The last time mum was in hospital was when she gave birth to my youngest brother in 1983.

The week of 6 October 2008 started like any other week, mum walked to work like she had done for the past 15 years.  Come 4:45pm that afternoon mum went to the chemist to buy cold and flu tablets as she thought she had a cold.

Tuesday came and mum was having difficulty reading the paper, went to the Optometrist at 10am and besides new reading glasses, everything was fine.  Went back to work but still couldn’t read the computer screen, had lunch with her friends and went home at 2:30pm.

Didn’t go to work on Wednesday or Thursday, went and saw the local GP as she though she had diabetes and had a blood and urine test.

Friday came and was told that she had an abnormal blood count and went to hospital at 8am.  After further tests and a cannula being put in her arm, the doctor’s thought she had Leukaemia.  BY 6pm that night mum flew to Brisbane with the Royal Flying Doctors and arrived in Brisbane at 8pm.

The next week resulted in more tests due to the cannula becoming infected with Staph infection, a Hickman was put in on the right hand side near mum’s neck.

Mum’s brother and sister were tested for compatibility for a bone marrow transplant however they were not compatible. 

Mum had her first lot of Chemo on 25 October which ran for 3 hours.  For the next 5 weeks mum spent in hospital receiving chemo everyday along with lumber punctures and needles to the stomach, on the 4^th December mum was released to a unit provided by the Leukaemia Foundation called Mincom at Herston.

Thereafter mum had day trips to the hospital for further tests and talks with the doctors.  Mum was receiving her chemo through a port able machine she had at the unit.

Mum was fortunate enough to go home to Bundaberg to attend her work Xmas party, unfortunately she had to be back in Brisbane by lunch time Xmas day.

Mum was admitted back into hospital on 6^th January 2009 where she stayed until 17 April 2009.  During this period mum had more chemo and tests.

29^th April was d-day, we had a family discussion with Dr Hill who gave us 2 options:

• - Have a bone marrow transplant and accept the risks involved, or
• - Continue to take Glivec and go back to Bundaberg and hope that she doesn’t relapse

We decided to go forward with the bone marrow transplant, mum and dad went back to Bundaberg on 22 May 2009 and returned on 14 June 2009 where for the next 3 days she got ready for the transplant.

The transplant took place on 16 July 2009 and all went well.

September came and mum got an infection in her Hickman line and was rushed to intensive care where she stayed for 4 days.  I still remember this as if it was yesterday, the thought that your mum could not get through this was very real, she laid there lifeless but thankfully in no pain.

Mum came through this better than when she went into it, she had the 3 month Bone Marrow test in October which was positive and mum and dad were able to return home to Bundaberg.  Further tests were completed at 6 months, 12 months and 2 years with all positive results.

Continual trips to Brisbane has been mum and dad’s life since they returned home, these trips are now becoming less frequent and mum’s tablets are also being reduced.

Mum is still very cautious as her immune system is still not 100%, but she has managed to keep herself away from flu’s.  Mum and dad are now enjoying themselves and are doing what they wanted to do 3 years earlier, being grey nomads.

Housing mum and dad in Brisbane at the Leukaemia Foundations complexes around Brisbane is at a cost of $42K to the Foundation, I’m thankful that I’ve been able to repay this debt through my fundraising.

This is mum’s story and the reason why I support the Leukaemia Foundation and why I want to give back to a Foundation who supported my family through this journey, this is my way of saying thanks.