I'm sure they would Q1. Thanks for that.
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I'm sure they would Q1. Thanks for that.
I am so sorry to hear about the dog, :sad: And you are right- they will know when it's the right time and they will not regret spending those days with him. It will be especially important for their son.
keep us posted.
Will do.
I spoke to Graeme on the phone yesterday to see how things were going. He said to say thanks to Bambi and Q1 for their comments on Buddy.
Buddy is doing ok apparently. He's brightened up a bit on seeing them but sometimes looks quite ill. At one point he slumped in Graeme's arms and his eyes started flicking around and Graeme called Dean and Mandy over to say goodbye. Might just have been a small seizure or something because he rested and was ok later. Graeme says he can see Buddy wants to live and is having happy times for now so he won't put him down immediately. Literally it is 1 day at a time.
On the camera front he bought a new DSLR. After looking at both the Nikons and Canons in his price range he walked away with a Canon 50D. Virtually the same as I have for those non Canon users. The faster shutter speed and the fact he has a few old Canon accessories like a couple of lenses swayed him to stay with the brand. So ... the photos should start coming through once more soon :)
Just checked their album .... only this quick point and shoot shot by my sister of Mandy with Buddy after they picked Belinda and Buddy up from the airport
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Still watching this thread with much interest, and again thanks for sharing so much of your families life with us MA.
As for Buddy, I am sure he has had a wonderful loving life with them and knows it. They sure do become part of the family, and the longer they own us, the harder it is when they have to leave. Just wish they could outlive us instead.
Keep the posts coming MA and let them know our hearts are with them.
Thanks HBG ... I will.
Let's see, he's a dog and he's in a car. If the window is rolled down he's happy.
It's good to hear that Buddy has perked up. May his last days, however many there are, be good ones.
Buddy was put to sleep yesterday. It was time to end his pain.
He's a dog we will remember and miss always.
One of the last shots of Buddy, taken by Graeme 2 days ago ...
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Rest in Peace Buddy :sad:
Awww... :sad::sad:
I'm sorry. Let them know, okay?
I will. Thanks Bambi, Ig and Q1.
I sent them a message but no answer yet ... I know they have service there, so I guess they just don't want to talk about it yet. I've been there so I understand completely.
Well ... they had Buddy Cremated and have now resumed their holiday. A few photos have started to show up once more.
So, we step back to before they arrived in Darwin and had learned of their dog, Buddy's, condition.
Some teens join in the birthday fun for Dean's 4th at a campground somewhere between Alice Springs and Darwin.
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Graeme and Dean hiking up the Kings Canyon walk ...
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Some Kings Canyon views ...
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Graeme and Dean in the scrub
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More Kings Canyon ...
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Oh jeez ... Tourists!!
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Corrugations on the road from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon. Corro's, as they are called out there, shook the lights out of Graeme's ute (Utility or 4x4 to you yanks etc) earlier in this thread.
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Oncoming traffic
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Whoop de Doo's in the bitumen
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Statue of an Aboriginal woman and child. Not sure what it signifies or marks.
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Another at the town of Aileron (wasn't that in Star Wars??? :confused: )
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Next stop was the Devil's Marbles ... yet another significant geological area in the outback ...
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You can see Dean in the foreground ...
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Looking back down at what passes for a campground out there
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Not sure how far Dean managed to push it??
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A nice shot of Mandy by Graeme
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Graeme at work behind his new Canon 50D. Mandy's P&S does a good job too unless this was with their old Canon 60D which still works occasionally I think.
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Last few of the Devil's Marbles ...
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Cool mural on the back of someones Camper ...
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Now here's an interesting shot ... at the Daly Waters Pub.
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A wall of money inside the main building!
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and a wall of bra's too ...
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Mandy and Dean enjoy a cold one
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Thongs (Jandals in New Zealand and Flip Flops in the US I think?) hang from a ceiling ...
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They are relaxed out there ...
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Half way between Darwin and Alice Springs or not, they have modern payphones! Deans calls his cousins back in Queensland ...
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Getting closer to Darwin now. The Bitter Springs ...
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Very clear water at Bitter Springs
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Ok ... that brings us up to date with their photos. I expect they'll be some from Darwin and also Kakadu soon before they head west towards Western Australia.
Now for the BAD news.
They may not make Western Australia. Graeme's Platelets have dropped to a count of only 128.
For those not sure what I'm on about, we've had some issues with cancer in our family over the years, as I realize, many of you will have also.
Recently my father has battled Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, Melonoma and Prostate Cancer ... all in the last couple of years or so. I've had a melonoma cut out of my neck and I'm currently trying to save enough money to have a procedure down for a lesser form of sun damage. My wife also had to have a skin cancer cut from her neck.
Graeme, at age 11, was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and was classed terminal. This form of cancer is aggressive and also very rare in children. We were told to prepare for his death. Positive thinking and support, along with a good medical team saw him go into remission against the odds thankfully.
Later, in his 30's, which was only a few short years back, Graeme was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, another rarity as it's highly unusual for someone to get both types (very different) of lymphoma. This time, instead of being aggressive the cancer was indolent, which means basically dormant or very slow progressing.
Graeme is trying to live life to it's fullest and spend as much time as he can with his wife and boy in case this time round he doesn't beat it. His body has seen many of the drugs used against lymphoma so that makes it harder to fight each time. However, drugs have improved and changed somewhat since he was eleven so that may in his favour, as is his age, mid 30's.
