I never moan when another birthday arrives - I celebrate! Each birthday proves that the medical profession don't always know how long someone has when diagnosed with cancer. Certainly after being given just a year to live in 2001, to have enjoyed a further 8 great birthdays has been a real bonus.

In my last blog I said "How do I follow the excitement of the play?" Well the next day was my birthday and John took me up to Yorkshire to see Bolton Abbey.

As a surprise we stayed at a lovely small Georgian House in Harrogate overlooking "The Stray" which was a large area of grassland and trees. I thought it was called that because they allowed animals to stray and graze !!

Harrogate is such an elegant English town and no one can leave without having tea at "Betty's".

Sadly we lingered there too long so when we headed off for Castle Howard, which has been on my wish list to see for years, we arrived in the pouring rain 10 minutes too late. The house was closed and no amount of charm could persaude the lady in the kiosk to let us in. All those years and all that way from the Midlands and we were too late! I obviously showed my disappointment as we dejectedly sat drinking another pot of tea in the deserted cafe in the gloom. When we got in the car to go home, John suggested staying somewhere another night and going to see it tomorrow. I immediately brightened up - my Hero!! We found a great little place and the next morning the sun was shining and we finally managed to see the magnificent Castle Howard. As we drove home I thought that was a very special happy birthday, I look forward to the next one !!

The party was over and I had 4 talks to give over 3 weeks so down to work again. The first was at the Macmillan Coffee morning at the SIMTR Conference Centre in Solihull.
It was packed and I saw many faces that I recognised from previous talks. Spreading the word of hope is what I love to do. We raised well over £500 for this wonderful worthy cause.

It kept my mind off the following week when I went to have a lump removed from my breast at the University Hospital Coventry. It is getting very bad ratings as reported in the newspapers today, but I have had wonderful service there - no complaints. I had a local anaesthetic and I asked so many questions and joked throughout that the surgeon probably wished he'd given me a general!
.

I went home the same day and carried on with my busy life, even doing yoga 2 days later. Not a good idea! I became so tired and the nurse said that I should have listened to my body, it needed to rest to recover. I think my spirit is far stronger than my body and slowing down is not on the agenda, but I know she was right.

A few days later we drove down to Brighton and I was excited to meet up with my son Jonathan who had come over from Canada for just 3 days for a wedding. It was pouring with rain and Brighton Marina was a pretty depressing concrete experience. Three hours after arriving we went back to the car park to discover that someone had bumped the side of Jonathan's hire car and guess what - left no note! What a welcome back to England I felt so sorry for him.

"A very friendly couple we met on our travels!"

Back home I had another talk to give, at a school in Erdington, to thank them for raising money for Macmillan. What I didn't know was that the children had been sent there from main school due to disruptive behaviour. The teacher explained that they came from violent and abusive backgrounds,some had alcoholic or drug addict parents. They also had a low attention span and she warned me that they could throw things. I decided in the light of this information to abandon my speech I had writen the night before and just go for it! I told them about my adventures and experiences and asked if anyone knew what a Macmillan Nurse did. A young gir of about 13 years said "They help you on your cancer journey." I was amazed, I couldn't have put it better myself. After 20 minutes they were all sitting in complete silence and so I thought I had better finish while I was ahead. I have to say, the applause those children gave me meant more to me than any other speech I have ever given. Afterwards the head teacher said they enjoyed it because I told a story and took them to places they will never in their wildest dreams ever visit. Another very humbling but worthwhile experience and I hope those young people go on to make something of their broken lives.

A week later I am off to the hospital again to hear the results of my operation. I drove 25 miles only to discover that they hadn't got them yet! I wonder why they don't let you know to save you the unecessary stress and strain, not to mention the mileage?

Two days later I gave a talk at Hogarth's Hotel for the Ladies' Inner Wheel. I love Hogarth's but I found it very distracting trying to compete with the generator - all character building I thought. A lady came across to me and said "Were you Angela Freeman? (my maiden name). I knew immediately who she was - Pam Young, the BBC Controller's secretary from when we both worked at the BBC in Carpenter Road, Edgbaston 40 odd years ago. It was wonderful to see her after all these years. Good job I always speak the truth in my talks, you never know who you might meet from your past!

