After weeks of darkness, when life felt like a boa constrictor wrapped around our windpipes, we are slowing breathing easier and experiencing nature therapy. It allows us to find joy in difficult times.
Medical Update
It is taking a while for Chris to recover, with enough energy to do more than a small lap around The Boat Works! We knew it would be the way but even with a strong drive to get better, it is hard going. The wound is healing well, however the nerve pain in the armpit, the aching back and lack of sleep are causing us problems. We saw our GP who has now prescribed meds to help.
And just as improvements will hopefully be felt in the next weeks, radiotherapy will start, knocking us back down again. When people wish us a speedy recovery, we cringe. Nothing is speedy with cancer treatment. It is a hell of a mountain to climb with lots of “false summits”. Mountain climbers will know what we mean! … you are getting close to the top, with the summit in your sights, but just when you think you are there, another summit appears further up, and another, and another which have to be scaled. It takes all your energy and will to keep going.
This week we had an appointment with the radiation oncologist to be briefed on process, side effects and costs. Unfortunately, private insurance does not cover radiotherapy, being an outpatient procedure. So it is a choice between waiting for a while to be seen as a public patient in a public hospital where Medicare covers the entire treatment, or being scheduled quickly as a private patient in a private clinic, but picking up the gap payment between the Medicare rebate and the cost of treatment. Chris has elected to go as a private patient with Genesys Cancer Care. We want this nightmare over and done with as quickly as possible.
Genesys are recommending 15 sessions of radiation therapy – every week day over three weeks – which will start in mid-March. Prior to that, a planning consult will happen to mark exactly where to direct the beam that will irradiate the whole breast. This is to ensure any stray cancerous cells are destroyed and to maximise the chances of the cancer not returning. We’ll tell you more about that once it starts!
Rainforest therapy
We have been living aboard for well over six years and have enjoyed bathing in nature all this time. But since the chaos started in early January, we have felt disconnected from it. We have missed being out in the ocean, seeing a stretch of blue and uninterrupted horizon and we know it will be a few more months before we are back out there.
And while we are tied to land, we needed to catch sight of an expanse of green, to smell the bush, to hear bird songs, to be in the rainforest as soon as we were well enough to escape from The Boat Works for a few hours each day.
So this last week, in between more medical appointments, we escaped to a few special places: to O’Reilly’s, Binna Burra, Mount Tamborine and the Natural Arch, all large expanses of rainforest in the Scenic Rim, where we enjoyed some slow, easy walks.
The Green Mountain Garden was a quiet, healing place, with its delicate lilies and colourful grevilleas.
Both at Binna Burra and O’Reilly’s we walked slowly through tracts of tall trees and ferns. We touched them, were in awe of their size, all thriving to reach up to the light. It had a symbolic meaning to Chris who had felt like she was trapped in a dark cave with no obvious exit for too long.
Did you know that in the rainforest 75% of the canopy is made up of vines? Some are the Strangler Figs which suck up the nutrients from their victims, causing them to die eventually. But there are also Liana Vines which take nothing from their support system. This is because they are already rooted in the ground and are getting the nourishment they need. In some cases, the liana vines will extend towards the canopy layer and then spread from tree to tree.
At both Mount Tamborine and the Natural Arch, we walked in palm groves and enjoyed waterfalls.
So there you have it. Our cancer journey continues. We try our best to distract ourselves and make it bearable. Remember your comments, messages and calls also help.
Sv-Anui 
So glad you were able to soak up the serenity around the Scenic Rim. Natural Arch is a beautiful spot to just sit and recharge – something I’m sure you’re both in need of right now. Sending many hugs xxx
Thanks Helene for the suggestion! We had not been there before and enjoyed the escape.
Dear Chris, Mother Nature is an amazing healer so take from her whatever you can to help your recovery.
Hi Caroline, much healing needed so nature is on call!
There is beauty in nature. And the forest at both Binna Burra and O’Reillys are such uplifting places…and birds always help to make me smile…
Thank you Trish. Totally agree, they are and they give us relief from the heat. Trying to build up for the longer walks. Still a way away from being able to!
Very beautiful photos, wow!! Here’s a virtual hug for you guys from far away, stay strong you two! 😊
Thanks for the hugs, John… much needed!
You are very welcome! 😊
Beautiful photos of places i showed to visiting friends during my six years in which now seems to be called “Goldie’ by the media! So glad you are well enough for healing walks. Chris – only just as a comparison – as I got a ‘bad-bug’ superinfection after my mastectomy I was in hospital for five weeks after the operation unable to lift my arm above the waistline . . . you may be understandably frustrated but matters actually could have evolved much worse. Hope the pains lessen and you can sleep . . . much love . . .
Hi Eha, yes I am very aware I dodged the bullet with this. Yes it could have been worse, but thank god it is not as I don’t know how I would cope! Glad you like the nature shots of the Gold Coast hinterland.
Beautiful photos Chris. Having somewhere to ‘escape’ to, even for such a short time in a day, is I’m sure, appreciated. Using your camera, writing your posts and staying connected hopefully helps.
Yes it is therapeutic. Thanks Amanda.
Hi Chris and Wade
Love your Nature therapy. Continue along this path as much as you can and hope it brings you some much needed peace and happiness. Thinking of you both
Love and kind regards
Jeanette and Doug Levoune
Reeflection
Hi Jeanette and Doug, thank you for saying hello and yes we need to spend time in the bush to keep ourselves going.
Yep, nature therapy, we get it! I guess the difference for you guys that it’s now on land, unlike your usual daily ocean nature therapy. We love all those places up in the hinterland, so many good memories. Hopefully you’ll see things like the land mullet and the blue fresh water Lamington crayfish! Looking forward to more photos. Stay strong!
Hi guys, now you’ve got us curious! We have the Waterfall Circuit in our sights, a 12 kms walk at Binna Burra so might see the Lamington crayfish!
Make sure your camera is ready to go, a pic of this blue lobster will go well in your water creatures collection!
Beautiful photos, I can almost hear those waterfalls 🙂 thinking of you both, hugs Lindy Phil & EB
Thank you Lindy. Hopefully more to come as things improve for a short time.
Great to see you out and about . Nature is the best remedy for both body and soul I find. Love the photos the flowers and the forest.
You have captured the wonderful light of the rainforest beautifully.
Take care and continue to get strong.
If you do the twin falls walk at Springbrook you get to walk behind a waterfall. And there are areas of Antactic Beech remnants of Gondwana land times
Thanks Mick, yes it is therapeutic out there. A much needed change to the tedium and anxiety.