Balancing Life's Lemons With Laughter

Navigating chemotherapy feels a bit like being in a surreal sitcom where the punchlines are tinged with irony. Last week marked the beginning of my chemo journey—an adventure (that nobody wants to be a part of) that’s turning out to be quite the rollercoaster ride.

Imagine this: just hours before my first chemo session, my son, Brydon, decided to test his superhero skills by attempting flight off the bed. Straight onto his head. Ironically, it had been superhero day at daycare, and he had dressed up as a Ninja Turtle.

Spoiler alert: turtles don't fly, especially not off beds. Cue a long evening in ED, superhero costume and all, adding a dramatic twist to a day that already had me packed with nerves and anxiety.

Since that gravity-defying bedtime escapade, my little daredevil hasn't been quite himself. Perhaps it's just unfortunate timing and potentially he's also caught a nasty bug, turning him into a mini-insomniac who's suddenly decided food is optional, but he has been very unsettled and not the same since.

Meanwhile, as I navigate the delightful world of chemo side effects (note the sarcasm), I'm also playing the role of chief comforter and coaxer, trying to bring back the usual sparkle in my son's eyes. Not the easiest to do through nausea, pins and needles in my hands and feet and a host of other unpleasant sensations.

They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, let me tell you, lemonade tastes weird along with everything else when you’re going through chemo, so I don’t even know what to do with those lemons anymore.

A positive in my week has been witnessing the colour, passion and fire that comes with NAIDOC Week. Embracing the theme "Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud," the resilience of our Indigenous community shines brightly, inspiring us all to keep our own fires burning through life's ups and downs.

You can find our NAIDOC coverage on pages 6, 24 and 25 in this edition.

Amanda

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