Miss Jacquie's Sip And Sing, Lilydale (2026)

27/08/2026

Medical update: day 37 in hospital
I’m non typical.

MRI results: yesterday MRI results came back non typical. Which means that lision has come down a bit but they would have liked more reduction in inflammation.

What does this mean? Meetings and more discussions between medical teams and radiologists. They just want to be completely thorough and also prevent a relapse or make sure there’s not a sneaky add on in the mix, so may do some further investigations. Don’t know what that is yet.find out in next few days.
So Vas Cath is still in.

Patience my friends!!!!

Photo; Geoff and I finding the power and reset in a cuddle. We are totally in this together. Without him I would be lost. So grateful for my wonderful man. He is here everyday on the roller coaster with me and we are both strapped in.

The remarkable opposite.
PHYSIO: I am going above and beyond at physio which is keeping me sane and filling me with confidence and hope.
So conflicting with the scan. So grateful for the incredible physio team who have guided me here. Today the wheelchair and commode is out of my room and I can walk interdependently with a walking stick ( supervised). So empowering and I can see me at home just walking around. I thought I’d be going home in a wheelchair!
Also getting more movement in arm and fingers. Medical teams are positive with this movement that the plasma exchange worked.

Photo: this is my arm skateboard, building my arm strength up.

Knowing myself: I was really tested yesterday that my thinking and way ( positive strategy) was the right way. Actually I’m back on the path that it’s the only way.

Community: loneliness fix. Thankyou to everyone who has been sending me texts, messages, words of hope, voice recordings, songs, music, gifts, flowers, inspiring scenery photos. This has filled my time and kept me connected with the outside world.

A special thanks to my bFF Fiona. She was my first visitor and was on a plane and by my side in my first few days here. We are such solid friends. We went through all of high school together, traveled the world, lived in London together and catch up regularly experiencing life’s wonders together.

Kindness:
Big thanks to Alex Travers from Tasmanian Arbor Care. He sent Geoff a lovely text that he had popped into our property and taken down a hazardous tree and cleaned up a few other trees free of charge. He said it was one thing he could do to give us one less worry! Filled our heart Alex! Thankyou.

Another big thanks to Tassie Twos Vintage shop in Launceston. Who have sent flowers, card and a voucher. The girls are so lovely in there and Geoff has been a regular customer picking up some pretty cool shirts and jeans and even got styled in triple denim 😂 Thankyou so lovely and cheerful.😀

Also big thanks to Denise for providing accommodation for Geoff to make it more homely and give him daily access to the hospital. This has been a god sent. So grateful.🙏

So we are shining lights to get through this extra investigation stage that is here and then get to rehab and back home with a full recovery. I’m staying on the shine your light theme but got pretty close to switching strategies.

Let’s hang in there. 🙌🙏

Thanks for your continued love, support and positivity.

Shine your light ✨
Lots of love
Jacquie

23/08/2026

Update day 33 in hospital: not out of the woods “Follow the sun”🎵

Medical update: Yesterday was different to to what I thought it would be. Finished my 5th plasma exchange . Was a bit sick as had a calcium drop which they replaced through the line. Still have my vas Cath in 😢. Waiting on the neurology team to come in today for an assessment and plan. Will be getting another MRI brain scan today. Praying the inflammation on the. Brain (liaison)has gone down to a reasonable level. Once results are in I might need another round of plasma exchange? Or something else’s? Or nothing and Vas Cath can come out.
Had a big cry yesterday as just want this to be over! The endurance phase is longer than I have thought. Needing so much more strength.
Meaningful 🎵Follow the sun “ Xavier Rudd. This was a video back in 2024 at Moffat beach before we had decided to move to Tasmania. These lyrics are so meaningful and touch my heart of what I need to do. Tap into flow! Go gently.
Please sing with me 🎤

So follow, follow the sun
The direction of the birds
The direction of love
Breath, breath in the air
Cheerish this moment
Cheerish this breath ✨
Tomorrow is a new day for everyone
Brand new moon, brand new sun
When you feel love coming down on you
Like a heavy wave
When you feel this crazy society
Headin' to the strand
Take a straw to the nearest waters
And remember your place
Many moons have risen and fallen long, long before youve came
So which way is the wind blowin'
And what does your heart say?
So follow, follow the sun
And which way the wind blows
When this day is done... 🎵

Brain plascity and recovery.
This video shows what my body and brain knows what to do. My left side is working the harmonica and can switch easily on cue to other instruments or change rhythm.

Loss on the left is more than just movement and walking. I want to be able to grip things, to be able to grip and to move my harmonica and have subtle movements. And control.

Human touch: the greatest grief throughout this experience was losing human touch ( through the left side) I could not give or receive energy , I couldn’t feel another human or press into them or take what there offering me in. This is the greatest loss.

