“Are we going to be friends forever? Asked Piglet. Even Longer, Pooh Answered.” A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh
The dragon fly has become an important symbol for many of the women in the group, past and present. It is a story found in many different cultures.
The Dragonfly
Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They noticed that every once in a while a member of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about. Clinging to the stem of a pond lily, it gradually moved out of sight and was seen no more.
“Look”, said one of the water bugs to another. “One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you think she is going?”
Up, up, up she slowly went… Even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. Her friend waited and waited, but the water bug did not return.
“That’s odd”, said one water bug to another.
“Wasn’t she happy here?” asked a second.
“Where do you suppose she went?” wondered a third.
No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled. Finally, one of the water bugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its friends together. “I have a great idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went and why.”
“We promise”, they said solemnly.
One spring day, the very water bug who had suggested the plan, found herself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up she went. Before she knew what was happening, she had broken through the surface of the water and fallen onto the broad green lily pad above.
When she awoke, she looked about with surprise. She could not believe what she saw. A startling change had come to her old body. Her movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as she struggled, she felt an impulse to move her wings. The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from her new body. She moved her wings again and suddenly found herself up above the water. She had become a dragonfly!
Swooping and dipping in great curves, she flew through the air. She felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere. By and by the new dragonfly lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. Then it was that she chanced to look below to the bottom of the pond. Why, she was right above her old friends, the water bugs! There they were scurrying around, just as she had been doing some time before.
The dragonfly remembered the promise: “The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell us where they went and why.” Without thinking, the dragonfly darted down. Suddenly, she hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that she was a dragonfly, she could no longer go into the water…
“I can’t return! I can’t keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body”, thought the dragonfly. “I guess I’ll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they’ll understand where I went, and why.”
To enable us to display all of our ‘In Memory’ Galleries, we have archived them in 6 month gallery spaces below from most recent to past. Please click on a gallery date range to view a gallery for that time period.
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Displaying Memorial pages from: Jan 2008 – June 2008
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Mignonne
29/01/1953 – 03/03/2008
BEGINNING OF MY JOURNEY I initially had a mammogram in Jan 03 and was sent a letter by Breast Screen WA to see my GP for a proper examination as there was an area of “query.” I saw him in Feb and was told, “nothing there, see you in 12 months.” In September 03 I found a lump in my right breast, went to the GP, was told it was a cyst and he would drain the fluid out of it. After 6 attempts he sent me off for an ultrasound and FNA. this had to be postponed for two weeks because of the bruising of the failed FNA’s. It was finally done and I was told nothing to worry about, it was just “Cystic tissue”. In Dec 03 I had another small lump next to the original one and dimpling above the right nipple. Went to the GP and was told, ” just more cystic tissue and involvement of the Coopers Ligament”. At Christmas time I had chronic pain in my left shoulder and was told it was arthritis and treated with cortisone injections. March-April 04, another lump in the same area of the breast, another ultra sound,and told to phone in for the results, “I am giving you a 12 month warranty” said the GP and as I had been threatened with my life and had to leave my home of 28 years only the week before, to hear “good news” was a relief. June-July 04 I had spasms of pain in two specific areas of my back and asked for a referral to a back specialist, was sent for a MRI of brain stem and told all clear, its just stress. September 04 Lump No 4. THAT WAS IT. I needed another opinion now that my life was a little less stressful and I could think straight. I saw a different GP who agreed to send me to a specialist. I saw the specialist the following Thursday who did 6 core cell biopsies on the spot and also diagnosed me with Lobular cancer there and then. It was also in the lymph nodes under my armpit by then. That was Thursday, I returned on the Monday for confirmation of the diagnosis and to discuss my options. It was during this consult that my friend who had come with me mentioned my shoulder and back problems ,so things were put on hold until I had had some scans.
DIAGNOSIS OF SECONDARIES These scans occurred over the next few weeks, the results being that I had mets in 16 places in my bones, yes exactly where I had the spasms in my back and the pain in my shoulder, and the CT showed nodules on my aorta and lungs. My treatment so far has been two courses of Aromasin, one of Liviall, three doses of Epirubican (this was stopped as it was aggravating the situation), and Zometta continually . My latest bone scan showed continuing spread in the bones and we are now considering Taxitare. I lived in Armidale NSW last year (to be near part of family) and was sick for 6 months before my gall bladder was removed in December. The gall bladder, duct and lymph node were removed. All had single cell clusters of lobular cancer in them even though the CT scan that I had had the week before showed nothing in that area. My latest update is that I am now not going onto chemo, but onto Tamoxifen for a few months and then see if that makes any difference. The specialist reasoning is that chemo will only leave me weaker, because of the side effects, and there is no harm in trying Tamoxifen first.
ABOUT ME I am 53 years old, was born in WA, and moved to Sydney when I was 2. I came back to Perth in ‘76. I worked with Telecom for most of my working years in WA as a Draughtswoman, in the Mechanical Engineering Section, as that was what my qualifications were in. When my 2 children were born I diversified and worked part time for a local surveyor for 13 years. I was married for 24 years and that came to an end in 1997. Prior to my diagnosis I lived with a fellow in my home, we had a relationship for 4½ years before the abuse was too much and I walked out before it was too late, in April 2004. I moved back to Sydney to be with family after my diagnosis in Nov 04 and have now come back to be to Perth with my true support crew.( RON )
To say that I am a little sceptical when it comes to doctors is an understatement. Lobular cancer seems to be a bit of a tricky bugger but that is no excuse for the treatment or lack of that I have endured over the last few years, Considering I was originally told “maybe 6 months”, then 2 years, it is now two and a half years and I hope to have another 2 in me still. Craftwork, contact with other survivors and fightors, and a good support crew will hopefully see this wish to be true.
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Pam
11/01/2008
BEGINNING OF JOURNEY I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in October 1998. Just after turning 40. I was living in Mt Isa at the time. I was flown to Brisbane to have my left breast removed (that was the day after Melbourne cup). I work at the TAB so it is a time I don’t forget easily. I came back to Rockhampton where I had been living before going to Mt Isa, to have 6 months of chemo. In May 1999 I started 5 years of tamoxifin.
DIAGNOSIS OF SECONDARIES I never had any problems in that 5 years, but a month after stopping the tamoxifin I got a lump on my sternum and had to go to Brisbane for radiation for a week.
I had 18 months with no more problems. I went for my scans and it was found that the cancer was back again but had spread to my Liver and other bones in my body. I have just finished 2, 3 weekly circles of chemo. The last scan showed that the liver cancer is still spreading but the cancer is stable for now. I am having more chemo from early December with the 3 weekly circles again but a stronger chemo then before. I don’t know the name of the chemo.
ABOUT ME I don’t have a partner anymore as he could not handle things with the cancer and how it changed the way I look now as I haven’t had reconstruction surgery due to the cost of it. So I decided that if someone that I had been with for 7 years didn’t want me then I am better off on my own.
ABOUT MY FAMILY I have 2 children and they live with me. My son just turned 24 and my daughter is 18. My daughter is my rock. She is with me for every appointment and if I want her to come to treatments she is there.
The photo I have included was taking at my surprise 48th birthday the kids gave me. I had been having a bad couple of weeks and it lifted me up so much I could go on with my treatment.
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