School & Crohn's

Last year when I was diagnosed with Crohn's I gave all my teachers a handout explaining what I was living with.

This year I hadn't worried to much as I am feeling really good at the moment and hardly have to leave class for the bathroom. Yesterday one of teachers wouldn't let me go to the toilet as he was really mad with the class. It was just lucky my pain subsided and I lasted till the end of the period.

I carry my "Can't wait card" from the Australian Crohn's association, but this teacher wouldn't budge!

So now I have photocopied new handouts for the teachers, it is hard for people to understand, as on the outside I look healthy. They don't realise my insides are a whole different story!!

Im stuffed!

I couldn't wait for today to come....

It was our school carnival (@ Canterbury) and as I missed out last year as I was so sick I couldn't wait to get out there today and swim. At club races at Ashfield I have been swimming pretty good this season so knew I could go well at the school carnival.

My program today was:

50 Freestyle - 36.34

50 Breaststoke - 50.08

50 Backstroke - 48.25

50 Butterfly - 50.00

100 Freestyle - 131.??

in all the above I won my age group.

& House relay, we came third.

After every event I would text Mum & Dad my results.

Now that i am home a I am very tired, and very happy with my results. Now I just have to wait for confirmation that I made it to zone next week at Bexley Pool. Stranger things have happen, but I should be going for everything, lets wait and see. I guess I should do some training????

Below are some photos of when I was swimming well before getting Crohn's. ( All taken @ Homebush)

Things we may miss

Ben at Burrinjuck Dam 2007

Burrinjuck Dam 2007

Wombeyan Caves 2004


This is what I will miss, the camp kitchen!!


Barrington 2005

Home away from home, Barrington 2005

Barrington 2005

As you can see we are use to camping, but this bush camping on the walk will be a whole new experience. One we are looking forward too. Maybe that is why Kate and Matt decided to stay home, they might miss their luxuries too much......

Thank you

Not only do we have the best job in the world.

But we have the best clients in the world and to them i say THANK YOU!!!!!

Official Guest

Today we had confirmation that Mayor of Canterbury, Cr Robert Furolo MP will attend our Launch at Canterbury Boys High on the morning of the 9th April.

There are still outstanding invites so will keep you posted.

7 Weeks out

We have two official support walkers over the first 4-5 days. Claire from soccer and Miss Jackie from dancing.

Claire is going to be my saviour!! see has experience and all the know how needed to survive. Claire is the secretary of the boys Football (soccer) club and has many years experience with the scouts.

Miss Jackie is one of Katelyn's dance teachers and we have known her for over 10 years. Jackie, I must say is very nervous and after reading the part about the leaches is wondering if she has made the right decision in joining us. Jackie took us by surprise, she just came up to me and straight out said "I am doing this!!"

There have been many people show interest in participating at some stage during the walk it is just now a matter of working it into their schedules. So if you too think "Yeh, I could do this!" Yes you can!!!

"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. "

8 Weeks to go......

By Jo...

Not much to report, and not much training getting done either!

One minute I blame the heat the next I am blaming being too tired from work that I cant get my self out for a walk.

Ben has just been doing his usual , watching wrestling.... he has stated ice skating for school sport so at least that is something mid week for him.

Brett does enough soccer training so at least he will be fit and ready to hike. He told his peers at school today about "Poo ain't Taboo" and some handed over donations which was really nice. A few kids are interested in walking with us, more the merrier.....

Brett had his school swimming carnival on Tuesday just past and the kids went around with tins to raise money for the Bushfire appeal. Kate's school will collect donations next week and her dance school is going to do something to coincide with the registration day to help out. It is a great feeling to know that kids are so willing to help.

To everyone effected by the Victorian Bushfire's our thoughts are with you.

Swimming

Yesterday I went to my first swimming carnival since I have been back swimming and it was speedo sprints. I went pretty good for my first race considering both of them were right at the end of the day (7:00pm). I got a good time in my 50 metre freestyle and pulled out of the 50 metre breastroke because it was so late and I was so tired.

I had been up since 6am as we had club races (swimming) followed by tennis.

Who is this Power Family?

For those of you who do not know us personally this is who we are:

Matt - Head of the house (not) commonly known as Husband, lives for soccer or should i say "Football"

Jo - typical Mum, does everything!!!

Jamie - Matt's oldest son lives in Newcastle, visits when he can, but just as much part of the family as anyone.

Brett - 16 year old, says it all doesn't it! loves his soccer.

Ben - you should know a bit about him if you have been reading this site.

Katelyn - 11 (nearly 12 if you ask her) loves dancing and a great helper around the home.

Finnegan - our Red & White Irish Setter, loves the lounge, chips and ice blocks.



We love the outdoors and getting away on family holidays, try to go most school holidays but I have been warned not to book or get any ideas about having one this year apart from this walk and Manyana at Christmas.

Matt and I run our own business to be there for the kids, as they grow up so fast we want to be around to enjoy them.

Some people have asked "Why isn't Matt walking?" the answer is someone has to work to pay the bills. No, Kate doesn't want to walk so he will stay with her and Finnegan. Matt will look after things from this end and bring us supplies. If Ben does need to stop walking Matt will be able to get him. Matt & Kate will come and spend one night with us so that will be nice. Ben is just hoping the he will bring Finnegan to visit.

so thats us.......

Todays quote.

" Dream the dream....

Spread your wings and

FLY!!!!"

