Touch - Jenny holding onto Life - Jenny, Joanne and Geoff - ICU / St George Private Hospital (*) (Sun 28 Jun 2009)
Though she could not move most of her body - she could not even breath unassisted, Jenny could hold our hands almost instinctively. Will never forget her touch.
Touch Lyrics by Noiseworks
Another day is goin' out, yeah A sea of faces cryin' ou-out With all we have today You think we'd stop and take a look now, yeah-eah All I want to say Is maybe that we should reach out
Everybody - reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody Reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody
In this old world we all can see, yeah So let's take away the silent fear-ears, yeah-eah With all of our mistakes You think we'd stop and take a look now, yeah-eah All I want to say Is maybe that we should reach out
Everybody - reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody Reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody Reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody Reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody
We'll find it, we'll find it Reach Out Ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh, Yeah
Everybody - reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody Reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody Reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody Reach out and reach out and Reach out and touch somebody-y-y... I said reach out I said reach ou-out
There seemed to be so much hope as I took this photo.
For me, it was the hope that we could take her home (she had negotiated it to be Wed, so Jo and I could go to our Aus Dragon Boat training session that Tue night) and care for her until she quietly left us, like Jenny and Jo had done with Margaret, their mother, 10 years earlier.
It was not meant to be and it is amazing how quickly things can change and how you need to accept, adapt and let go to the circumstances which we are confronted with as we move through life.
It is in these moments that I came to fully understand the following words from Paulo Coehlo's novel, The Fifth Mountain (which I would read 6 months later):
Fear reaches only to the point where the unavoidable begins; from there on, it loses its meaning. And all we have left is the hope that we are making the right decision.
A story for another day.
For now, I remember Jenny and the final week of her life, that she spent in Intensive Care Unit of St George Private Hospital, before she left us on Tue 30 Jun 2009.
Postscript
Amazingly, about an hour after posting the above (maybe about the time Jenny's heart failed two years earlier), a post titled Regrets came through from Paulo Coelho. It is based on this post:
It touchs on the time I had hoped for at home with Jenny and things we might have been able to talk about.
In the end, she left us very suddenly (and with much trauma - unlike her Mothers passing which was very peaceful and serene, if you can understand that) and we were not able to say goodbye.
I carry some of the regrets Bronnie mentions, but in the end I would like to think we lived a good life that allowed us to make the most of the time we had together.
The Cancer made us better people and we did live life to full - Do what you can, when you can. I would say. For Jenny, it was Don't Wonder 'What If?'. Every time we parted, I would say I love you and often many times in between.
One thing I know for sure, it is that through Jenny's life and passing, I have become a better person - I feel guilty about this in many ways, but at the same time I draw some comfort.
You have given me everything I could have ever hoped for in my Life. We supported each other as we found purpose and direction in our lives together.
You will always inspire and guide us as we continue to live meaningful and fulfilling lives through amazing experiences we find and make with ourselves and our friends.
We will always remember you and honour your memory.
