Results tagged “BBC” from Birmingham Mail - I Will Survive

The day after my first cancer course for Macmillan I managed to negotiate the study from John as I had some homework to do.

I was asked to appear on the Ed Doolan show to talk about returning to work with cancer.
I thought I would be asked about patients' rights and the benefits they were entitled to, so I trawled the Macmillan website for all the information I could find and read the Discrimination Act. I am a mine of information I thought as I went off to do the interview, my head full of facts and figures. Ed asked me not one question on these subjects as there was a gentleman called Keith who was qualified to answer them. We discussed many other aspects of how you deal with cancer and work and he made me feel so relaxed that I was not at all nervous in front of the microphone.

Afterwards I was able to go and have coffee with Yvonne who I used to work with. I still get a buzz from being at the BBC, although I have not worked there for 8 years now.

On that night, at our Solihull Cancer Support Group we had a brilliant talk by Dr. Paul Crowe who told us about Interventional Radiology. Radiologists can now, in certain cases, perform surgery to remove the tumour during the scan. Apparently it is less evasive and you don't have to wait weeks for scan results before you get your treatment. These are exciting times for cancer patients as great strides are being made in this field.

My working week was still not finished, as the next day I was picked up to go to a Macmillan conference at the Paragon Hotel in Birmingham. Amazingly one of the subjects on the agenda was about going back to work and benefits. Everything I had learnt for my radio interview was discussed and I could ask intelligent questions thanks to all my research. So as they say, "no knowledge is ever wasted"!

Saturday morning arrived and this was "me" time. On a gloriously sunny day I caught the train for London, where I met my friend Debbie and her daugher Hannah to have lunch and see "The King and I" at the Royal Albert Hall. Unknown to us it was "The Trooping of the Colour" the same day and Debbie was unable to get across London for a good hour after my train arrived. This left me free to shop in Kensington which was disastrous for my credit card, but when we finally met up what a lovely day we shared together.

John was waiting for me as my train arrived at Dorridge station that evening and I looked forward to a relaxing night in with a glass of wine after my rather hectic week.

It's been nearly a week since my last entry and this is the first chance to catch up.
My weekend was a mixture of work and pleasure. I went to see my friend Leno in the coronary unit of Heartlands, he is thankfully on the mend, but I was so surprised to see him in a mixed ward, I thought they were being phased out.

My son Justin and his family came over on Sunday with their 2 little boys Ben and Nicky and little Lucinda. John and I have 5 grandsons between us but thanks to Justin and Louise I now have a beautiful baby grandaughter and our house was full of fun and laughter.

This was great for me as it took my mind off my impending visit to the Oncologist the next day for my 3 month check up.My cancer level had gone up so I was really worried and nervous and never really slept Sunday night.On Monday John and I sat waiting for 2 1/2hrs waiting to be seen and I always dread the words "you will have to have more chemo". I have a brilliant oncologist who gives me so much time but sadly she is leaving. She said I would have to have a scan so again I am playing the waiting game.By the time we eventually got home I was too shattered and hungry to go to Yoga and I normally wouldn't miss it for the world.

I had been preparing to give my "Living with Cancer Course" the next day and as I was being assessed it was so important I was completely on top of it. I always put a lot of work into it so that the people on the course can get the very best out of it and enjoy it. Hence instead of relaxing on Monday night I was studying till very late.

Next morning I set off to the Sutton Coldfield Cancer Centre only to find long delays and congestion on the M6 - why today of all days!! Luckily I finally made it in time thoroughly enjoyed giving the course with my co tutor Mike and I was so thrilled I passed and am now an accredited tutor for Macmillan.

I always say I am proud to have worked for two brilliant organisations, the BBC for 37 years and now Macmillan. Not bad having a new career at 65, I feel really lucky.