Oh, what a night…

The title of this blog may lead you to think that I am writing an entire 1000 word essay on my ability to sing along to every word of the Four Seasons song, ‘Oh, what a night’… you are wrong!

Instead, I am finally filling you all in on the amazing success of ‘Through the Looking Glass’, which happened over a month ago now.

Since the event, I have been gallivanting around Hawaii, but also contacting all those involved in the event thanking them (still working on this one… sooo many people!) and finalising the fundraising total.

What is next for Dear Melanoma? Planning for the immediate future...

Here we are again – I find myself sitting in the radiology department at the PA hospital hungry, having fasted all day, and drinking contrast disguised as ‘delicious’ (a very big hint of sarcasm) lemon cordial, all of this for a 10 minute CT scan. A scan that will hopefully tell us that treatment is still working and those little suckers of tumours riddling my body are shrinking.

It looks like the hospital is running behind and I may be sitting here awhile, so what better way to spend my time than writing a blog.

This scan could very well decide my future. Unlike previous treatments, I am feeling very unfazed and not stressed. So, I am not going to write a blog fearing the future and its uncertainty, instead I am going to write about what is next in the world of Emma and Dear Melanoma.

Through the Looking Glass - the beginning of a very impressive raffle/auction list...

Oh my giddy aunt, we only have 4 weeks to dust off our dancing shoes and find a frock for Through the Looking Glass! For those of you that may have been living under a rock, I am hosting a fundraiser, a cocktail event in Brisbane, to raise money for Melanoma Institute Australia.

Since being diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma, I have dedicated the time I have left to raising awareness of melanoma, but also raising much needed money for research. Selfishly, I want options. I want to know that once this treatment stops working that I can jump to another clinical trial. This is why I want to raise money for research.

I have been overwhelmed by the support that has been shown for the event. Tonight I want to share with you all the amazing raffle prizes/auction items that have kindly been donated to Through the Looking Glass. I hope this makes you even more excited about the event!

The year that was...

I thought I would get in early and reflect on the year, and what a year it has been!

As I always say, most people would consider that my year has been the epitome of shitty, but gosh there was a lot of joy shoved in there.

It was January 6 when we found out that my treatment was not working and the cancer had spread to most of my major organs. And it was on this date that I asked my doctor how long I had to live, and the response was only months. We were told to go and do what we had to do and to live… you know its not good when your doctor gives you that kind of freedom!

With this news, we entered 2014 with the need to make memories.

My irrational green-eyed monster

A few weeks ago I went to my first melanoma support group meeting.

Attending a support group meeting is something I never thought I would do. It is something that I was scared of.

I was scared that I would potentially be faced by what would be my future. I was worried that we would be sitting around in a circle discussing our treatment and our feelings. I was worried that I would begin to compare my journey with others. I was worried that I would be bombarded with suggestions of crazy diets that will cure my cancer or distant lands that promise remission. And, I was worried that the green-eyed monster that has appeared in the last few months would thrive.