Pacific Dragons Mens Crew (From Seat 1: Mark Hall, Graeme Bacon, Stuart Young, Peter McAlister, Grant Billen and Geoff Eldridge) - Five Island OC6 Regatta - Sun 14 Nov 2010 (picasa by Shell)
Pacific Dragons Mens Crew (From Seat 1: Mark Hall, Graeme Bacon, Stuart Young, Peter McAlister, Grant Billen and Geoff Eldridge) - Five Island OC6 Regatta - Sun 14 Nov 2010 (picasa by Shell)
St George Hospital Gunners - Dragons Abreast Festival 2010 (Sun 31 Oct 2010)
St George Hospital Gunners - Dragons Abreast Festival 2010 (Sun 31 Oct 2010)
Team Vela / Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2010 - Geoff Eldridge (Steerer), Jo Petterson, Alasdair Grant, Charlotte Pache, Rachel Mosen and Graeme Bacon - Windsor - Sat 23 Oct 2010 (picasa)
Geoff and Joanne - Jenny's Memorial and Ashes Placement - Woronora - 30 Aug 2010
Premier Mixed 500m Final - World Champions - Macau/China - Sat 31 Jul 2010
Remembering Jenny - A few steps from where Jenny carried the Australian Flag at the 2006 Asian Champs - Pacific Dragons - 2010 World Club Crews - Macau (Thu 29 Jul 2010)
Remembering Jenny - A few steps from where Jenny carried the Australian Flag at the 2006 Asian Champs - Pacific Dragons - 2010 World Club Crews - Macau (Thu 29 Jul 2010)
Pacific Dragons - 2km Premier Mixed A Team - (b-f-l-r) Kaizer Austin, Michelle Hone, Lisa Green, Rachel Mosen, Joanne Petterson, Nicola Frowen, Geoff Eldridge (Jenny's Candle), Kerry Davenport, Helen Papin, Paul Smith, Di Morgan, Michelle Ng, Stuart Young, Anne Weber, Christian Happich, Annett Happich, Christophe Pistoni, Craig Stewart, Graeme Bacon, Matt Spies, Michal Hrcka, Justin Spake, Mark Hall, Todd Skeels, Norman Joe - Macau/China - Thu 29 Jul 2009
The Spirit of Friendship - Back (l-r) Geoff Eldridge, Louise Blockley, Debbie Roberts, Lynne Barrass, Barb Williams, Joy Mutimer, Jan Giles, John Caldwell, Jan Caldwell, Front (l-r) Joanne Peterson, Rita Redden, Gillian Brown, Sharon Mathieson, Julie Willis - Lily Lake/Kununarra - Ord River Marathon 2010 - Sun 13 Jun 2010
Joanne and Geoff - Spreading some of Jenny's Ashes on the River near the Charles Bridge just down from the Kafka Museum - Prague - Mon 01 Sep 2009 (picasa)
Geoff, Mike and Joanne with Jenny's Paddle and Jenny's Gold Medal - Prague/Racice - Day 5 - Sun 30 Aug 2009
Geoff, Joanne, Rachel, Gav, Graeme, Helen, Amanda and Matt - 'Thanks Pacific Dragons Team Mates' - Racice / Prague - Sat 29 Aug 2009 (picasa)
Senior Mixed 500m Final - World Champions - Day 4 - 29 Aug 2009 - "Don't Wonder 'What If?'" Jenny P
Australian Senior Mixed 500m Team - World Champions – Prague/Racice - Day 4 - 29 Aug 2009
Australian Senior Dragon Boat Open, Womens and Mixed Teams - George Dimech, Deb Hirst, Eileen McKechie, Sharyn Whitton, Donna Hughes, Joanne O'Brien, Jo Petterson, Ewen McDonald, Anne Weber, Geoff Eldridge, Ian George, Deb Cooper, Lisa Mills, David Barber, Leon Paap, Rick Lambe, Diana Dent, Lynne Donohoe, Peter McAlister, Gio Cercone, Frank Calcara, Lisa Fairfull, Kristin McKechie, Ashur Barutha, Rob Turnbull, Pam Jeffery, Kaizer Austin, Matt Spies, Ray Debono, Graeme Bacon, Richard Thomson, Murray Pellicciaro, Becky Bose, Willy Paku, Vince Giannetto, Amanda Wyllie, Mark Pendergast, Danny Monga, Charlotte Richards, Helen Hudson, George Louie, Rachel Mosen, Jane Perkins, Rosemary Riley, Fiona Gray, Linda Collins, Rachel Giang, Steve McKeogh, Doreen MacGillivray, Karen Hall (missing) - Racice / Prague - Tue 25 Aug 2009 (picasa)
Geoff - "an early start for the first day of the rest of my life - 'where do you start?'" - On Grief - Alexandria - 7am Wed 01 Jul 2009 (picasa)
Jenny, Joanne and Geoff - St George ICU - Sun 28 Jun 2009 (picasa)
