Last week Coco received what truly is the gift of life.

If you could see the difference in her before and after a transfusion you would be like me, urging people to give blood, give blood, give blood whenever they can. Before, she is fractious and intolerant, prickly and itchy. She might cry if she drops a pencil, or doesn’t like the colour of her cup, her skin a pallid yellow. After, she is full of energy and cheeky fun. Our house zings with the sound of her deep belly laughs, and she is literally, in the pink of health.

Yesterday I went and gave some of my blood, and as always, my heart warmed, to see the number of people who, at this crazybusy time of year are willing to slow down in the sanctuary of the blood bank for an hour or so, and offer up their veins to share that bright red fluid that makes us all tick. And keep on ticking.

At the blood bank we smile at each other, little nods as we unite in our goal of saving anonymous lives. We sit in the cool, calm confines of that haven of life, protected from the jostling activity that seems to get everyone jangling at this time of year, and take some time out to reflect on how lucky we are. Lucky that, this day, we aren’t the ones needing blood, and in fact, we are healthy enough to have a surplus to share around. The efficient blood angels will drain about half a litre from our bodies, and our clever marrows will slmply pump out some more, with barely a blip. We reflect on the magnificence of the body.

Once when Liam was small he asked me how rainbows are made, and I gave him a long and fanciful answer involving paint and fairies. He didn’t believe it for a moment, and when I told him what it really was, describing white light and the dispersion effect of the light being seperated into its different wavelengths, he listened in rapt silence. He then asked me why I would make up a ‘weird story’ when the reality was so much more magical. I think of that often. I think of the wonderous abilities of nature, and clevernesss that resides within every single one of us. The way that yesterday, without any conscious effort from me, I was able to accomodate and create another half litre of those beautiful little biconcave discs that carry around our breath.

As I looked around the busy room at he blood bank, I was humbled at the number of lovely people who will stand up (lie down?!) to give Coco a gift so special, without even knowing her. A gift better than any trinket or shiny bauble, and one that allows the walls of our home to swell with fun and vitality and joy.

The true gift of Christmas.

If you would like to give blood, call the blood bank on 13 14 95 to book a bed. You won’t regret it.

…From The Ashers

Here are the hits for you… A litle late I know, the 5am club went on strike today. I guess it was all of the WEEK adding up.. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster.

1.  BLOOD DONORS BLOOD DONORS.

The kid got her top up of the good stuff this week- a little earlier than anticipated, but still in great timing for the festive season. So, I’d like to send out a big thank you and virtual cuddle to all of the wonderful blood donors who give up their precious red stuff for our kid, and kids just like her. Without you we wouldn’t have much of a life, to be honest, and we definitely wouldn’t be able to GO TO THE USA for our Festivus celebrations. THANKYOU ONE AND ALL.

2.  All of my wonderful patients, who, without even a hint of grumbling annoyance, rescheduled their appointments so that we could go ahead with point 1 above. I am so lucky to have such a gorgeous group of lovely, understanding people to work with. Blessed I tells ya!

3.  You lot.

This week I have had such lovely feedback about the blog. I have had people complimenting my writing, telling me they like coming here to visit, sharing with me the things that make them laugh and cry as they sponge up my tales of whinging and general carry on. We might be perched here in a tiny little corner of the internet, but to all of you who come on over and read From The Ashers, thank you. Thanks for reading, commenting, sharing and just generally being part of this community. I love that you bother to stop by.

4.  This book.

I finally have a copy in my hot little hands, and almost want to cry just looking at the cover. It was written by the clever, humble, patient and incredibly persistent Allison Paterson. I’ve only read a tiny bit so far, but I can already tell it’s going to be a cracker. I’m so proud of her for forging ahead with this massive project, creating this important work and giving heart to these pieces of Australian History.

