Our engagement...

Halloween marks two years since my engagement to Serge. Last year I wrote a post dedicated to Serge – it was heartfelt and loved up (you can read it here). I am too lazy for that nonsense this year! Instead, I thought I would answer the question that you often ask – how did Serge and I get engage?

My healing pup...

Crazy dog lady here! Today is our beautiful Ralph’s 1^st birthday and what better way to celebrate than to write a little blog post about what joy and love he has brought to our life – especially mine.

I am going to be honest – I am not a dog person, I never have been and probably never will be. I am a Ralph person. The desire to introduce a little pup to our life was definitely a shock. I did not ever anticipate that I would so badly want a puppy. Nor did I anticipate that I would have my armour and sword drawn ready to battle our landlords (my parents) and future body corporates during the hunt to buy our own place.

So what was it over a year ago that made me start the hunt for a puppy and, in turn, convince Serge that we NEEDED a puppy?

‘I wish I could be married to you forever'...

Last night Serge broke my heart a little bit…

Let me set the scene. I am in bed watching half (more like three quarter) naked men in Magic Mike – a girl has to prepare herself adequately for the sequel. Serge wanders in with his shirt tucked into his tracksuit pants that are sitting above his belly button – hot! We both laugh at the irony and I think to myself, ‘where did I go wrong?!?’

Only joking! Although that did indeed happen, that is not the moment where my heart broke a little bit. It was the moment following the belly laughs. Serge stops and tells me, ‘I wish I could be married to you forever.’

My bittersweet Mother's Day...

I have decided to share with you what would have been my first ever blog post on Dear Melanoma… but I chickened out! Here it is a year and one day on!

Tomorrow we celebrate Mother’s Day, a day that has always been low-key in my family home, but still a day that never goes without some kind of token to celebrate or treat my mum. I want to write about some of my own feelings that have been with me for some months now. Feelings that I have not openly shared.

I have always thought that I was born to be a mum. When I was at school, especially in high school, I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up; I never really had an answer. Most of my peers would list endless careers, but I couldn’t. I just knew I wanted to be a mum. My career would simply have to fit around me being a mum.

My life in limbo...

 A few weeks ago, I shared on my Dear Melanoma Facebook page that I had made an appointment to go and see one of the psychologists at the Cancer Council office in Brisbane. I shared this piece of very personal information because I wanted other people to know that I am not this crazy strong young woman that you might think I am from reading my blog or interacting with me online. And, although my treatment is going well, I still struggle with living every day knowing that my time is short. I needed to see a psychologist to have a good cry to and work out how I am going to navigate life with a terminal diagnosis.

When asked by the psychologist at my first session what I wanted help with, I told her that I was struggling with balancing living each day like its my last and living a life where I look forward and plan for the future… but a short future. I needed to know how to navigate a life in limbo.

Thank you for 6 months of support and love...

Last night I was so excited to see that the Dear Melanoma facebook page reached 2000 likes. I wanted to take the opportunity to thank everyone that has followed my journey.

Earlier this year I was going back and forth about whether I wanted to document my life with melanoma. I knew that my friends and family would read it, but never did I expect that I would be opening my life to be scrutinised in the best possible way by the public. Over 65 000 people have read my blog – wow! People know my face and my story and are not afraid to stop me when I am out and about. I knew that if I was to do this, I wanted to write a blog that was 100% honest. This meant that there would be hours spent in front of my laptop with tears running down my face documenting some of my saddest moments and some of my biggest fears I have about dying.

A dedication to my husband. Serge...

The 31^st October is a special time for Serge and I, not because it is Halloween, but because it marks a year since we got engaged.

Tonight I want to dedicate this blog to what an amazing man my husband is – the sacrifices he has made for our love and all the joy that he brings to my life.

As a very wise woman (Rebecca Sparrow) said to me, not everyone is lucky enough to find a Great Love in his or her lifetime. Although my lifetime may be short, I am so very lucky that Serge arrived when I needed him most.

My fear of leaving a widow behind...

As many people would know I have a slight (raging) obsession for the show Offspring (Yes, I had to make sure that you didn’t think I was talking about the band)!

One of the hardest part of living in East Timor was missing out on watching Offspring. East Timor failed me on two levels. Firstly, I couldn’t rely on the local, not so legal, DVD shop to be up-to-date with the most recent episodes. And, secondly, my internet connection couldn’t refresh Facebook, let alone watch TV online. So, what does a girl do…I would rely on my trusty mother to record all the episodes and I would have an Offspring marathon when I came home for a holiday (skin checks) every three months. She is a good woman!

Our love story: Serge's version...

Now to introduce Serge’s version of our ‘love story’.

Serge has given me permission to share this, but what he doesn’t know is that I have chosen to point out the inaccuracies in his story. Hopefully I won’t get in too much trouble!

I am sure after reading this post, and my previous posts, you will agree that I am so lucky to have found Serge. I think Serge was put on this earth to be my rock, my support, and my light. Serge brings so much happiness to each day, even during the lowest of lows. 

Enjoy!

An unwelcome visitor who won’t leave …

This time last year, my life was on track.  

I was almost at the end of a year volunteering in Timor. I was looking forward to starting my masters in Occupational Therapy, and I was coming home to an exciting new relationship.

Life was pretty much as good as it gets for a twenty-two year old.

But then came August, and with it my melanoma, and everything came tumbling down.