Life is for Living
"JAY'S" mailbag
As you can see by Jay's T-Shirt, he is off on another "CAMP QUALITY" adventure along with 40 other kids & 40 companions. Jay was not feeling the best with bad headaches but was not going to miss out on this trip as Camp Quality Victoria have never been out of the state - this is the first camp ever to another state of Australia and one that all the kids were looking forward to.
"JAY & Darsly Mum" at the Airport
All the Camp Quality Gang met at the Airport, after a few hours getting all the tickets organised the kids were aloud to go through security and up to the terminal where a plane would be waiting to take them on their adventure. Of course a photo with MUM had to be done before I said good-bye.But where is JAY off to you ask - Where else but QUEENSLAND to have fun at all the Theme Parks.
"JAY" & Companion JEFF
This is JAY'S wonderful Camp Quality Companion JEFF. He has been Jay's companion since he was five and they get along so well and are as funny as each other. As you can see, Jay is nearly getting to Jeff's height (he is 6ft) so gives you an idea as to how tall Jay is. The two of them are being silly as usual - Jeff with his silly hats on.
"LETS FLY JET STAR"
The airline they went on was JET STAR - who were so great to all the kids on the flight up to Queensland. The kids all got to see the cockpit and had lots of entertainment on the flight up and back.
The CAMP QUALITY GANG at Dreamworld
Jay took out old digital camera with him on the trip, which doesn't take the best photo's, so I picked out the one's that were not blury (lol). And Jay said "I didn't have time to take photo's, I was having too much fun. So the following photo's in Queensland are taken by Jay. The one above is the Camp Quality gang. If you look very carefully at the top left where the guy in the Grey T-Shirt is, well the kid sitting in front of him is JAY. The kids in this photo are at DREAM WORLD on the Gold Coast and the weather the entire week they were up there was 31 degrees (beautiful and hot).
At WET & WILD on the Gold Coast
Jay and the gang got to go to DREAM WORLD - WET & WILD and SEA WORLD - they were all so much fun. Jay's photo's at Sea World did not turn out the best (blury) so was not use in putting them up. He is not the best photographer - that is why I always take all the photo's.
Celebrity "BREE AMOR" & JAY
Bree from Big Brother came to hang out with us for the day at Dream World, it was so cool, we saw the Big Brother house and Bree is so funny and was lots of fun to spend the day with.
Exhausted - JEFF & JAY
Jay and Jeff, just off the plane after a big week on the Gold Coast - they were both exhausted (along with the rest of the Camp Quality Gang), they all looked so tried. The all had so much fun and it is a big thank you to CAMP QUALITY for allowing all these cancer kids including Jay to be kids and forget about all the battles they face. As I say - a kid doesn't have to look sick to be sick, 40 kids when on this camp and they all have CANCER and not one of them look sick. Cancer kids are sick on the inside, not on the outside, but even so it doesn't stop any of them having fun and having a smile on their faces and Camp Quality allow the kids to be kids. THANK YOU
Victoria Police Air Wing - Melbourne, Australia
For those of you who do not know - JAY wants to be a PILOT - he is so dedicated to Planes, and dedicated to make being a PILOT his career. Jay knows anything and everything about planes and at the age of only 12 has flown 2 planes. Just last week Jay was invited to the POLICE AIRWING here in Melbourne to go look first hand at the magnificent Police Helicopter and the Police Medical Emergency helicopter. Jay knows all the instruments and how to fly a plane and was thrilled to be able to sit in the pilot seat of the Police Helicopter above.
JAY & the Air Ambulance
The above helicopter is different in side from the Police Helicopter. Of course this helicopter transports Trauma Patients to the Alfred hospital. I must say when I looked in, there is just so much equipment and not alot of room. Jay got to sit in the Pilot seat, until suddenly there was a bit of action and the Crew had an emergency and had to go. Out you get Jay, an emergency waiting. 
This is another one of the police helicopters, it was having a rest in the hanger, so Jay spent quite a bit of time in this one. I couldn't get him out.
Head Pilot and JAY
Jay got to spend alot of time in this Police Helicopter as it was waiting on the tarmac. The pilot as you can see has a life jacket on - this is the special helicopter which winches people from the water and was just about to go off for a training flight with another pilot. 
