choir, health, yoga ...

Spent the weekend at a choir camp. Our choir QUMS (Queensland Uni Musical Society) is doing a big performance of Handel's Judas Maccabaeus in just over 10 days' time. And although we've been rehearsing it for months, it's still a biig piece and lots to learn/polish! We're performing it at St John's Cathedral in Brisbane (apparently the last Gothic cathedral to be built - in fact they're still building it!) and there are going to be 4 soloists and an orchestra. Should be amazing - I normally only sing in big things like that when it's the Messiah - also by Handel!

Apart from that I have been slowly recovering from all the excitement ... photos will come soon I promise! Yoga did get a bit left behind but I practiced today - and it was hard! Normally it's only like that the 2nd practice after a gap!

Nothing much else ... but? wait! I just remembered! I had a blood test and then saw my doctor last week! Nothing too much new to report. Although my blood levels were a bit down on the previous test, he thought that those (the previous test results) were probably still reflecting the booster injection I'd had. My new WBC levels are still 'trending up' (!) if you take out that one. He was happy with it all. I am due to have scans (PET and CT) at the end of June and will see him again the following month. Assuming all is well in those, he said he probably wouldn't schedule any more scans unless/until something showed up. Which hopefully will either not, or not for a very long time!!

So anyway - it's all good!

happy party

Had such a lovely time at the party! Everyone was really happy and it was just great! One friend insisted on singing (declaiming?) a song from Shakespeare to me (as a birthday thing), other people told lurid embellished stories about my youth, and a good time was generally had by all! The only thing I was a bit sad about was that my iPod playlist that I laboured long over putting together, was really only heard by the people sitting closest to the kitchen (where the music machine was). But the 2 girls working in the kitchen said they really like it, so I guess all that work wasn't completely in vain!!

Photos will follow in the next few days, although some are on my Facebook album now.

Yoga has gone a bit into abeyance as I've got my mother staying at the moment. But I'll be back to it on Wednesday, and expect to be stiff!

Yesterday we trailed round Brisbane showing my brother-in-law and his wife round various art galleries etc before their flight home in the evening. They had flown up from Sydney specially for the party, as had my nephew. Jo, the nephew had to fly back to Sydney early on Saturday morning to help organise another birthday party that night for his girlfriend's mother! So it was such a sweet thing that he came up just for my party!

Today I'm having a bit of a quiet day - you know, washing, reading, playing on the web!

I'm baaack ... :)

Well, I wasn't supposed to be 'officially' back posting here till next week after I've seen my doctor again, but I've been spending quite a bit of time 'doing up' this blog again - new template, new pictures, new lots of things. And I just can't resist posting - don't want to wait till next week!!

So - I'm going to assume everyone who's interested will have been reading my lymphoma journey blog (http://lymphomajourney.blogspot.com) and so knows all about that. As I said there, I'm in remission. I'm back at work fulltime, back doing yoga, back living my life! My blood counts are still low, and my immune system still compromised, but as of my last blood test it's on the way up! Still building up strength etc. but lately I've been feeling soo much better and stronger. (Feels a bit scarey to say that - almost inviting some sickness or other to come! But I mustn't be too superstitious.)

Anyway, (this is a bit of re-hashing from the other blog, but ... ) I made a sort of new year's (new life!) resolution to not be so shy, to be more 'out there' enjoying life and taking what was on offer. So, as my birthday is next week I decided to have a party, partly for that but mainly more as a celebration after all of last year's events! That's happening this Friday evening, at a cafe in Paddington (Brisbane). Well, it's actually what they call a 'Backyard BBQ' - is being held in their very nice back yard and catered by them. This is so unlike me, but to be honest having taken the plunge I have really been enjoying all the organisation etc. and am very much looking forward to it ...

I'll still post health stuff on the other blog, but now that it's not so much of a focus in my life I'll leave it just for that!

Feels great ... :)