September and October have proved to be the busiest and most fulfilling months of 2009.
I returned home after my talk for Macmillan at Warwick to find John entertaining his 3 year old grandson Harry with his electric guitar. So with Harry on maracas and me on tambourine we had a "musical" evening together. Although it was probably not everyone's idea of "music" we had great fun.

The next day I had a real musical treat at Martin St. James School in Malvern. I love driving to Malvern, the hills always look so majestic and the school is a wonderful victorian building - once a hotel I believe. The girls were practising the songs for the play I have been involved with, which was being performed the following week.

"Survivorship to Cancer and Beyond" tells the story of 5 women with different cancers. Each story has a musical theme and for my story of ovarian cancer it was Elgar's "The Rapid Stream" which I had never heard before.The main theme tune which has been specially written by the playwright Monica Price is called "Survive." When the choir sang it we were all so moved there wasn't a dry eye in the room. I always call my talks "I Will Survive" so I could really relate to the words. What a privilege to be a pupil at this special school with such an obvious love of music and what a privilege for me to be part of this play.

I drove home through the sunshine with my heart lifted. I stopped at the little church in Callow End near Malvern, to put flowers on the grave of my friend Toni who died at 36 from cancer. We worked at the BBC together and were great friends. She supported me when I was diagnosed, so to lose her to this disease so young was tragic. Her last wish was to be able to attend my 5 year celebration party and amazingly by sheer willpower, she did, only to die 3 days later. I was asked to give her Eulogy - a first for me and what an honour. It was nerve wracking in front of all my BBC colleagues, but as with all my speeches because it comes from the heart, my nervousness disappeared and the applause told me that I had done Toni proud. Here I was a few years later paying my tribute to her again in a beautiful English churchyard. She loved ballet, so I am going to take her young daughter, Freya to see "The Nutcracker" for the first time. I think she will love it.

The week of the play was completely manic, our friends Ann and Robert from America came to stay with us and celebrate her birthday, I went to London for a Macmillan Trainees' Conference and I have my script to learn - all three lines of it!!

Ann,Robert and Friend!

On the day of the first performance there were photo shoots,interviews and I finally met Hannah Waterman and the othere actresses. Her first words to me were "How's John?" I was puzzled, how did she know John was my husband. When I listened to the rehearsal, I realised that he features largely through the script and as she was playing "me" John was her husband too!

I had a dressing room with my star on the door - what a thrill. I had always wanted to act from a young girl. At 17, my drama teacher had arranged an audition for me at a drama college in London. My parents were horrified and refused to let me go, so 48 years later here I was about to "tread the boards." Everything come to she who waits, I thought. I shared the dressing room with a lovely lady called Pam who also had ovarian cancer but looked amazing and we enjoyed 2 special days together.

The first night was a great success and I was on a high, but the next day found me at 9am sitting outside Professor Poole's office in Coventry Hospital waiting nervously for the results of my scan. Please let it be good news I thought, I have 2 more perfomances to give today." What a Diva I am!" The bad news is that my cancerous lymph nodes are growing, the good news is he still doesn't feel that I need to have chemo just yet. We drove home just in time for "my matinee performance." I might have a very small part, but I am going to give it my all. The actresses were amazing and gave such moving performances which were touched with humour. They got better each performance and Hannah was magnificent on the last night. I had left a note in her dressing room saying that I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to play "me" which she said really touched her.


The cast with playwright Monica Price

John had proudly sat through the perfomances, with my friends and son Justin. On the last night when Hannah says "I was given a year to live, but 8 wonderful life giving years on I am still here surviving this thing they call the "silent killer" - but it won't silence me," a man in the audience shouted "WOW!" I wanted to jump up and say "It's me and despite being given little hope you can survive cancer." Of course I didn't, but the play gave such a powerful message of hope and the audience gave everyone a standing ovation. We had a great party afterwards and when I went home I thought "How do you follow that?"

