Hilary's Autobiography in brief


Hi there, thanks for dropping by to my website! So many people I have met from all over the world since I started surfing the net like so many others and though I have been using computers since about 1978, I had always been reluctant to join you all on the cyberwaves. But eventually, it got to me and...here I am! I have met so many wonderful people all over the world online, and perhaps even you. Computers have been the greater part of my life for many years, as I turned to them during my convalescence of a long, rare and painful illness which forced me out of the workforce and also, out of the much loved life I enjoyed as a singer in a rock and roll band. During this long illness, I channeled what I had left of my energies into absorbing as much as I could about computers and software, as I was very interested in what makes computers tick - or should I say 'compute' LOL I spent many nights at the keyboard plugging away with some sort of computer manual at hand. It really kept my mind off the painful illness and what I was going through. These days, I'm retired from the workforce and on the invalid pension though not completely useless or reclusive, thanks to my computers and the internet, which gives me a continual connection with the outside world. MY LIFE IN BRIEF: 1948: I was born on 15-3-1948 in Sydney in a suburb called Sylvania. I started singing at school in the choir, left school 1963, and joined 1st band 1965, and have been playing guitar since 1964. I lived at home till I got married at the age of 25 yrs old, after meeting my future husband at a band function and marrying soon after. ("love at first sight") I have 2 sisters and 3 brothers but my younger brother Brendan was killed in 1977 in April in a horrible car accident. Mum is still going strong and celebrated her 95th birthday recently (March 2010) and she is still active and mentally alert and enjoying life. Mum got her first mobile phone in 2004 and we are great SMS buddies. I think she's amazing how she has grasped modern technology and the computer era with such attitude and interest. My dad is no longer with us, as after suffering a long illness, he passed away in August 1997. Along the way, at 16 yrs of age I picked up the guitar my brother was trying to learn to play, and decided I was going to play it as well. So I booked myself in for "3 free lessons" and taught myself the rest with lots of guitar books. 1966: Around 1966, I joined my first band at 18 after auditioning without a hope in hell but went along for the fun of it and encouraged by my younger sister Delma. I was shocked to received a phone call from the band 3 days later asking me to join them! (The Main Theme) ... and so the start of my involvement in the music world began. Many bands in between the years followed until the best ones evolved and I met some great guys in a band called The Other Ends and stayed with them for about 4yrs until I did something silly like went and got married in 1973 - on my 25th birthday! 1973: In 1973, I met my future husband at a band gig and within six wks we were married. It was love at first sight and we parted as good friends in July 2000. During married life, I lived in the Sydney surburb of Revesby from 1976 to 2002. After trying to fall pregnant for the next 7 years, it turned out I was barren but with the help of one of Sydneys top Osteopaths, our first child Enid was born on 10-7-1980 and before long I was expecting our second girl, Anna, who was born on 28-7-1981. 1983: I continued singing again in 1983 when I auditioned for a band called PISCES and got the gig. Took up bass guitar again but on a more serious level in 1986, as a result of the bass player leaving Pisces and so INTAMISSION band was formed. Steve Crofts, who was lead guitar in INTAMISSION BAND, taught me how to play bass as well as read the dots. Over the years, there has been many different bands, various styles and music and only stopped when my health took a dive as the growing effects of parathryoidism took over. The all-over body pain became unbearable for me and eventually the pain killers didn't work anymore and I couldn't do any more gigs singing on a stool! The Illness overcame me in 1989 and I almost lost everything, music first. By 1991, the parathyroidism had almost taken control of all my body. In April that year, I died of a fatal asthma attack and was lucky to be revived by paramedics. 1989: His research revealed that at the time of research on my illness, that there were only 20 other people in Australia with parathyroidism but the symptoms that my body was showing was the complete opposite of those....trust me, no.21...and I would have to be different? lol And so I laughingly call myself "THE MEDICAL MEGASTAR". ("severe pseudo-hyperparathyroid syndrome" ) The sad part of this mystery illness is that I knew for many years right from the early 1980's that I had something serious going on inside me but no matter how many doctors I went to, they all said I was a hypochondriac and gave me painkillers! lol Eventually, an osteopath (the same one who helped me have our children) discovered my very rare condition and after being fobbed off from specialist to specialist, I ended up in the care of one of Sydney's best endocrinologists. 1997: In January 1997 I underwent a major operation (5 hrs under the knife...) to have all 4 parathyroid glands removed from my neck during which my vocal chords were stabilised and frozen but were inadvertently damaged in the process. (....and the last I heard of these glands was that they were still sitting in glass bottles in a laboratory at R.N.S.H. somewhere! Each gland weighed in at around 1500mgms whereas a normal sized gland weighs only 40! No wonder I was crook! lol) The operation was a complete success and these days I live on Rocaltrol tabs (calcium & Vit.D) everyday which is no big deal. And I still have to have regular blood tests every 3 months now....not as much as before. As my body cannot control the calcium levels anymore, I need lots of calcium which I consume in daily medications (Rocaltrol, Caltrate and also Magnesium). During the illness, the malfunction of my glands caused a massive weight gain to my body and I am now 110kgs and due to calcium and bone loss, I also shrank 3" in height and am now only 4'11"' instead of 5'2". So now I actually have a lot more weight to lose...like half of it would be good! lol *1999: In late 1999 I got back into singing again with the help of a great blues band by the name of GINHOUSE.* 2000: In July my husband left me which broke my heart so much but we're still good friends. So I am back where I started I guess.... single again... but very happy. Out of our long marriage came two beautiful daughters in 1980 & 1981 and both are also wonderful singer/guitarist/musicians doing their own kind of music. 2002: In March I was made redundant from my job due to the company closing its doors at end of contract. I really loved my job there for 5 yrs and thought it would go on forever but seems that nothing lasts forever. I guess it was best for me in the end as my health was not good though i struggled to work every day to help pay for the mortgage. I tried to find another job every week but had no luck due to my ill health history and age being against me at 55 yrs of age. 2003: Eventually, my doctor put me on the disability pension which supports me. Due to poor finances, I tried to sell my home that i had only just bought 12 mths prior to being made redundant but had no luck so had to put it up for rent indefinitely while I rent a room elsewhere. 2004: In 2004 I died again for the 3rd time and if not for my friends quick actions I would still be dead. My condition remains under constant medical checks every 3 mths. Joint pain keeps me from doing most things these days and sees me spending much of my time at home. 2005-2010: I've always kept my musical interests going no matter what and have many friends in the music world. All through my life there has been music and the wonderful memories of past associations with bands and musicians that I've met and become friends with will remain in my mind forever. And to them all I say "thank you" for being there and making my life's journey an enjoyable one.
	Chat with me in Yahoo!	Updated: 22 June, 2010

