Day 43: Mum's Swarovski studs

Infusion #3 and it was very comforting to be wearing another pair of Mum's earrings. This time it is the Swarovski set I bought for her in Chicago in 2012 as a birthday gift from Cazy, Paulie and me. I was in Windy City for a Mid-Western political science conference where my good friend Georgina Waylen and I gave a joint paper and where I caught up with wonderful US-based colleagues including Karen Beckwith, Laurel Weldon and Elisabeth Friedman among others. Georgina, Elisabeth and I then went on to Laurel's fabulous workshop at Purdue on 'intractable problems', including challenges protecting women's rights, that she hosted with her great colleagues. The amazing, but sadly now departed, Elinor Ostrom the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Economics, was the keynote speaker.  Despite being very ill, Elinor gave a brilliant lecture.

Adored Nanny

Cutie pie Gracie, Mum and Me

On my return, Cazy and I presented these to Mum at a birthday lunch at our house. Mum loved them and put them on straight away.

Mum gave these back to me when she was in hospice just before she died, along with the others she associated with me. Fortunately, like me, she had many pairs; enough to distribute among 4 daughters, a daughter in law, her 3 sisters and close friends!

Murray and Me, ASSA dinner,
Old Parliament House, Canberra 2016

The golden web weaved by this pair links me from Mum, via Deb, to another very special person in my life - Murray Goot - who Deb introduced me to in 1992. Murray is a Distinguished Professor (now Emeritus) at Macquarie University, and has worked across many fields of political science - voting and electoral studies, media, Indigenous and women's rights among others - all with great distinction. I wore this set when I was with Murray last year at a very important marker of my working life - my induction into the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. It was such a lovely night. I was honoured to join Murray as an ASSA Fellow along with many close colleagues including Deb, Lisa Hill, Marian Sawer, Carol Johnson and Jacqui True. 

UNSW Academy celebration, 2016

Murray sponsored my Academy nomination, just as he has so generously mentored and supported me throughout my career. Without his guidance, including his sharp and constructively critical eye, I would never have enjoyed the research opportunities that have come my way. I've learnt many things from Murray, including how not to flinch from a fair and careful critique, but to embrace it and to use it as tool to improve my work. It's something I've adopted as a practice in my responses to my students and colleagues work, hopefully in an equally constructive way. But its not only Murray's fierce intellect that I've benefited from, but his loyal friendship and kindness which he's shown me in so many ways. I'm lucky indeed to have Murray in my life! 

Today happens to be Murray's birthday so it's doubly appropriate, and deliberate, that I'm wearing these earrings. I understand he's in Canberra at a conference with the trail blazing Elizabeth Reid on "How the Personal became the Political: Re-assessing Australia's Revolutions in Gender and Sexuality in the 1970s". I wish I was there to hear their insightful papers, but will read them instead. I hope he had a happy day.

#3 with Mum's sparkles and Cazy's scarf

Day 43 has required a bit of self-talk and grit. Having felt so well and on top of things the last week or so, it's been hard getting my head around having to come back to Chemoworld base camp again to be assaulted by these toxic chemicals. Robbie has had to put up with my being emotionally wobbly the last day or so, and has been an enormous help in getting me back to equilibrium. Just having him sit by me as the infusion takes place is such a comfort. It'd be very tough doing this alone. As I've said earlier, this is as much as psychological challenge as a physical one.

Wundernurse Darrin was back in charge today and have everything running like clockwork. We compared notes about rude and polite Doctors - I'm on a winner with appropriately named Dr Dear. As the infusion dripped away I worked on the blog - it's such a great distraction-  and Rob and I almost completed the crossword. Home for a rest and to fight of the queasiness and lots of loving care from Rob and the boys. Half way through now.