I overcame this yesterday by giving Geoff and my sister a stand up hug! I was tall and empowered! A hug is a precious moment ✨🙏

Grateful; my sister arrived from Melb and we spent two days together. We had picnic lunches outside. She massaged me, helped me do my physio workouts and was by my side holding my arm yesterday during my 5th plasma exchange.
Geoff also there yesterday and the best part was he climbed into my hospital bed with me last night before visiting hours closed and we layed there cuddling . I want to be back home sleeping and cuddling my man as I drift off to sleep!

Cheersquad let’s get good results on that MRI scan today where that bloody Lision has been eradicated by all the light coming in and the plasma exchange!
So grateful for medical science and my medical team simply they have saved me already. And are continuing to do so. 🙏 incredible 💜🙏

Sending love to you all. Thanks for your love , support and light ❤️🙏

Shine your light✨
Miss Jacquie

21/08/2026

My ballet body back in 2022 . I was 50 and teaching adult ballet on the Sunshine Coast.
What’s interesting about these pirouettes across the floor is my right side is the leading side. The supporting leg.
If I or a lot of students do this on the left side we are more dizzy, less in control. My body favoured the right.
Today as I am learning to walk I am telling myself that my left side is my stronger side ( even though it’s very weak. Trying to train my brain to let the left support my right side now.
If I wash my hands I try to let the left hand lead, let the left had screw up the paper towel and put it in the bin. These movements are difficult and clumsy, or I can’t even do it. so far my right side has been assisting or leading the left and today I’m trying to be mentally stronger to let the left do it first.

Visualiasation: the other thing we learnt through dance was if you were set to do the task of a triple turn. Which is difficult! Most students can do a double well. You would visualise yourself first in preparation doing x5 turns , then have a go. The outcome would be you probably did 3 and a half in control. Which was more than you could do when before you were aiming for 3, and did 2 a bit out of control.

My physio stage: my brain is building new pathways. If some are blocked it has plasticity to create new pathways. It’s important right now that I focus on quality of movement, correct technique and the sequence of movement to get this left side stronger.

Good news: next week it’s highly likely I will be moving to the rehab floor! So excited for this!

Thanks for all your love and support. Go left side, I’m aiming for a full recovery

Shine your light
Miss Jacquie

20/08/2026

Update: day 29 in hospital

Here is a collage of the incredible photos and inspiration coming in daily from family, friends and the increadible Tasmanian community! 💜🙏✨I am so grateful for all your support, love, words of hope and strength. Some pics were taken at Binalong bay, priory ridge, WA, the blue tier Forest, Moffat beach, Mackay . Cunnamulla, Hobart, So many beautiful places, spots in our backyards, state or when we travel. 💪🦵Inspiring me to climb mountains, put my flippers on and snorkel with turtles, feel the sand on my feet , dance, the list goes on for magnificent experiences. ✨🤸🏼I want it all but I want to share those experiences too with loved ones, friends and family. Those moments of absolute joy! 🦋💜
Also had handmade craft from the little munchkins Luna & Willow ( the family keeps extending 🙏🙌🦋)
This has been hard! It’s been shocking and I have cried during the night, I’ve felt lost . I have had no other choice but to hold onto light and believe. I’m a strong believer in good.
There is no stronger power than love.❤️
I’m feeling all your love and it has given me so much strength , faith and confidence.✨🙏 I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today on my own 🙏 I have the complete security and comfort with my wonderful man Geoff. Simply it’s love ❤️

Medical update: just completed x3 treatments of plasma exchange - my machine is named Madam Geneva! It’s not the tech name it’s just the cute name by the nurses. What an amazing machine! Incredible!
More tiny movements, kung fu movements and little ballet movements coming back each day. It’s baby steps. After the treatment finishes probs by Wednesday they will see what my base line looks like ( what movement is here, what’s not) obviously I’m praying for a complete recovery. Over time. Hard work and pateiencec and flow is key. ✨keep shining your lights for me for full recovery ❤️‍🩹 🙏

Look at me one month into this in hospital, I have come so far. When I first arrived my left arm and leg felt like rubber. Complete dissociation, couldn’t move anything on the left side from my shoulder down to my toes. Thank goodness I had capacity for thinking, speaking, eating, swallowing, weeing.
I completely lost my independence in just a few days. From performing, facilitating a singing concert and then in Melbourne for my daughter’s 21st. It went from high energy, happy amazing days to a bad dream just a few days later. 😵‍💫
Thank goodness for medical science, the medical team, physio and Launceston General hospital. They are saving me as a team. Incredibly grateful 🙏

Sending love to you all
✨
Miss Jacquie

17/08/2026

Update day 27 in hospital. Keep going!

