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This site contained Erik's Journey for 16 months. The journey started In August 2007 when our 16 year old son Erik was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in his left distal femur. After three Chemotherapy treatments, Erik had an operation to remove the bone tumour. Half of Erik's left femur was amputated along with his knee and a prosthesis inserted which was anchored in his remaining femur and tibia. Then Erik received another three Chemotherapy treatments, to kill any remaining cancer before leaving hospital on 24 December 2007. In May 2008 the cancer returned to Erik's lungs and another round of Chemotherapy was started however, Erik suffered three Pneumothorax (lung collapses in his right lung) which resulted in a Pleuradesis, an operation to permanently keep his lung inflated. The next round of Chemotherapy compromised Erik's immune system and he became septic. In September 2008 we took Erik overseas to Frankfurt, Germany for further treatment that was unavailable in Australia however, it was too little, too late. On 7th November 2008, Erik's lungs collapsed and Erik passed away in a hospital in The Netherlands.
February and March 2009
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The months have gone by, it seems like yesterday when we gathered for Eriks 18th Birthday.
We keep ourselves busy which is distracting from the grief we feel every day and we continue to work on our Mind, Body, Soul practices to help us.
On 12th January we drove down to Jenolan Caves and stayed overnight. We went on two walking tours of the caves and a walk in the area, it is a beautiful place to visit and Aimee saw a Platypus in the river.
We also went to Marouba beach one time and another time to Coogee beach.
During February Aimee moved into the room we were renovating. There were some tears because the room was originally being renovated for Erik and memories flooded back of his involvement in the renovation and his plans for the room, it made Erik very happy and many people helped us to make it happen. We know that of all the people in the world, the person Erik would have wanted to have the room is Aimee.
Going back to work and school was not easy and Johan and Aimee are now back into the routine. I have started a Secretarial Service from home and have been conducting research for the book, compiling a great deal of useful information and organising what Erik wanted us to do for him and many others who have suffered just as he did.
My birthday was in February. I was reticent about it at first because it was my first birthday in 18 years without Erik, but Johan and Aimee wanted me to enjoy my birthday. We went to a local restaurant with friends which was a pleasant evening.
This is what grieving is partly about, containing and putting the mixed feelings into some sort of perspective - life does go on - but every day we miss our wonderful son and brother. A friend of ours who lost his wife said that in the beginning he looked for just 1 second in the day where he did not feel devastated and over time, that 1 second became 2, then 3, 4, 5 until it grew into an hour. Five years have passed now and he never forgets, but in time he was able to think of other things and it is less painful.
Erik's 18th Birthday
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3 January 2009:
Like many of his friends, Erik looked forward to his 18th Birthday as a right of passage, a coming of age with new found rights, like being able to legally enter a pub and buy his Dad a beer. Over the past few years, plans of where to have Eriks 18th birthday party and what format it would take were discussed, it was something to look forward to, a milestone in Eriks life.
Erik wanted to build a bar as his school project for 2008. Johan and Erik drew up the plans and discussed it several times however, due to the cancer, Erik did not attend school much in 2008 and the bar did not come to fruition.
We put a lot of thought into how we wanted to experience Eriks 18th birthday and when we saw a bar that looked right for our house, we knew it was the right thing to do. The bar was installed in our living room and we invited Eriks close friends, including their parents and some of our close friends to gather and have a drink to Erik and all the wonderful memories we have of him.
Despite an underlying sadness, the evening flowed with good conversation, some guitar playing and singing by Jarrod, with Matt playing Eriks guitar, (the striped one). There were bar snacks, both cold and hot with some fairy floss and a chocolate tower with strawberries for dessert. The bubble blowing for the little and not so little ones included lighting some Star Sparklers. Towards the end of the night, we ordered some Pizza as the virtual sports games heated up on the Nintendo Wii.
The 18 orange roses were in full bloom throughout the evening and we know that seeing us come together like this for his special day, would have bought a huge smile to Eriks face.
A special thank you to two families who bought two bottles of wine called Erics Blend. On the front of the wooden wine boxes was a lovely message to Erik. We will treasure them and find a place for them in Eriks bar.
We look forward to toasting a drink to Erik on his birthday in the coming years.
(Slideshow of pictures taken on the day is on the Home page of this website).