So ... platelets. Platelet are basically the element in your blood that causes clotting. An average adult has a count of around 200 - 400 x10 to the power of 9, per litre. We just drop the x10 stuff and just talk in the numbers easier to understand. So instead of having between 200 - 400 ... he is down to 128 at the last check last week. At 100 he needs to get back to where he can be treated properly.
Under 100 and the chances of internal bleeding and such complications are too prevalent.
A drop in platelets can be caused by other factors but are used as a reliable indicator for the onset of his disease.
Not happy news, and it's not over yet, but we may not see the end of this wonderful journey. This young family and those of us who love him may have to embark on another, one we've been on before and would rather not repeat.
Sorry to hear about Graeme. I really hope he manages to beat his disease and complete the journey.
(The photos look amazing though)
first of all I am loving the pictures. the Devil's marble are amazing! I have no words for the wall of bras :confused::laughing:
I then read your update about his platelets. That truly sucks. I hope that he responds well to treatment and is around for many many more years.
:grouphug: to you and your family!
Thanks Odyssey and Bambi. Seems like an ongoing battle for our family one way or another. We are yet to lose an immediate family member though so we must be grateful for that.
It's amazing country out there huh? I'm waking up to anything from 4 - 12 degrees C here and getting as high as 25 degrees. Graeme and co are waking to 22 degrees and anything to 35 C. That's winter in the outback and tropics where they are.
I just spent an hour on the phone with both Graeme and Mandy. Got some more accurate info on Graeme's condition at least.
As I've mentioned in the past, his Lymphoma is indolent, slow progress.
The average Platelet count for an adult is actually anywhere between about 160 - 180 through to around 400.
Graeme's test 2 weeks ago was 132 ... then a week ago 128. Stress and flu's etc can all cause a drop in platelets. With Buddy dying and a recent cold Graeme has had both of these possibilities so it's hopefully that at this point his recent count is not an indicator that his cancer has begun to progress. It expected that when it does, it will be aggressive and quick.
For the time being, it's business as usual!
After those last lot of photos, they have traveled from Darwin through the Kakadu National Park where there were so many Crocodiles they weren't able to enjoy too many sights with Dean in tow. Dean is so fast and hyper that he would be a croc's breakfast in the blink of an eye. A large wild Boar was menacing people in the area a few days back and ended up a croc's dinner here.
They've moved back down to the town of Katherine, famous for the Katherine Gorge, and soon will begin the journey westwards towards Western Australia.
This map shows the area they are in ...
Graeme-Mandy-Trip-2010
That's semi-good news about his platelet count, MA. I told Mike about your post this morning. He sat down today and looked through the entire thread. Like me, he thinks the photos and the trip are fantastic. We're both sending good wishes your brother's way.
Thank you Q1 :)
Wow, this thread is such a mirror of life - the highs, the lows, the beauty of nature, people's off the wall antics and everything in-between. Best wishes for your brother MA and thanks for sharing.
Thanks EdG. I'm really trying to include photos and info that help everyone 'experience' the journey with them in some way if possible.
Lots more photos in. Mandy spent most of yesterday catching up with them and adding comments to her facebook.
Katherine Gorge Breakfast Cruise
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Edith Falls swimming hole .... you can see the lower falls in the background ...
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A lizard at Edit Falls
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Edith Falls Upper Pool
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Look carefully and you see people in the shadows showing the size of these falls
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Another section of Edith Falls ... 'Long Waterhole' ...
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Mandy and Dean enjoying the falls
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Magnetic Termite Mounds, so called because they all face north/south to combat the heat
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How would you like an anthill like this in your backyard??
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Florence Falls ...
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The Lost City at Litchfield. These natural rock formations look like the ancient ruins of some long passed civilization ...
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Wangi Falls
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But don't swim in here ... an all too common sign in some parts of northern Australia
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Meet 'Sweetheart' ... a 5.2 metre croc that was killed because he was attacking boats at a local fishing spot
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The trucks grow big out here ...
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Mandy's office by the road. Work must go on. You can see Buddy lying at her feet in his final few days of life.
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The stone frontage and side of this old Church was all that remained after Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin many years ago.
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Darwin Wave Pool
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The US Hospital Ship 'Mercy' in Darwin harbour
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Darwin was bombed several times by the Japanese during WW2 ...
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Darwin is famous for the Bogan Festival called the 'Beer Can Regatta' this time of year ...
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But they don't all float well ...
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Never give up!
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What's on your mind? And Yes .. .they do get big saltwater crocs in that harbour!
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That's us up to date for the minute. I know they went through Kakadu next but weren't that impressed but I guess we'll some shots from there perhaps.
nice pictures! Love the name 'sweetheart' for such a beast!
I love the photo of the truck pulling the trailer in the mud. Now That’s camping.
Daly Waters Pub. Cool
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mad Aussie
Thanks Bambi ... yep ... they come up with some real interesting name for the big problem crocs.
Cheers Peter ... yes the Daly Waters Pub is seriously 'Occa' which means Australian to it's core. It's a fancy way of saying Redneck really though :)
That 'truck' in the mud I guess was Graeme's Hilux Ute (as we call it) when he bent the chassis getting out of that mudhole.