Results tagged “Solihull Cancer Support Group” from Birmingham Mail - I Will Survive

It's Saturday morning and I'm sitting in the Alexandra Theatre with my 2 grandchildren Ben and Nicky, with a bag of sweeties, waving an luminous wand, waiting to see the Tweenies. I think I am the only person in the theatre who has never seen them on CBeebies, but after singing along to every song, stamping my feet and clapping my hands, I am truly converted!! In fact I think I enjoyed it more than the grandchildren who looked at me in puzzled amusement. It reminded me of when I took my own sons to the pantomime where I would boo and hiss and shout "he's behind you". They were so embarrased by my enthusiasm to join in, that they wouldn't sit with me on the bus, they walked on the other side of the road and refused to go with me again. What a joy to have grandchildren so I can enjoy doing this all over again. Ben and Nicky might one day also be too embarrassed, but I can't wait to take them to the next show!!

I really needed this break, to take my mind off a very unwelcome visitor who arrived in our bedroom at 4am in the morning, thanks to our cat, Chloe. She proudly presented us
with a small rat and as it ran up the curtains, I could see it's long tail dangling down. From the safety of the bed, I shouted to John "Pull it down by it's tail". "It's too big" he retorted. This is the man who took on 2 masked raiders when they smashed into our house one night with 5ft sledge hammers!! After trying to chase the rat round the bedroom it disappeared from sight. Tired and weary, we left Chloe in the room to keep guard and retreated to try and get some sleep in the smaller 2nd bedroom, knowing Ratty was residing in the master bedroom!

This state of affairs went on for a week. We kept the door firmly shut, I gingerly crept in to get my clothes and to keep up the search. As I got bolder and more angry with our intruder, I stripped every drawer, took everything out of the wardrobes, moved the bed and the furniture and searched every shoe box expecting the rat to run out. Apart from signs that he had spent his first night in John's knicker drawer, there was not a sign of him and Chloe, who was in disgrace, showed no interest whatsover. Rentokil said that a small rat can get through a hole the size of the top of a pen and could have squeezed through the skirting and could now be heading to our loft - Great!! We tried to entice him into traps filled with juicy raisins and chocolate to no avail. A week later, we warily moved back into our immaculate bedroom. We have never seen Ratty again and we can only hope he went out of the open window back to where he belonged.

Jonathan, my son was coming over from Canada to a wedding and was staying at our house. "I'm not staying if that rat is still there," he said. I convinced him that it had gone, but even now a couple of weeks on, I still keep a wary lookout for him!

All too soon I was at Birmingham Airport waving a tearful farewell to Jonathan. What a joy it was to be able to be a Mom again and spoil him. John thoroughly enjoys him coming to stay, because the menus improve considerably as I rustle up all Jonathan's favourite meals.

My friend Sandra and I both have ovarian cancer and are an incredible support to each other. We try to help, support and give encouragement to other ladies who have only recently been diagnosed and are afraid of the chemo and the future. Sandra and I also like to socialise together. We can talk about anything because we understand each other's fears and this is so valuable.

After Jonathan left, we had a day at the Jewellery Quarter. We caught the train and had a lovely time gazing longingly through shop windows and lunching in this unique part of Birmingham. We went to the Jewellery Museum which was fascinating and we plan to return to visit St. Paul's Cathedral and the ancient cemetry. All this history on our doorstep and how often do we seek it out?

Sandra and I also book all the speakers for our Solihull Cancer Support Group and this week it was our own oncologist Professor Poole, who was coming to give a talk. At 8pm the room was full, but unfortunately there was no Professor Poole. When I finally tracked him down at 8.30pm, I was amazed that he was still at the hospital with a patient. He said he would still be able to come and give his talk, and at 9.45pm he arrived. Sadly some people had to go home, but those who stayed were not disappointed. After a long hard day, he gave a brilliant speech on how chemotherapy drugs have evolved and advanced during his career. When Professor Poole finally finished, well after 11pm, he must have been shattered, but we were so delighted that against all odds, he gave his valuable time to talk to us. It is so important to have faith in your oncologist and Sandra and I knew that we were in very safe hands.

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After a really fantastic time in Toronto John and I spent 7 hours sitting and waiting in Toronto Airport for our plane back to Newark. The sun was shining, the snow was clearing so no problems we thought. Wrong! high winds were preventing the planes which were little 50 seaters from taking off. Our flight home to England was leaving at 7pm and when we finally boarded a plane at 5.30pm we thought the 1hour trip might just make it, if not the threat of sleeping in Newark Airport was becoming a reality again.We landed on time but maintenance didn't bring the steps for 15 minutes and as we all waited stifling on the plane with no air conditioning frustration and despair set in - we had no chance! Finally we were free and we ran like we have never run before and arrived at the boarding gate hot and dishevelled at 7pm sure that we would find it empty. I truly believe that someone up there is looking after me because the plane was delayed by 15 minutes and so we caught it and were homeward bound to England at last.

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I had thoroughly enjoyed the festivities of Xmas and on the night we returned John and I opened all our Xmas presents that we had left under the tree and it felt like Xmas all over again, but now it was "back to reality".

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I had 2 hospital visits that week the first was on New Year's Eve when I went to have a bone scan at Heartlands Hospital. Chemo and steroids had caused problems with my bones and I had been having pains down the spine for some time. As you have probably gathered if you have been watching my video diaries of my journey with chemo, I try not to let these things affect my life, but when you are a cancer patient you can't afford to take risks so my doctor sent me for a scan.

