Camp Quality/Happy B-day Darlsy mum

JAY'S (Smile Mail)

P.O. BOX 2075

FOUNTAIN GATE

MELBOURNE - VICTORIA - AUSTRALIA

********************

G'DAY MATES

IT'S JAY

An add on by Darlsy mum : Jay came home from Camp Quality a little sick but he went straight to do his journal - he has not been that well and the NOSE BLEEDS have returned big time along with the HEADACHES - today Tuesday 26th many Nose Bleeds and tonight they still have not stopped - as he says - he will bounce back, nothing keeps him down even when he feels misserable he soldiers on always.

"CAMP QUALITY FUN"

**************************

G'DAY to all my supporters - I am back - back from a wonderful, happy, fun, exciting week at "CAMP QUALITY" . I must say, as much fun as I had, it is great to be back home with my Darsly mum (I MISSED HER SO MUCH). While I was away, I would like to thank everyone for stopping in to check on me and leaving me great messages.

NOW - where do I start - "CAMP QUALITY" are the greatest people on earth, they have always taken care of me and made sure I have always had a great time. Us Cancer kids need a break and that is what Camp Quality is all about, they give us kids a chance to be kids and do things we have missed out on because we have to spend a lot of time in hospital having lots of yucky treatments, and being poked and prodded all the time. Camp Quality give us the chance to forget about our illness, forget about hospital and doctors and lets us be free to get on with our life with a BIG SMILE ON THE DILE. Camp Quality have been a family to me, I have grown up with them - the volunteers, the companions they are the most wonderful people who give up their time for us cancer kids. Some of the companions have their own children but they give up their time for us, that is how SPECIAL the people at Camp Quality are.

"BELOW - PICTURES OF OUR CAMP QUALITY FUN"

********************



MY WEEK AT CAMP QUALITY
********************

My week at Camp Quality started on SUNDAY 17th September, I was so excited and all ready and packed. Darlsy drove me to one of the pick up points, this one was right outside a big McDonald's, so of course as a treat whilst waiting for the COACHES to arrive Darlsy got me MACA'S for lunch. No need to hurry because nothing unusual the coaches were running late, so more time to eat my MACA'S. The Coaches arrived, there were a few other families waiting with us. Jeff one of the Coach drivers is my COMPANION and he got off and gave me a big hug, I was so excited to see JEFF and looking forward to having lots of fun. We loaded all the baggage into the coach, said our good byes, I gave Darsly a big big hug and off we went on to our Camp Quality adventure to the ACE HIGH HORSE RANCH. We arrived at the RANCH and we all had to meet and go through the emergency procedure then we had some free time until dinner. There were two dinner times (CABIN 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) were in the first group and the second were (CABIN 8,9,10,11,12). BOYS dorm - GIRLS DORM, the RED TRAIN and the HAY & GRAIN. I was in the BOYS DORM. We had a great dinner and then we all watched a movie. When we went to bed (PETER) one of the companions in my CABIN, he told us SCARY stories every night.

MONDAY 18th Sept - We all woke up early because all the DINGO'S woke us up - they were howling. We had breakfast at 8.30am to 9.00am. Then is was time for some great activities - WOW I went on the big FLYING FOX (you can see in one of the photo's) I went on it 7-8 times in a row, it was so much fun - it just goes on forever. Then it was time for LUNCH 12.45pm to 1.15pm and boy we were all very hungry after going on the flying fox so many times. After lunch we all have HORIZONTAL time just to catch up some energy for the next activity. The next thing was the BIG SWING and I mean BIG - it is the BIGGEST - TALLEST - GIANT SWING IN VICTORIA (you can see me on it in one of the photo's), such fun and of course I went on it so many times I forgot how many. By the time we all had done the GIANT swing it was getting near dinner time (hungry we all were). After dinner we watched C.Q. T.V that is (CAMP QUALITY TV), it is great, Adrian he does all the filming of what we do on camp and then we get to watch it all (he edits and puts music to it) very funny to watch and at the end of the week we all get a DVD of our week at Camp. The we had KIDZ ROCK that is a DISCO and I won a BEANNI BEAR, by the time the DISCO finished it was 10pm and time for BED.

