Hi Nancy my dear,

Hope all is going well within your part of the world and that you are keeping safe and well.  Every thing is fine here and these days I am having more contact with my sisters although Lesley, the sister who visited us in Chongqing in 2007 is not in good health these days.  Tomorrow she has her third chest scan at the hospital.    She has had a persistent cough for 6 months now and things are getting worse. 

I told her 6 months ago to see her doctor about a cough that developed several times a day then and by the week I could see it getting worse.  It is only in the last month that she did something about it but I think it might be too little too late.  Her cough now is persistent and painful and she has been told the top part of her left lung has collapsed.  Tomorrows' scan will tell more and I can only hope for the best for her.

We went to Fielding today for a visit to another sister Peggy who has stopped driving and gave her car to a son.  She now relies on a a mobility scooter like what you have on Hainan or family and friends for auto needs.    Lesley has told us she is not organizing the Christmas dinner this year, it is too much for her.  That is an indication of how we all have slowed down this year in our own ways. 

One of my Hospital specialists is now following up on the World Guinness Book of Records as I may now be the longest surviving person with Hairy Cell Leukemia in the world as I am now in my 13th year of remission.  The previous record was just over eleven years and although that person has passed away the record lives on.  The average survival rate is just over 4 years.    I am so grateful to the medical profession and some doctors especially for what they collectively have done for me, 12 more years since August 2008 when I was diagnosed and given Chemotherapy there in Brisbane. 

It does feel a bit surreal that I could or will be in recorded history rather than just one of those grains of sand so to speak in the annals of time!!!  If I'm not in the next published edition I could be on the Internet version of the book and I will be keeping an eye on this possibility now.  It may also take 12 months or more to confirm my medical history and present it as evidence of sorts.

We had a great sunny windless day today for a change, the first of the summer period and I had several coffees and dinner on my front landing, what I call my little bit of paradise.  I don't need to go to a park for a change of space, I have my own!!!.  Bella love the space too being able to hide under the shrub trees.  She caught her second bird in three weeks yesterday and brought it inside to show me.

Hope the writing is progressing well for you dear, you will feel chuffed when it is in book form.  Another of life's achievements to feel so proud of as we journey along.  It is nearly Christmas so I hope you have many festive gatherings with all the family and friends too.  2020 has been a good year in some ways but so bad in other ways.  ....my love and best wishes always my dear,

Dannie

毛细胞白血病是一种淋巴系统的恶性肿瘤，丹尼斯2008年从我这里返回澳大利的第二周，因心情不好和其他原因，突然晕倒在浴室，检查结果竟然就是上述恶疾。当时我的心情可想而知，他的心情就更不要说了。（见《我、丹尼斯和猫》一文）2016年初，我又发现患乳腺癌。这下，我们俩都走进了“死胡同”。但是，在上帝的关爱下，及我们共同所具有的坚强意志力和乐观心态的帮助下，我俩都渡过难关。我的乳腺癌2021年2月即到达“五年生存期”，可以停止服药了。而丹尼斯更是创下了“吉尼斯纪录”！毛细胞白血病的平均生存期是四年，上一个”吉尼斯”纪录创造者活了十一年才走。现在，丹尼的医生正在申报丹尼成为新的“吉尼斯纪录”创造者，他巳经活在第十三个年头！我认为，他活到八十岁没有问题！我如今在写书，明春即将出版，而丹尼斯也在忙着做他的事情。说不定我俩还会共同写一点什么东西呢！

良好的心态导致最佳的结果。

我俩一齐祝愿所有的朋友们！

刘明琼

2020年12月16日