5.  All of the small things.

The delicious crumble of home-made shortbread. The sound of rain on our tin roof at night. The snuffling movements of our children sleeping. The gentle winking of Christmas lights. The joyful noise of children splashing in the pool. The salty fragrance of warm, wet air. The crackling anticipation of the record player. The pungent smell of the first coffee of the day in my hideous Christmas Mug. The delivery of gifts from far away. Colourful paper. Curling ribbon. People who say thank you and mean it. Fresh new haircuts. Juicy Summer fruits. Laughing with friends. Silly Christmas movies. Getting dinner cooked for me. Music. New ideas. Almost sunburnt skin. The calming lull of cricket on the telly. Home-brewed ginger beer. Long days. The whisper of ceiling fans that stir the hairs on my arms. Life.

Small things. But they add up okay. They make a big life.

So what are your hits people? Any big wins this week? (Don’t be shy- we are a community, remember.)

…From The Ashers

I didn’t get around to wrapping up the week with the Hitwave this week. The Apple was being a little tetchy, and quite frankly, I didn’t have the mindset to sort it out. You see, when we have a transfusion looming, there is an undercurrent of stress in my life that doesn’t properly surface until that cannula is finally in place and the ‘danger period’ of the first bag of blood is over. It’s only then that it comes frothing to the top, and I almost cry with the relief and the gratitude of making it through. And that’s when I exhale. When I know we haven’t drowned.

In the week or so leading up to transfusion day, the only times I really stop flipping the scenarios over and over in my mind are when I’m at work, or when I’m tapping away on these keys.

Blogging as therapy? Say yessir. Work as an escape? You betcha sweet corpuscles. And so in these weeks- the ones at the pointy end of the quarter- I am even more grateful than ever to have such wonderful things in my life. Places where I can be in the moment, focussed, and in flow.

I’m pretty lucky to have these two domains, these things that I see as my life’s work.

It’s been a big day for my little girl and I. If you follow my spamming on any of the Socials, you would have seen some of the details. You might know that they couldn’t get the cannula to pierce a vein cleanly: not the first, the second or the third time. It took four punctures, a new doctor, my insistence of using the Accuvein (the infrared vein finder) and a smaller cannula, to finally get the sucker in.

Coco is only seven years old. I think that is a lot for a kid to go through.

Showing off the new blood

So today, I have two hits:

1. I am insanely grateful to the wonderful Cass, who played and played and sang her heart out during all of this.

Cass is the music therapy chick at the hospital. She is sweet and gentle and kind, and a bit of a hippy. If I am to be honest here (and what is the use of this blog if I’m not?) I thought she was a dickhead when I first met her. She came into our room, at a particularly harrowing moment, espousing the benefits of music for kids undergoing procedures.

I wanted to tell her to fuck off.

We were right IN something. Something BIG. Bloody pop tunes weren’t going to help our situation. I gritted my teeth and said, sure, play if you want (and in my head I probably called her a few names).
And so she played.

And it made all the difference. She has a voice of an angel and an energy to match, and Coco resonated with her immediately, and the beauty of Cass calmed her, in a beat.

So now I am in love with Cass and her presence. Today she played everything Coco requested (except that song from Frozen, but ain’t nobody got time fo’ dat): Riptide, Happy, Eye Of The Tiger…. Plus an improv of her own about Coco’s favourite things, where we yelled out stuff, and she made it all into a song.

Cass, I don’t even know if you are real, or if I dreamt you up, but bloody hell, you ROCK.

2.  Blood donors.

Of course.

I wish you could all see the change in our kid today. She is strong and brave and tolerant, and so if you met her earlier this week you would think that she’s just a normal kid. You might not realise that she really was just going through the motions, at times. The motions of breathing and walking and eating. Sure, she still laughed, she still had fun, she still raced to watch Family Feud every night, but tonight? Oh man, that kid is ALIVE.

She is drunk on life and energy and joy. I wish you could hear that laugh of hers that is ringing out over Sunrise Beach tonight, because it truly is an elixir for the soul.

Perhaps if you close your eyes you might hear her at your place? I can tell you right now, it’s worth a try.

I couldn’t get a good pic- there was “too much” laughing!

…From The Ashers xx