TUESDAY 19th Sept - Those damn DINGO'S woke us all up real early again - howling away - I think they wanted their breakfast. We all got up - had a room inspection and then went off to have breakfast. First Activity this morning is HORSE RIDING - what fun that was, we all got a special horse, my horses name was JENGA, a very friendly horse. We were all first told the rules of horse riding and the safely aspects and then showed how to saddle up the horse and how to get on. Once we were all on (we went in groups), it was funny, JEFF my companion got a big DRAFT HORSE, Jeff is a big guy, so only the biggest horse would do for him (see the photo's of Jeff and myself on our horses) . We rode for miles and miles, it was about a 2 hour ride and our bums were a bit sore when we got off the horse. After Horse riding we had a little rest and some lunch and then it was time for our MEDIEVAL GAMES (it was a MEDIEVAL theme) so we all dressed up. We had water bombs, jumping castles, horse races, water races, bucking bull and lots lots more (see me on the Bucking Bull that was so much fun). For dinner we had a MEDIEVAL BANQUET - YUM YUM - I think we all ate too much. We watched C.Q.T.V of the day, and then we were suppose to have a big BOMB FIRE and a NIGHT walk but it was raining (YEP - we got a down pour of rain and those activities had to be cancelled) so we had some free time to annoy our companions and play tricks on them all and also got to play on the pool table and played table tennis.

"JAY & my horse JENGA" "My companion JEFF & his DRAFT HORSE"

***********************

WEDNESDAY 20th Sept - YEP you guessed it those damn DINGO'S woke us up again 5.30 am howling away. A busy day today away from the RANCH. We all had our breakfast and showers and there were two buses waiting for us all as we were on our way to SORRENTO right on the beach to go have some fun at TOP FUN, there was mini golf, arcade games, bowling and lots lots more - which took up heaps of time. Then it was time for lunch and we went to the LIONS CLUB park where they put on a wonderful BBQ for us all. After lunch we got back on the buses and drove down to PORTSEA where we were all treated to ICE - CREAM, the companions could ge a coffee and what ever else Adults like to each. We then got to see the POLICE RESCUE HELICOPTER (See my photo of me sitting in the RESCUE HELICOPTER) I did not want to get out, so many controls and buttons to push - we stayed there for a long while and the Police explained about the rescues they do. We walked along the beach and did lots more activities and then it was time to go back to the RANCH because it was getting near dinner time. After dinner we all got to watch C.Q.TV of the days fun and then we watched the movie CARS - we were all very very tired after a full day of fun and we all hit the sack at 9.30pm.

"JAY in POLICE RESCUE HELICOPTER"

**************

THURSDAY 21st Sept - Another big day a head of us and yes you guessed it (THE DINGO'S) woke us up, but we were getting use to them now. Well we did have lots of activities planned but unfortunately it was a bad weather day, it rained (yep were are suppose to be in SPRING now) but we got this bad burst of STRONG WINDS and RAIN, but it dosn't deter CAMP QUALITY, there is always a backup if it is raining. The rain did not stay for long - but during that time a group of us got to go to the companions only area and played some more pool, UNO, table tennis and help make the C.Q.T.V - DVD - it is fun watching and helping Adrian make the DVD. The rain had stopped, time to get out and do some stuff around the RANCH - visited the animals, Kangaroos, Dingo's, Peacocks, wombats. Another HORSE RIDING day, FUN, and lots lots more. Tonight we had a POLICE ROCK AND ROLL BAND come and play - we danced, sang and just went crazy and then we had FIRE WORKS, they were so COOL.

FRIDAY 22nd SEPT - We caught up on what we missed out on Thursday night because it was a better day, today was jam packed and would be too long for me to tell. There was so much more that we did do, I hope you enjoy what I have told you about my week at CAMP and enjoy the photo's I have put up for you. I took Darlsy's old camera but did not take a lot of photo's because I was having too much fun. I know CAMP QUALITY people took lots of photos so when I get them off CAMP QUALITY I will show you all. OH - TODAY we did ARCHERY, I did not get a bulls eye but I had fun trying and also we did ROCK CLIMBING on the BIG ROCK WALL and I mean big. Everything on this RANCH is BIG - GIGANTIC - HUGE. Before going I wanted one last go on the BIG SWING and the FLYING FOX, it was fun because I was free just flying through the air. The week was so much fun but it was getting late and time for us all to start cleaning up and packing up for our trip home - as much as I want to go home - I don't want to - but really I did because I missed Darsly so much . I would text Darlsy every night before I went to bed to say ' GOOD NIGHT - LOVE YOU - SEE YOU IN THE MORNING" and she would test back the same to me.

