...

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh, nevermind, you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now, how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.
You are NOT as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.
The real toubles in life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday
Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts.
Don't put up with people who are reckless with your's.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.
The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive.
Forget the insults.
If you suceed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll divorce at 40.
Maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either - your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can... don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it... it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.
Dance... even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines they will only make you feel UGLY.

CHORUS
Brother and sister together we'll make it through.
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there.
I know you've been hurting, but I've been waiting to be there for you.
And I'll be there just helping you out whenever I can.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they might be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings; they're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths.
Prices will rise,
Politicians will philander, you too will get old.
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you.
Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.

CHORUS

Everybody's free. Everybody's free.