Updates

The Tamsin Colley website

UPDATES

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20 October 2008

Welcome to our final update to this site. The basic story is that Tamsin is so much better that we don't think it is important or useful anymore to provide updates to family, friends and the world on her progress. That's good news!

Tamsin (left) and big sister Shannon trying a little tobogganing on the slope of Volcano Villarrica, near Pucon in Chile
September 2008

We have just returned from a trip to Chile in South America - the family joined Dad for 3 weeks after he finished a work-related conference. Such a trip would have been unimaginable a few years ago. Aside from accidents happening, and the sheer amount of hardware and aids we would have had to bring with us, we would have had to take a major risk with travel insurance, which usually doesn't cover pre-existing conditions.

We were confident that Tamsin was not going to have a recurrence of her tumour, and her disability in walking and talking, while still present, has improved to the point where we were able to travel without ANY special aids. She had a few falls - more than other kids her age would have had - but no major problems.

The holiday was great, but this site isn't mean to be a travelogue. There are a couple of photos with this update.

Tamsin is also doing well in school. Her reading and writing are solidly in the mid-range of her kindergarten class, so her coordination problems aren't presenting a barrier to progress in that area. In the last year we have given up her walking frame, and the wheelchair hasn't been used in many months. We shall soon return it to the hospital for use by somebody else.

Life with Tamsin is always going to be quite a bit different from one with a child without a disability. We will always have to take the extra steps to make sure she can participate, achieve progress, and overcome physical and social barriers that are in her path. But right now it does look life won't be vastly different from that of most families. Perfectly "normal" kids throw up huge challenges for their parents!

Thank you to all who have shared this journey with us. And for those who have visited this site as part of trying to achieve progress with a child or other relative with a brain tumour, we wish you well in your efforts.

On the shore of Lake Caburgua, near Pucon in Chile.
(left to right) Peter Colley, Shannon Colley, Cathie Sherrington and Tamsin Colley

12 June 2008

Tamsin had an MRI scan on 6 June, the first for 2 years. She will have another one in 2 years from now, and then the periodic scans may cease.

The good news is that there is no sign of any tumour or tumour regrowth. There is still a large void at the back of her head, where the brain matter has moved forward to fill the space left by the tumour being removed. That void will be there forever. On some scans it looks a bit like there is some pressure there, but the consensus view is that it is fine. Neurosurgeon Charlie Teo has said he sees no problem.

Tamsin was a very brave girl for the MRI. Previously she has had a general anaesthetic for each one. But now she is five and a half, the judgement was that she could handle the experience awake. She did so very well - with her mum resting a hand on her ankle while Tamsin was inside the machine. It made a lot of noise.

Tamsin continues to progress very well now. She is doing fine at school. In the classroom she is doing well, but in the playground she tends to be a bit reserved and not participate as much due to being less able to keep up with the other kids running about.

The MRI scans can be found in the MRI part of this website, and the radiologist's report is in the Reports section.

13 February 2008

Tamsin has started school!

Our 5yr old who has been through so much, and at times seemed so far away from living a normal life, has commenced school with hardly a hitch. She has fallen over a few times, but that's about it. We've learned to live with the idea that she is always going to fall over more than other people.

There is a teacher's aide in the class who wouldn't normally be there, but that person is there more for another child. The aide does help the teacher make allowances for Tamsin among the total class of 23 students. She does take longer to do some things, including talking.

Her handwriting isn't great, but then she has just started school and some other kids can't do much more than write their name. She does not appear to need a keyboard/computer to write but we will keep that under review.

Tamsin has started piano keyboard lessons but we see that primarily as therapy and don't have expectations about her playing ability. The teacher is sympathetic and keen due to having had experience of a brain tumour in her family.

Bicycle riding is now easier. Tamsin no longer uses a bicycle with extra features for a wobbly child (see April 2006 update). She has inherited her older sister's bike and she gets along with just the normal training wheels on kid's bikes.

We had two weeks of holidays in January, visiting some more-distant relatives plus renting a house with a bunch of good friends. There's a video clip in the "Reports / video" section of Tamsin running along the beach near Byron Bay, east coast NSW. She's not a fast runner but she can run!

The next MRI scan is due in July this year - it will be 2 years since the last one. We hope that it is good news. We might also find out if there is any obvious reason for the rapid improvement in Tamsin's abilities over the last 2 years after relatively slow progress in the first 2 years after surgery.

Shannon, Peter and Tamsin, Byron Bay, January 2008

Tamsin flying through the air on a bungee trampoline at Coogee Beach, Sydney
on Australia Day, 25 January 2008

Tamsin, Cathie and Shannon on Tamsin's 1st day of school, 31 January 2008

The proud schoolgirl, 31 January 2008