Jenny - about 1 hour before her heart failed as she ate her lunch - she was revived twice and survived another week in intensive care where her lungs ultimately failed from a massive pulmonary hemorrhage - as Jodie, Jenny's Oncologist, said 'it started with the lungs and ended with the lungs' - St George Private Hospital - Tue 23 Jun 2009
Geoff by Jenny - the last photo Jenny ever took - Jenny (and Jo) loved photography and they have influenced me greatly, as you if could not guess :-) - Tue 23 Jun 2009 (picasa)
Jenny and Jodi (Jenny's Oncologist of 12 years) - St George Private Hospital - Mon 22 Jun 2009
Jenny, Joanne, David and Geoff - "Jenny takes a photo of us all just before she heads out to have a 4cm brain tumor removed. She had no fear and looked forward to quickly recovering to resume the treatment of the tumors in her liver." - The Night before Brain Surgery - St George - 6:30am Wed 17 Jun 2009 (picasa)
Thank you - Geoff, Marty, Norm, Christian, Todd and Billy - Had just done a successful Individual Time Trial for Prague that morning at Penrith - just made it to the start and we had a great race all things considered. - State Titles OC6 Long Course - Ettalong - Sat 09 May 2009 (picasa)
The Australian Dragon Boat Community acknowledging Pacific Dragons "9 from 9" - A truly great moment - the applause was spontaneous and heart felt - it was in recognitioin of our coaches, paddlers and our compititors that made the achievement even more noteworthy - I was proud to be a member of the Ausrtalian Dragon Boat Communuty that moment, that day, that weekend - 2009 DB Nationals - Kawana / Qld - Sun 26 Apr 2009 (picasa)
Eugene and Geoff - Premier Open 200m Presentation - "PD's - nine from nine !! - I did not really want this weekend to end as I kind of knew the end was beginning to start (Editors: An End has a Start)." - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2009 (picasa)
Premier Open 200m Final - 2009 Nationals - Kawana / Qld - Sun 26 Apr 2010 (picasa)
Jenny, Geoff and Joanne - State - Kawana - Thu 23 Apr 2009 (picasa)
Jenny - she has just been presented with 2006 Aus Flag Bearer Recognition Trophy (Macau 2006 - a story for another day) - Kawana - 23 Apr 2009 (picasa)
PD's Mixed A DB Team - Geoff, Jo, Annett and Amanda - Love the Smiles!! - 2km Turns Race / 2009 DBNSW State Titles - SIRC / Penrith (Sat 21 Mar 2009)
Jenny and Joanne at the Mt Kosciuszko Summit - Mt Kosciuszko Main Range Summit Walk (Thu 01 Jan 2009)
DBNSW 2008 EDS - Thank you George - Dragon Boat (Sun 30 Nov 2008)
Whosus Christening - Geoff, Jenny, Joanne and Whosus - Glebe School / Blackwattle Bay (Sat 17 Oct 2008)
A Special Moment - VADB, City Dragons and Pacific Dragons - 2008 World Club Crew Championships - Penang/Malaysia (Sun 03 Aug 2008)
Pacific Dragons - Penang - Club Crew World Championships - Sun 03 Aug 2008 (picasa)
Premier Mixed Final - Chinese New Year - "Pain is temporary. It may last a minute,.." - Darling Harbour (Sat 16 Feb 2008)
All Done!! - Premier Mixed Final - Chinese New Year - ".. but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." - Darling Harbour (Sat 16 Feb 2008)
Joanne, Michelle and Jenny - International Dragons Abreast Festival - Kawana / Queensland (picasa)
Geoff, Jenny, Don McKenzie and Joanne - International Dragons Abreast Festival - Kawana / Queensland (picasa)
International Dragons Abreast Festival - Kawana / Queensland (picasa)
Sharon Lockett, Claire Tingey, James Fuda, Geoff, Sandra Simms, and Mark Hall - 2007 Hawkesbury Canoe Classic (Sun 28 Oct 2007)
Joanne and Jenny - World Dragon Boat Championships - Penrith - Sep 2007 (picasa)
Joanne, Geoff and Joanne - World Dragon Boat Championships - Penrith - Sep 2007 (picasa)