The department had been completely revamped and had a brand new scanner. We are so lucky to have access to excellent hospital facilities here in Solihull and Birmingham.. A friend's grandchild has to travel 4 hours to her nearest hospital to have regular kidney dialysis where she lives in England.

I was greeted by the team of Matt and Julia and they were so friendly and kind. This makes all the difference to your hospital experience. I was injected with a radio active dye and sent away for 4 hours, so I popped to see my brother John who kindly house and cat sat for us. He announced he was going back to Australia at the end of the week to catch some sun and I can't blame him. When I returned to hospital I went through the new scanner which completed the job in less than half the time of the old one - such is progress and after wishing each other cheery "Happy New Years" I went home to prepare to enjoy our New year with our friends Jean and Ray who cooked us a lovely hot curry and we toasted in the New Year full of hopes and dreams for a better life and a better world.

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I was due to see Professor Poole, my oncologist at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire on Friday, 2nd January to see if he thought I should start chemo again. This is a new hospital for me but my oncologist left City Hospital to have a baby and I have great faith in Professor Poole so I transferred so I could be under him - so to speak! I had a phone call to say it was cancelled so I am now going tomorrow and I am just as nervous as ever.

Tonight is the start of our Solihull Cancer Support Group and our speaker is Mr. Budhoo who is a colorectal surgeon. He saved my Mom's life several years ago when he diagnosed her with bowel cancer when everyone else in the medical profession had missed it. He has also helped me over the last year, so it will be a privligege to hear him speak. The speakers are always fascinating - never depressing and I always learn so much and the people who support it are so jolly and friendly and we would really welcome new faces.

The joy of being on holiday for a cancer patient is that you can actually forget that you have cancer, no one knows your problems and you can live normally. That is a tonic in itself.
My friend Sandra, who has ovarian cancer like myself has just finished chemo and is off for a well earned holiday in South Africa next week. She and her husband Alan are coming to our house on Sunday for drinks so we can show them all the places we went to and give them some tips, I know it will make me want to go back again, but in the meantime let's see what tomorrow brings.

P.S. You probably noticed that I managed to put photos on my blog from Canada, that was thanks to my son Jonathan. I am still struggling to find out how to do it so if any of the team at the Birmingham Mail can help me I should really love to be able to put photos on so that I am not just a faceless person.

I was woken up early one day this week by a lady called Tina who asked if I could possibly do a last minute speech for the Urology and Prostate Cancer Group in Solihull.I recognised the desperateness in her voice, an oncolgist had cancelled and she needed a speaker that night. I am now booking the speakers, with my friend Sandra, for our Solihull Cancer Group and I know it is something we both dread, so how could I refuse.

She asked if I could talk about complimentary therapies. I happen to believe that the complimentary therapies that I have received and the friendship of the therapists who treat me to this day, have played a major part in my survival with cancer.Hence I found myself on Wednesday afternoon typing my speech which I finished at 4pm. A quick shower, make up on and I went to do my talk at 5pm at Solihull Hospital. Talk about cutting it fine.

I felt like the understudy at the theatre when the leading lady has been taken ill and the audience are going to be disappointed. I also knew that this audience were mainly men and that they are not as responsive to complimentary therapies as ladies,so I had to win them over somehow.

I needn't have worried, they were charming, made me very welcome and asked many questions afterwards which is always a good sign. The speakers from the medical profession generously give their time free to cancer support groups after a long day's work. I always find their talks fascinating, but sometimes it is encouraging to have another cancer survivor give a talk for a change. When I have listened to people who have survived the disease against all odds they have always been a great inspiration to me.

Thursday was a busy catching up day for me and my friend Ann from America was coming to stay so lots to do and time to switch off from cancer related acitivites. Then I had a phone call from Radio WM asking if I would do an interview live this Sunday on the Andrew Peach Show at 8am. I am a nightingale not a lark, so this is not exactly my best time but I feel so privileged to be asked so of course I said yes!

Where have 4 days disappeared to since I last wrote my entry. I have been so busy which in a way is a good thing because it stopped me thinking too much about my impending hospital visit on Monday to find out if my cancer is stable or if I need to start chemo again,

On Friday and Saturday I worked on a speech I am giving for the prostate cancer group in Heartlands this Thursday about how complimentary therapies have helped me on my cancer journey

In 2002 I was asked to give a speech at a Macmillan Cancer Conference a year after my diagnosis.Never having given a speech before I was nervous, but because I believed in what I said and it came from the heart it went down really well and I have been giving talks ever since, sometimes in the most unlikely of places.I work really hard to make these speeches interesting, funny and I hope inspirational. If you can change just one person's life by something you have said that is so worthwhile

On Friday night I went to a Solihull Cancer Group Committee meeting. When I gave up my career at the BBC I thought I would have an easy life, but I have never been so busy and new challenges and opportunities keep coming my way which I never refuse.

Our Cancer Group is run by a wonderful dedicated lady called Patricia who has helped so many people. It is like joining a warm, friendly family who help and support each other.The lectures are really interesting and I learn so much from going to the meetings and just as importantly we have fun. Our agenda last week was the Xmas Party. We have in the past tried many things A panto of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - I was the wicked queen and 1 person played all the 7 dwarfs! We also formed a choir one year and led the carol singing - badly!!, This year, however, our members are safe we have booked a proper group to entertain us. It is hard to believe Xmas will soon be on us.