Wowsa needing a lot of stamina , light coming in and determination.

Key words: Fun, Breath, growth

Fun: I always incorporate fun into my work practice, my methodology in teaching singing technique and at my Sip&Sing sing events. 😆It takes the fear away and adds playfulness. 🤸🏼Something our inner child is natural at. Inquisitive and creative!💜
Pic: here is my love Geoff always fun and playful ( my man child sometimes 😂) taking me outside to eat a magnum. Yum & fun 🤩 Always offering some fun stories too to the day.

Fun: as you can see in the pic I am sporting some pretty cool neck piercings ( rather shaman like just need some 🪶 feathers). Trying to out do nose piercing, ni**le piercing, let’s even say p***s piercing etc! Always had a competitive spirit 😂💪

This is the Vas Cath ( 16cm long running from the vein in my neck to my lung) so I can have my plasma exchange. Actually it’s not too troublesome, doesn’t hurt.
Process: I go to ICU every 2nd day for my plasma exchange- takes a few hours. It’s like a dialisus process. The machine takes my blood and all the rogue nasties antibodies out, cleans my blood then pumps it back in so my body can start making healthy good antibodies.
I willhave 5 treatments of this and have done 2. 👏

Fun: kung fu fighting video. No perfection here! But improvements coming!

Breath: I always incorporate breathing exercises, rhythmic and breathing deep into the diaphragm in my singing lessons. So students understand the power of the breath for control.
I can use this technique in difficult procedures or nervous situations. 🙌Whilst the vas Cath was being inserted in the surgery I practiced these breathing exercises. Also like the alternative nostril breathing to settle the nervous system.
Also laying down a lot in a hospital bed I like to practice breathing exercises to help keep my lungs strong.

Growth: suffering , hardship brings growth and life’s lessons. I’m very philosophical right now and having a body and brain cleanse literally. I have a lision on my brain( darkness) it’s evil so I’m growing the light to fight it. Thankyou cheersquad for bringing forth your lights ✨✨✨it’s keeping mine bright as it needs to keep going for a while. This ain’t no quick fix.
I believe whatever you focus on grows.
The ripple effect. Thanks to my amazing medical team, treatment and medical science as improvements are happening and coming. This gives me a future, hope and being able to visualise myself getting back to what I love to do and that I will be able to do it with confidence 💪✨🙌🙏

Thanks again cheer squad. 🙏🙌so grateful for you all. We are cheering on more movement on the left side and if it can come in soon the quicker I can get home.

✨shine your light
Lots of love
Miss Jacquie

15/08/2026

Day 25 in hospital: try your best to see the light.
I have had difficult days. As the MRi results and movement on the left they would have been expecting better results with the steroid and antiviral treatment the neurology team were concerned other nasties could be in the mix including brain cancer. So possible to go to hobart for a brain biopsy to find out. Feeling scared but you got to know so you can get the right treatment. 10 minutes later a text came trough from the lumber puncture followed by the report:
Medical update: diagnosis
Positive result for auto immune disease
NMO neuromyelitis Optica.
This finding was a great outcome compared to other possibilities as highly treatable.

I had 2 days if IVIG and yesterday began plasma exchange which will run over the next 10 days.

💜🙏grateful for all those people that go and donate blood !

The light: during these difficult days I knew my circle were here for me. Geoff, my brother, my sister in law and my bFF Susan were here by my side in my darkest days. Pampering me, kissing and hugging me and giving me love and hope. So grateful for their comfort and support ❤️🙏

Susan arrived and wow what an amazing friend we have experienced so much of life’s adventures together , travelled the world together and maybe danced on over a 1000 dance floors together. It was so good to see her and she was dressed like she had come from London! Loved it.

Geoff has been taking pics of light for me each morning so this is one on my hardest day.

Thanks for your love and support

Shine your light ✨

Cheers
Jacquie

13/08/2026

Update day 22 in hospital! Can I swear in French!!?

Huge day so much going on! 😵‍💫

Key words : confidence, joy and pace

Confidence: when you loose capacity of your body and are unable to do normal very basic tasks you loose confidence. I hate having to press the buzzer each time to go to the toilet. I’m a dancer and just feel weird not being able to use my left side. At night I hate laying down and cramp a bit and want to do Pilates . It’s weird. I do sit up and stretch a bit at night whilst listening to classical music. I’m a rabbit brain on steroids ! Do a bit of journaling , get lots of ideas . Find it hard to sleep.

How to gain confidence? Bloody work hard! 😓 💪 work in a team.
6am did my mirror hand exercise, and the board to get my hand and and arm moving from left to right with great concentration. Did my regular e stim on shoulder, fore arm and shin. Had bloods taken, ate breaky , had all my magic pills especially the steroids.
Went to the gym !

