Dragon destroys flowerbed

Physignathus lesueurii or the Eastern Water Dragon digging in our garden.

The Innovation Awards

I wrote some software that got nominated for an award, we spunked up and went to the awards night. Didn't win but did get an 'onrible mention.

Have an Enola Gay Day

Well, it's Multiple Myeloma, The disease was detected last week, this week treatment is starting - irradiation followed by chemo. Or in other words is's have an Enola Gay day plasma cells closely followed by a regime of poisoning tailored to not quite kill you but to do enough collateral damage to be of some benefit.

A hole in his spine

So, dad thought he had arthritis in his back, why not, it was sore - his son has it (i.e. me) and the pain responded to arthritis medication. They x-rayed his spine to check out how bad the arthritis was and instead found a huge hole in one of his vertebrae, most probably a myeloma. Late night phone calls from doctors urging they come in immediately and see him. Earnest conversations with specialists ultimately leading to the "how long have I got" question. Trips to Canberra to be scanned, probed and measured.

Prognosis: not great but so far it looks treatable but not curable.
Mood: shitty.

Sick kidlets

After learning of my almost certain retrenchment from what I think is a pretty good job, most of last week passed in an unmotivated blur. I'm probably a bit depressed but I'll get over myself.
Then on Sunday I noticed Annalise - the three year old, had a temperature and was complaining of a sore belly which was quickly followed by -- well, lets leave out the details shall we. I had to take Monday off to look after her; you can't send them to school when they need to be put on the toilet every half hour. Turns out it's tonsillitis. She didn't have a temperature on Tuesday but she was still sick. We normally have a carer - one of the great aunts, but she couldn't really look after Adrian and Annalise with Annalise needing that much attention. All seamed good Tuesday evening until I picked up Adrian from the floor and he was burning. Temp of 38.6° on the skin on his back (you try sticking a thermometer under a wriggling toddlers arm pit). So it's Wednesday now. I'm still not back at work and I have another sick kid to look after.
The same think is happening to the cousins.