A bit about Ben

Ben wrote this about 2 weeks ago.......

All was great until in September 2007 I started to feel sick. I was always on the toilet, up to 20 times in one day and for numerous days in a row. I lost a lot of weight and I didn’t have the weight to lose. All my energy disappeared and I felt pretty sad. I just laid on the lounge with my best mate Finnegan, my dog.

My parents were concerned and had taken me for many doctor appointments and tests but the doctor just couldn’t find any answers. It was a very distressing time for me and my family, I was very miserable.

Starting at high school was tough; I always had to ask to leave the class room to go to the bathroom, I had no energy to participate in anything. Attendance in year 7 was low, I think I only did 2 full weeks all year, and they were not consecutive.

The best day of the year came in late May 2008 and it was meeting Dr. Avi Lemberg, he knew what was wrong straight away and made sure things progressed in the right direction immediately. To be told what is wrong with you and to be able to have treatment to help live with it is a relief. I had a colonoscopy the next day to confirm everything, followed by my last supper, pizzas as the next day I was to start on Osmolite - a formula diet - for 8 weeks. This part I couldn’t cope with, it was CRAP!

I was just starting to feel a little better getting some energy back towards the end of my time on the Osmolite, when my Crohn’s flared up. I had to start taking steroids along with other medication to try and get it under control. To remember all my medication I help mum fill up my weekly pill box so I am aware of all that goes on in my treatment.

We went to the snow for the first time and I was only able to manage to ski every second day as my body couldn’t handle any more, (Shh… I had hot chips for the first time in 10 weeks that was good!!). The last part of the school year picked up as I had energy returning so I could participate in PE and sport all things I had longed to do. I even started to make mates.

My teachers know of my condition but I haven’t told my mates as I don’t think they would understand. This is partly why I decided to do this walk. To bring attention to the disease and let people know there are plenty of others with IBD illnesses. I had told my mum that we should fundraise for Crohn’s in 2009 and we wanted it to be a challenge, so why not go for a walk….

The Great North Walk (GNW) - Going South

The Great North Walk (GNW) is in total 250km and can be undertaken in one long walk or broken into shorter walks.

It is made up of 6 sections; each has their own campsites and other facilities, to make for a fun and exciting holiday or as we doing a challenge to help raise money for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation.

We will only be using 4 sections of the total GNW as listed below.

The Watagan Track:

61km – 4 days
Easy – moderate – hard

Leaving Teralba on the shores of Lake Macquarie, The walk continues with the picturesque Congewai Valley and scenic farmland views.

While crossing the Sugar loaf and Myall ranges you have majestic panoramic views of the Lower Hunter Valley and Central Coast.

The Watagan track winds through the rich eucalypt and rainforest landscapes of the Awaba, Heaton & Corragore sate forests before reaching Flat Rock Lookout in the north west of the Watagan Mountains.


The Cedar Brush Track:

61km – 4 days
Easy – Moderate – Hard

Leaving Flat Rock Lookout you pass through the rugged slopes of the Watagan Mountains, scenic farmland of Yarramalong Valley, Ourimbah and finishes at Somersby.

Much of this walk is through state forests and features majestic stands of tall native timbers and delightful pockets of rainforest.


The Hawkesbury Track:

78km – 4 days
Moderate – Hard

The Hawkesbury track is centres around the majestic and beautiful Hawkesbury river.

Leaving the small rural settlement of Somersby you proceed through the Brisbane Waters National Park to Patonga.

To cross the river to Brooklyn there is a daily taxi service.

From Brooklyn through the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, down to scenic Jerusalem Bay, to Cowan and Berowra Waters.


The Benowie Track:

25km – 3 days
Easy – Moderate _ Hard

For most of this section of the GNW you follow the Berowra Creek through the relatively undisturbed bushland of Berowra Valley Regional Park. The entire Benowie track journey is regarded as a comfortable 2-3 days walk, with clearings being provided as non-facility overnight campsites.

The Benowie track has been designed to cater for all age groups but does include some steep sections.

Now there are 3.....

We have had our first bit of bad news today....

AB (Beth) has had to pull out for now due to injury. If fit enough in time she will try her best to be part of the walk. Very sad news indeed. AB we are thinking of you..........

Now I will have to suffer on my own as the 2 boys relive TV for me, I am not a fan of the wrestling!!! funny though when Ben throws the actions in. The other show that i will have to live through is "flight of the concordes" (Very Funny) Brett can watch something once and retell the story. If only that worked with his school work????

"Life can deal some harsh blows,

It's what you do with those blows that makes all the difference........."

hi

Ben here finally .

I've been so busy bro...

I've started to play tennis and it is totally cool cuz...

Sorry but mum does say I watch to much t.v at least on the walk mum wont miss any TV because Brett and I can recite all the words off many shows.

"I'm just a kid I know I'm sexy i got the looks and I drive the girls wild I got the moves that get them moving I send a chill up and down there spine I'm just a sexy boy sexy boyyyy I'm not your boy toy boy toyyyyy I'm just a sexy boy sexy boyyyyy I'm not your boy toy boy toy." actually that's a theme song from wrestling (Shawn Michael's).

OK alright enough about wrestling back to business, what was I talking about again....oh yeah I never started.

Mum sent all the letters out for donations of goods and $ today, so fingers crossed we have some positive response. Nice chatting but neighbours is on so must go....

I will be back.....