Inside the helicopter. As you can see the pilot was ready to go, but he was so good in allowing Jay to spend lots of time just taking it all in. You can see some cardboard in front of Jay - well that is covering the front window (WHY YOU ASK) Because this training flight they are about to go on, the trainee pilot has to take off - fly and land blind - he is not allowed to see out the window at all, he has to rely on the instruments. 
So COOL (as Jay would say)
It was time to go, but we could not get JAY out of the helicopter (I am sure he would have slept there if he could). I was a wonderful night at the Police Airwing and Jay and I thank you so much for allowing him to sit in the Helicopters.
YES - Planes again - well this is what my weekends & days are made up of with JAY - it is Planes, Planes and more Planes. On this day as we are close friends with one of the bosses of Qantas, Jay was invited to look inside at INTERNATIONAL PLANE. Looking is all we are doing, gee it would have been nice to go on a flight, but a bit out of our reach to go over seas, so we had to stay on the ground. The Plane you can see here is the Qantas 747-400 and is about to fly from Melbourne to London, but before it did, Jay and I got the opportunity to go play inside.
JAY - just relaxing in Business Class
Jay thought this was so cool - wow - we have never been on an International plane before so to get to play was great. Jay was reclining all the Business Class Seats - OH of course I had a go as well. 
JAY & ME DARSLY MUM
Jay said, come on darsly, come sit here get John to take a photo - OK - seeing I am never in any of the photo's but do everything Jay does, at least I can now say I have been on an International plane even though we did not get off the ground (lol).
PILOT JAY (Qantas 747-400)
This is JAY - being the pilot he dreams of being one day - he wan't to be a pilot for Qantas - so one day when you travel, ask who your pilot is - it just may be JAY.
OK - Lets go First Class now. Jay had fun with these seats, they totally recline to be a bed (might not be exciting for the people who get to travel First Class) but very exciting to a 12 year old little boy who would give anything to go up in this plane.
Down to the cattle yards (Economy)
Not bad, but a little sqeezy for my liking. Gee I don't think I could last 18 hours on a plane with my legs cramped up in these seats and my back would kill me. We have just had a friend come back from a 5 week trip to America and he said that on the way home the plane was near empty so they sprawled out across the three middle seats, only thing was the arm rests don't go right up which he said was annoying. Jay enjoyed his tour of the 747-400 and did not want to get off, but the plane was about to board so we had to get off. I told Jay to go hide in the clothes cupboards up in Fitst Class, but no, the pilots just boarded the plane and they had lots to do before take off, so Jay had to say goodbye to the plane. 
Royal Victorian Aero Club - Young Eagles
Last weekend was something Jay had been looking forward to for a long time - even though he was not feeling well he was not going to miss out on FLYING a plane. Jay is a member of the YOUNG EAGLES at Moorabbin Airport which is only 10 minutes from our house. It is a very busy Airport and gives potential kids the opportunity to fly a plane (those who want to be a pilot). It was Jay's day, and the weather could not have been better. It was a hot 33 degrees and Jay got to fly all over Melbourne.
JAY & Owner/Pilot Deb Fanning
Deb is so passionate about FLYING and was the best match up for JAY. Jay thought Deb was the best and Deb thought Jay was the best and has invited again to come up for another flight. The little plane you see is the one JAY flew all around Melbourne it is called PIPER TRI-PACER and is the love of Debs life. Deb was amazed at JAY'S skills and how much he knows. Unfortunatley though Jay can't go for his Pilot Licence until he is 14 - BUT Jay has an advantage, he is only 12 years old and he is doing the theory, there are four sections to the theory the first being the BAK - Basic Aeronautical Knowledge, which he can complete and do an exam in 2 months, then he goes on to the next section which is PPL - then CPL then the last one ATPL, so lots of learning for JAY, but he is very smart and I know he can do it. Jay is in year 7 at school and does year 9 work and is in the Higher Achievers. I am so amazed and so proud of how smart he is seeing he has had such a battle for life and lots out on a lot, he sure is one amazing boy. 
This is the certificate presented to JAY after his flight - the smile on his face was priceless. It as an amazing day for JAY, and yes of course I could not get him away from the planes. As I said Deb and Jay were a great match up they just both talk planes continually. ME - I know nothing about planes (lol).