SATURDAY 23rd Sept - We arrived home safely, the great driving of JEFF, I had to say good bye to JEFF my great companion and my mate, and also to all my friends from CAMP who I had so much fun with (my new mates Liam and Cameron) see you on the next camp mates, thanks for the fun times. It is always sad to say goodbye because sometimes I don't get to see some of the kids on the next camp - some of them don't make it through their illness and it is sad to turn up to the next camp knowing one of my friends has gone. But I must live on, live on in hope and not fear of what might be, live on and live my life to the full always. The memories I have of each camp I go on is embedded in my mind forever, and the best thing is we get a DVD of every camp we go on so the memories are always with me. I gave Darlsy the biggest hug and kiss when I saw her and we drove home. I was very tired, exhausted and not very well, I had picked up a bug and was coughing, sneezing, and had headaches. As much as the camp is fun, it is very exhausting and takes it toll on me each time I come home from a camp. I am not feeling the best still now but I wanted to get my journal done for you all to see the fun time I had.

"THE GANG IN MY CABIN"

********************

"TALLADEGANIGHTS - NASCAR"

********************

SUNDAY 24th Sept - Darsly took me to the MOVIES, we just wanted to spend time together because I had missed her so much so we went to the movies to see TALLADEGANIGHTS which has the NASCARS in it - so funny. See the picture below, I could not reach to stick my head in the whole but you can see me (LOL). We ate popcorn and enjoyed the movie then came home and had a nice quiet night - just DARLSY - ME & SNOWFLAKE.

********************
TO MY FRIENDS

I have missed you all very much over the past week - most of all I have missed my darsly mum the most. I will drop around and visit you all very soon (it is hard to always get on the computer) because it does take up a lot of time - as much as I want to get around to everyone I really have to keep it to just a few each day - but I will get there. I have a life I want to live, and sitting on a computer all day is not on my schedule of living life to the full. I try to do the computer stuff at night time so I can enjoy and live my life and have fun during the day - and so should all of you out there. I think we get a bit consumed with the computer instead of spending that much needed time with the one's you love - the sick ones in your life - the computer should never come first - your loved one's should always be the priority in life. I love to always tell my stories of the things I do in my life but I never let the computer get in the way of spending time with my darsly and my friends - the computer is a night time thing. I am sure there are lots of you out there who will now think to yourself (gee - JAY is right), the time I spend on the computer is precious time I should be spending with the one's we love. Computers can always wait - KIDS WITH CANCER don't have time to wait - we need your attention now - time is something which is very precious to a cancer child (don't waste it) sitting at a computer all day . My friends, please always fight the fight and never give up ever - I lost a little friend while I was away - another NEUROBLASTOMA friend, she did not give up - she was needed to lead the other NB ANGELS along in the fight to stop this monster killing us kids. This is suppose to be a rare cancer NEUROBLASTOMA, if it is so rare, then why do so many kids have it - not one - not two, but thousands of children (there is not just one NEUROBLASTOMA child) there are many and it is taking too many lives, too many innocent lives. Still I don't understand why I am so lucky to SURVIVE so far, I don't understand because we are all strong, all tough - all determined and all an inspiration - why it takes some and not others is a question that will never be answered, but I do know while I am still here I will fight to have the AWARENESS OF NEUROBLASTOMA known and fight to FIND A CURE - so please help me and other NB families find a cure by donating to NEUROBLASTOMA RESEARCH - we must stomp on the NB MONSTER for good. I must go now, I really am not feeling very well at all, but needed to get my journal done tonight. SEE you all very soon my friends - remember keep a BIG SMILE ON THE DILE and NEVER GIVE UP.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARSLY MUM

Friday 29th September

(I love you Darsly - from Jay)

***************************

Sign my Guestbook

View my GuestbookTHANK YOU

**************