Confidence 101. Practiced sit to stand, balancing and placing more weight on my left. 🙌✅ Walked 30 metres with the walking stick with the assistance of the physio team! Thankyou amazing team best cheer squad 🙏I felt amazing So worth the concentration and effort. Did my monkey bar exercises in bed! Tried moving piano fingers on right and left hand. Practiced kicking my left leg up in bed and trying to move it from left to right.

Nuerology team come in and do regular tests and checks. More meetings happening.
Not out of the woods. There are improvements which is really positive like more movement starting to come back , my physio workouts and slight decrease in inflammation on brain from MRi scan however they would like to have seen bigger improvements at this stage with the steroids and iV anti viral: still waiting on lumber puncture results.

New medical plan. Started IV IG yesterday and repeat today. It’s a 5 hour process.
Grateful💜
intravenous immunoglobulin) is a concentrated antibody product made from pooled human blood plasma. It is given through a vein to replace missing antibodies in immune deficiencies or to calm an overactive, attacking immune system in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.What IVIG TreatsPrimary Immunodeficiencies: Conditions where the body does not make enough antibodies on its own.Autoimmune Diseases: Disorders like immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), Kawasaki disease, and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) where the immune system attacks healthy tissue.

JoY 🤩 my brother arrived from Melb. We are 1 year and 6 days apart. The first thing I did when I saw him was slap him across the head with my good hand and then give him a big hug. My sister in law came to visit as well and we call each other soul sisters as we are born on the same day.
Geoff went out with my bro and they picked up Bento boxes and we sat outside 17 degrees , had the sun on my back and there was the perfect amount of hardy s**t stiring and stories flying across the table 😂. My brother remembered that I performed “black Cat Janet Jackson at Rembrandts theatre restaurant in Melb back in the 80s killer dance moves like the running man! 😂

I had a bit of trouble with my cannula so had to get another put it and took advantage of my situation and requested Geoff to feed me grapes and my brother to hand feed me chocolate 🍫 😂. Smart

My sister in law re arranged my flowers. I have an indoor garden it is so beautiful and smells so good. I love nature. Thankyou to all those friends and family that sent flowers. It’s so cheerful! 😀

My brother downloaded movies and music documentaries to my laptop. Will help me immensely at night🙏

Geoff went to the book shop and brought me in some great reads - some Tassie authors so I’m really excited about this as love reading .❤️

The pic with my glasses and tissues stick to my nose is when I was smelling lovely rose, lemongrass oils and saying “ I’m trying to be peaceful.

JOY Had a great team of nurses today! 🙌🙏💜very streamlined for such a busy schedule. Always smiling 🙌

JOY: received a beautiful card from the men’s shed in St Helen’s. 🙏Let’s bring back slow communication like hand written cards, it’s so wonderful and more meaningful to open an envelope and get personalised thoughts and care that is from the heart! Thankyou Denise. It gave me light ✨can’t wait to be back making cheeseboards! Love the beauty of wood .

PACE: I’m going 100 miles an hour and need to slow down and still try and tap into flow. Geoff is my calm ☺️
Time has a different concept when you are in hospital so I must try to pace myself, rest more and take it easy.

Thankyou cheer squad for all your support , love, you are giving me strength in this endurance phase I am in.

✨shine your light
Lots of love
Miss J

12/08/2026

One minute I’m singing dancing and laughing 😆 a few days later I lost mobility and felt like I entered a bad dream 😢

12/08/2026

One minute I’m singing and dancing 💃 a few days later I lost mobility! 😩Our Sip & Sing shows are FUN, highly interactive and brings people together! With no music or singing experience necessary. This show was in Hobart just a few days before I got sick.🤧 I welcome every guest and inject love not fear into the room from beginning to end. I can hold the room together and guide the group into building a band with our amazing professional musicians who keep the groove and spontaneity alive! Its energetic, exciting and super FUN 😆I love what I do and hope I can meet you at our next shows in Dec. Hobart & Launie. It is much more than karaoke, open mic, or a choir experience. There are plenty of choices for people and no pressure. Whether it’s singing or playing an instrument you’ve never played before. It’s so surprising what you can do when you just get up and have a go!🙌 shine your light and spread the joy!🤩 missjacquie.com

12/08/2026

Meaningful🎵lean on me. This was our sing your heart out concert just a few days before I got sick. ⭐️Online singing students coming together and getting up singing this impromptu! Lyrics pretty meaningful for me today. I love what I do ⭐️teaching singing. So much joy
Sing with me 🎤
✨ Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow
Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on✨ Bill Withers

Miss Jacquie's Sip And Sing

27/08/2026

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17/08/2026

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