JAY - a bit Sick
As I said at the start of the journal, even though Jay looked happy doing all the things he did, he was also hiding the fact he was not feeling well. Jay is good at that - he will never tell you when he doesn't feel well because he thinks he might miss out on something. It is not often he gives in, but as his mum, I have learnt all his little tricks and can tell when there is something wrong with him. His headaches continue to plague me - they worry me so very much, because they are sickening headaches (not migrain), Jay vomits, and is in lots of pain with them. As a mum all things go through your mind and these headaches have been going on so long and we keep getting put off, I just hope that doctors realise that headaches should not just been pushed under the carpet because I have a friend, here son got a headache, a bad one and he was dead the next day - he had a brain anurism - so headaches should be taken more seriously by the doctors out there because you just don't now. I try to ease Jay's pain with panadol or Nurofen which helps him sleep, but sometimes we end up in the hospital because they do get so bad.
HOSPITAL ONCOLOGY APPOINTMENT
We finally got to see Jay's Oncology Doctor after the big ball's up the week before. The week before Jay had his Oncology appointment which we had been waiting for, for a long time because Peter has been away. It took up an hour half to get to the hospital, we sat in the Kids Cancer Clinic for an hour before they came and told me - OH Peter is not going to be here today - well did I explode or what - yes I did, can't tell you what I said, but I am sure you can imagine (lol). Anyway that was a wasted day, another day off school for Jay and was told we had to wait another week before we could see Peter. So before we went I rang and asked, is Peter there, I was assured that he was, so Jay and I got in the car and made the trip to the Hospital to the Kids Cancer Clinic where we sat for about 1 half hours waiting. Then finally Peter calls Jay in and he could not believe how tall Jay was. Jay is now taller than his Oncology Doctor. Jay stands 168cm tall and weighs 58 kg, Jay is taller than me and he weighs more than me.
Sat down in Peters Office, discussed things. As you know Jay's scan shows he has Disease on the Spinal cord sitting at T10 - 11 - 12. At the moment it is sitting there dormant (stable) but it is a ticking time bomb. It has not srunk in size and has not grown in size (which is a good thing) but it is horrible knowing it was there, I would rather it not be there. I asked Peter, what do we do about this thing, how can we find out exactly what it is, what it is made up of, whether is benign or malignant. Peter said "I can't touch it" - don't want to open Jay up, if I open him up It could trigger it to spread. I said "can't you do a biopsy", he said a biopsy on Jay where it is means opening him up and I don't want to do that. The next statement from me was - then your saying you don't want to find out what it is or take it out because you could be the cause of triggering it (silence)????. I then said, wouldn't it be better to open him up get this thing out, even if it it triggered you can catch it, but if you let him walk around like he is and it explodes in him we may not know until he gets sick down the track and by that time it could have spread everywhere. WELL it was like banging my head a gainst a brick wall. I can get his point, but if he was in my position I am sure he would rather it not be there. I asked for the dimensions of it - he said he would get back to me, but I have not heard back so I will give a call next week. Also Jay's LUNG FUNCTION test, Peter was not happy with, the results were not good so that has to be repeated. I am not worrying about my back at all, that can wait, I am more concerned about JAY and making sure nothing happens to him, so as I said, I will continue discussions with the hospital. As a mum, yes it is hard to make decisions and you wonder if you are making the right decision, but unfortunately there are no guarantees on anything and you just hope that the decisions you make for your kids are the right one's. When Peter said to JAY - have you got any questions or anything you would like to say JAY, he just sat there, he did not say a thing (very unusual for JAY) but it was like he just did not know what to say, he didn't want to say the wrong thing or he was scared. Anyway, that's it for now, I hope Jay will be back soon to do the next journal because I am not as good at it. He wont be doing another for for a few weeks, so don't worry. Thank youl all for caring about JAY, it means alot to him.
JAY'S WEBSITE
Very soon, when you come to Jay's Website you will see big changes. I will let you know when that will be, but please know that the website name is still the same, just alot of great changess.
"JAY & DARLSY MUM"
Please stop by and sign Jay's guestbook, he loves to know you have visited and loves to get nice messages and appreciates them all.
View my Guestbook
posted by *JAY* @ 3:00 pm
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