Hi there, thanks for dropping by to my website! So many people I have met from all over the world since I started surfing the net like so many others and though I have been using computers since about 1978, I had always been reluctant to join you all on the cyberwaves. But eventually, it got to me and...here I am!

I have met so many wonderful people all over the world online, and perhaps even you. Computers have been the greater part of my life for many years, as I turned to them during my convalescence of a long, rare and painful illness which forced me out of the workforce and also, out of the much loved life I enjoyed as a singer in a rock and roll band.

During this long illness, I channeled what I had left of my energies into absorbing as much as I could about computers and software, as I was very interested in what makes computers tick - or should I say 'compute' LOL

I spent many nights at the keyboard plugging away with some sort of computer manual at hand.   It really kept my mind off the painful illness and what I was going through.

These days, I'm retired from the workforce and on the invalid pension though not completely useless or reclusive, thanks to my computers and the internet, which gives me a continual connection with the outside world.

MY LIFE IN BRIEF:

1948:    I was born on 15-3-1948 in Sydney in a suburb called Sylvania. I started singing at school in the choir, left school 1963, and joined 1st band 1965, and have been playing guitar since 1964. I lived at home till I got married at the age of 25 yrs old, after meeting my future husband at a band function and marrying soon after. ("love at first sight")

I have 2 sisters and 3 brothers but my younger brother Brendan was killed in 1977 in April in a horrible car accident. Mum is still going strong and celebrated her 95th birthday recently (March 2010) and she is still active and mentally alert and enjoying life. Mum got her first mobile phone in 2004 and we are great SMS buddies. I think she's amazing how she has grasped modern technology and the computer era with such attitude and interest. My dad is no longer with us, as after suffering a long illness, he passed away in August 1997.

Along the way, at 16 yrs of age I picked up the guitar my brother was trying to learn to play, and decided I was going to play it as well. So I booked myself in for "3 free lessons" and taught myself the rest with lots of guitar books.

1966:    Around 1966, I joined my first band at 18 after auditioning without a hope in hell but went along for the fun of it and encouraged by my younger sister Delma. I was shocked to received a phone call from the band 3 days later asking me to join them! (The Main Theme) ... and so the start of my involvement in the music world began.

