Pain

This happened a few weeks ago, but I just haven't really had time to pop them online.

A few weeks ago on a Sunday night, mum had been feeling quiet out of it all day. She was in a great deal of pain and was determined to sleep on the couch sitting upright in front of the tv as it hurt too much to lie on her back. I called ED at Royal Melbourne who told me to bring her in. She didn't want to wait in the waiting room and thought that she would be fine throughout the night. The doctors told her to double dose on her pain meds. 

The next morning, we travelled to ED. We sat in one of the all too familiar cubicles and listened to the screaming of trauma victims for several hours until a bed cleared in the wards. She was admitted for two nights. In that time, she received a lung biopsy (which she would have had done anyway as part of a new trial she is taking) and was booked in for radiotherapy. 

Last weekend, my cousin Khoa, a little under a year older than me was married to his partner. When everything was going down with mum, I was really worried she would be too ill to make the wedding. Fortunately, she recovered splendidly and was made it on Khoa's special day. 

You'll have to forgive the writing on this. If it does not make sense, its because I am tired. 

Mum struggling to get into bed. The pain was in her right ribs. Doctors suspect the cancer has spread to her bone and increased swelling making it incredibly painful to breath or lie on.

Before the meds kicked in.

She always leaves her slippers in the hallway, which is particularly annoying at night when you trip on them. It also means that she is at home, and most likely in her room. 

Waiting in a cubical at RMH ED

Initial consultation with Radiologist. 

Praying the morning of Khoa's wedding. The dress in the background is a traditional Vietnamese ao dai.

At Carol (the brides) house on the morning of the wedding.

Press scrum for the wedding party.

Mum leave a note for the couple on red cloth. Kind of like a giant fabric card.

Speeches.

Press

I'd be lying if I said that the past few months hadn't been some of the toughest I've struggled with. With mum the way she is, its quiet hard to have a normal life. I distract myself with paid work, and have consequently had little time to work on my own projects. On the side, I work as a local newspaper photographer. Occasionally, I get to shoot some pretty cool stuff. Here are some of my favorite pics from the past couple of months.

All pics belong to both me and the Star News Group. 

Megan Gale opens the new David Jones store at Highpoint Shopping Centre.

Horses leave the gate at Werribee Racecourse.

Punters at Werribee Racecourse.

Athletes take place at the annual Keilor Gift. This event wasn't the actual Gift itself. 

A bub and his nan watching the fireworks after the gift.

Wood Chopping comp at the Keilor Gift

Miss Gay and Miss Transexual Australia

Sofiya Vergara is crowned Ms Transexual Australia

Contestant at Miss Gay Miss Transexual Australia

Miss Gay, Miss Transexual Australia

Chapel St, Windsor

Photographed while waiting for 'fashionable people' to photograph for work. I preferred magic hour instead. 

Excerpt

I know, I know, I know. This blog hasn't been updated in a very long time. Feel free to crucify me. It's been a fairly busy month with work and hospital trips and life getting in the way of me being able to even begin contemplating shooting my own stuff. Fortunately, I have been given a few good jobs through the local paper world lately, including photographing the exotic, the famous, and exciting (more on that later when I have time to update this bad boy).

Also, I was very humbled to be asked to contribute work to Excerpt Magazine, put together by the amazing Amy Marjoram and her dedicated team of designers and editors. Please check out the current edition (and back issues.. its free and online!) 

A few weeks ago, mum went to the city with her sisters. I thought it was quiet a good effort to head in, walk around for 4 or 5 hours and be fine. A couple of days after that, I asked her if she wanted to come with me to White Night in Melbourne. (For all of my readers interstate and overses, thats an arts and culture festival which made its debut a few weeks ago.. not a neo-nazi parade). She told me she was too tired and mentioned that when she went to the city, she really struggled. She said that going to the market was becoming tough and that she had to sit down and catch her breath after walking a few hundred metres from her car. 

I was taking photos of the sunset and mum came over and watched me. Shes being lit by the tv I had in the background .

Exhaustion

Bourke St

Not exactly sure what was happening here. Ash, Adrian, and I walked past a guy who was pinned down by two cops. They were struggling to keep him on the ground, so half a dozen of them grabbed him and through him in a drunk van. I was with friends, so I didn't really want to start asking a bunch of pissed off cops questions. 

Following on

More pics of Em's new place. Nice little back yard, but the mossies are a bit of a pain. 

Emma's New Place

My good friend Emma moved house. She's now just down the road from Ash. Her new place is one of those old Coburgish places which kind of smells like old people but has beautiful natural light.