Australian Masters Dragon Boat Tema - World Dragon Boat Championships - Penrith - Sep 2007 (picasa)
Australian Senior Dragon Boat Team - 1000m Silver Medalists - 2007 IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships - Penrith Regatta Centre / Sydney (Thu 20 Sep 2007)
Pacific Dragons - Australian National Dragon Boat Championships - Sun 08 Apr 2007 (picasa)
NSW Open Masters Team - National Champions - 2007 AusDBF National Dragon Boat Titles - SIRC / Penrith (Thu 05 Apr 2007)
Jenny, Jodie (Jenny's Oncologist for 12 years), Kerry and Joanne - CNY 2007 - Darling Harbour / Sydney - Feb 2007 (picasa)
Team Happy - Geoff, Jenny, Mandy, Jo, Nicci and Paul - Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2006 - Brooklyn - Sun 29 Oct 2006 (picasa)
Jenny and Joanne - Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2006 - Windsor - Sat 28 Oct 2006 (picasa)
Pacific Dragons Crews and Supporters - Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2006 - Windsor - Sat 28 Oct 2006 (picasa)
Joanne, Jenny and Geoff - Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2006 - Windsor - Sat 28 Oct 2006 (picasa)
Chris (Zeus), Paul Bizannes, Ray Leung, Jenny, Geoff, Joanne, Austin Chin - 2005 Asian Dragon Boat Championships - Macau (Sat 23 Sep 2006)
"The great thing is that Geoff, Jo and I get to train together." Jenny, Geoff and Jo - Macau / China - Sat 23 Sep 2006 (picasa)
Jenny - Australian Dragon Boat Team - Opening Ceremony - Asian Dragon Boat Championships - Macau / China - Sat 23 Sep 2006 (picasa)
Jenny - Australian Dragon Boat Team - Opening Ceremony - Asian Dragon Boat Championships - Macau / China - Sat 23 Sep 2006 (picasa)
Geoff and Jenny - "Great Ocean Road Road Trip - post Nationals at Nagambie - a burnt throat from an intensive bout of radiation treatment, made it almost impossible for Jenny to eat for 3 weeks, but it would not stop her from smiling .. Jo and I now wear the chain Jenny is wearing - Jo as a bracelet and me as a chain - Jo's 2009 Xmas Present to me." - Point Londsdale - 20 Apr 2006 (picasa)
200m Premier Open 200m Final - Let's do it again - but better - Nagambie / Victoria - Apr 2006
Jenny and Joanne - NSW Masters Women's Coaches - Nagambie / Victoria - Apr 2006 (picasa)
Australian Masters Mixed Dragon Boat 500m Team - 2005 IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships - Berlin (Fri 05 Aug 2005)
2005 Australian Dragon Boat Squad - Heading out to Berlin for Worlds - Sydney Internatinal Airport (Sun 31 Jul 2005)
2005 NSW Dragon Boat Team - Maurie's up the back (as per usual) on the left - AusDBF National Dragon Boat Championships - Canberra (Fri 08 Apr 2005)
Geoff, JT and George - George congratulating his team after winning the National Title - my first Regatta - Masters Open Final 500m - 2005 AusDBF National DB Titles - Yarraluma / Canberra (Fri 8 Apr 2005)
Shanghai bound 2004 Australian World Championship Dragon Boat Squad - Sydney International Airport (Sat 16 Oct 2004)
In the Pink - Australian Story - Mon 14 Jun 2004
In the Pink - Australian Story - Mon 14 Jun 2004
Ben Cheshire and Jenny - Jenny had just completed a 4 hour interview with Ben - Australian Story Filming - Kirrawee (Fri 14 May 2004)
National Champs - Shanghai - here we come - NSW Masters Mixed Team - AusDBF 2004 National Dragon Boat Championships - Perth/WA - Fri 9 Apr 2004 (picasa)
National Champs - Shanghai - here we come - NSW Masters Mixed Team - AusDBF 2004 National Dragon Boat Championships - Perth/WA - Fri 9 Apr 2004
Jenny Ready to Go - Jenny is ready to compete at her first Nationals as NSW Representative - she was so excited - you can see it in the way she stands and her smile - Perth Apartments / Perth - AusDBF 2004 National Dragon Boat Championships - Perth/WA (Fri 09 Apr 2004)