Many bands in between the years followed until the best ones evolved and I met some great guys in a band called The Other Ends and stayed with them for about 4yrs until I did something silly like went and got married in 1973 - on my 25th birthday!

1973:    In 1973, I met my future husband at a band gig and within six wks we were married. It was love at first sight and we parted as good friends in July 2000.

During married life, I lived in the Sydney surburb of Revesby from 1976 to 2002. After trying to fall pregnant for the next 7 years, it turned out I was barren but with the help of one of Sydneys top Osteopaths, our first child Enid was born on 10-7-1980 and before long I was expecting our second girl, Anna, who was born on 28-7-1981.

1983:    I continued singing again in 1983 when I auditioned for a band called PISCES and got the gig. Took up bass guitar again but on a more serious level in 1986, as a result of the bass player leaving Pisces and so INTAMISSION band was formed. Steve Crofts, who was lead guitar in INTAMISSION BAND, taught me how to play bass as well as read the dots.

Over the years, there has been many different bands, various styles and music and only stopped when my health took a dive as the growing effects of parathryoidism took over. The all-over body pain became unbearable for me and eventually the pain killers didn't work anymore and I couldn't do any more gigs singing on a stool!

The Illness overcame me in 1989 and I almost lost everything, music first. By 1991, the parathyroidism had almost taken control of all my body. In April that year, I died of a fatal asthma attack and was lucky to be revived by paramedics.

1989: His research revealed that at the time of research on my illness, that there were only 20 other people in Australia with parathyroidism but the symptoms that my body was showing was the complete opposite of those....trust me, no.21...and I would have to be different? lol   And so I laughingly call myself "THE MEDICAL MEGASTAR". ("severe pseudo-hyperparathyroid syndrome" )

The sad part of this mystery illness is that I knew for many years right from the early 1980's that I had something serious going on inside me but no matter how many doctors I went to, they all said I was a hypochondriac and gave me painkillers! lol Eventually, an osteopath (the same one who helped me have our children) discovered my very rare condition and after being fobbed off from specialist to specialist, I ended up in the care of one of Sydney's best endocrinologists.

1997:    In January 1997 I underwent a major operation (5 hrs under the knife...) to have all 4 parathyroid glands removed from my neck during which my vocal chords were stabilised and frozen but were inadvertently damaged in the process. (....and the last I heard of these glands was that they were still sitting in glass bottles in a laboratory at R.N.S.H. somewhere! Each gland weighed in at around 1500mgms whereas a normal sized gland weighs only 40! No wonder I was crook! lol) The operation was a complete success and these days I live on Rocaltrol tabs (calcium & Vit.D) everyday which is no big deal. And I still have to have regular blood tests every 3 months now....not as much as before. As my body cannot control the calcium levels anymore, I need lots of calcium which I consume in daily medications (Rocaltrol, Caltrate and also Magnesium).

During the illness, the malfunction of my glands caused a massive weight gain to my body and I am now 110kgs and due to calcium and bone loss, I also shrank 3" in height and am now only 4'11"' instead of 5'2". So now I actually have a lot more weight to lose...like half of it would be good!   lol

1999: In late 1999 I got back into singing again with the help of a great blues band by the name of GINHOUSE.

2000:     In July my husband left me which broke my heart so much but we're still good friends. So I am back where I started I guess.... single again... but very happy. Out of our long marriage came two beautiful daughters in 1980 & 1981 and both are also wonderful singer/guitarist/musicians doing their own kind of music.

2002:    In March I was made redundant from my job due to the company closing its doors at end of contract. I really loved my job there for 5 yrs and thought it would go on forever but seems that nothing lasts forever. I guess it was best for me in the end as my health was not good though i struggled to work every day to help pay for the mortgage. I tried to find another job every week but had no luck due to my ill health history and age being against me at 55 yrs of age.

2003:    Eventually, my doctor put me on the disability pension which supports me. Due to poor finances, I tried to sell my home that i had only just bought 12 mths prior to being made redundant but had no luck so had to put it up for rent indefinitely while I rent a room elsewhere.

2004:    In 2004 I died again for the 3rd time and if not for my friends quick actions I would still be dead. My condition remains under constant medical checks every 3 mths. Joint pain keeps me from doing most things these days and sees me spending much of my time at home.

2005-2010: I've always kept my musical interests going no matter what and have many friends in the music world. All through my life there has been music and the wonderful memories of past associations with bands and musicians that I've met and become friends with will remain in my mind forever. And to them all I say "thank you" for being there and making my life's journey an enjoyable one.

Chat with me in Yahoo!

Updated: 22 June, 2010