Hannah, Finn Atkins and me(The make-up artist seems to have overdone my blusher!)

I came back from Canada with great memories and jet lag! I no sooner got back home when I was whisked away to London to celebrate 7 years of marriage. John was a very brave man to take me on as he asked me shortly after I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and given such a short time to live. He proposed while I was going through chemo and had lost all my hair so I said "No, ask me again when I have some hair" - I really didn't fancy being a bald bride! Luckily he did and despite major surgery 6 weeks earlier, we had a most wonderful wedding day surrounded by all the friends and family who had supported us during those early black days of cancer. That is why every anniversary is a celebration to us and I am not sure that I would still be here today without John's love and support.
We stayed at the Rubens Hotel and they upgraded us to the Royal Suite which was very grand, with a large wooden carving of The Prince of Wales' feathers in the corner and a large portrait of Edward V11th himself gazing down at us. Just as well that I am a true Royalist.

We went to see the play "War Horse" which was about the terrible experiences of the horses in World War 1. I knew it would be heart wrenching and I would be reduced to tears - which I was, but it was the most amazing piece of theatre I have ever seen and the mechanical horses, each controlled by 3 actors became real. I read in the newspaper that the Queen and Prince Philip went to see the play this week and they too could not fail to have been moved by it.

The next day it was sunny and warm and we continued our "Royal theme" by visiting the Royal Mews where those horses were the lucky ones. We became real tourists watching the guards at Buckingham Palace, visiting Clarence House which had such a
warm feel about it.

Finally before we had to catch the train home, we sat on the grass with an ice cream in St. James Park, listening to the brass band playing on the band stand. It was a perfect end to a lovely anniversary.

Bank Holiday saw us at a very different castle - Goodrich Castle, Gloucestershire, where we went with John's daughter in law Louise from America and her parents Jo and Phil. There was a happy band of actors dressed in medieval costumes who were re enacting jousting competitions and archery contests. The children could also dress up and join in and Alexander, our grandson, had a great day and so did the grown ups.

As everyone knows, I always try to live every day to the full and make the most of life - you see I've had the wake-up call! However after all this fun, I am brought down to earth with a bump when the next day I was on my way to a Rugby hospital, miles away from home, to have a CT scan. Thank goodness for Tom Tom! How did we ever find our destinations before it came into our lives? It has also probably saved a few marriages and I am the first to admit that my navigational skills with a map leave much to be desired!
We managed to get home in time for a visit from Jaimie who had come over from Canada to see her family. We had tea and cakes and laughed about the adventures we had shared - was it really only the week before that I came back to England?
Two days later I am now at Coventry Hospital to see a Mr Parker about the lump in my breast. The service I received was marvellous. After making a date for the operation to remove the lump, I was sent for a mammogram and ultra sound to check if it could have been cancerous. Without the histology report after the operation they cannot be completely sure, but today all the tests look absolutely fine. What a wonderful relief, but I am not finished yet as I have to go for my appointment with Professor Poole, my oncologist at the same hospital. I feel really sorry for John having to wait around hospital waiting rooms, but I know I am lucky to have his support and he can catch up on the newspapers and crossword! It must be my lucky day, my scan is clear, Professor Poole seems to be happy with me and is determined to get to the bottom of why I have been experiencing pains in my abdomen. I know I am in good hands, even though he winks at John as I enthusiastically tell him about the play I am in and that Hannah Waterman is telling my story.

I am also happy that it had been a successful visit as I have a big conference speech for Macmillan tomorrow complete with power point which is a first for me. It would have been hard to do if I had bad news, but the next morning I drive through the sunny country lanes to Warwick and tell the Macmillan professionals about my journey with cancer and how Macmillan have helped me on that journey. I also tell them about the cancer play and hurray, it is met with great enthusiasm and many of the nurses want to come to see it. I can't wait to start rehearsals next week. To say I am excited about it is a complete understatement and the message it will give to people is so powerful.

John and I went to Canada for Xmas when thick snow covered the landscape and your fingers froze if you dared to take them out of your gloves. Now I was going to see Canada in the summer and after such a hectic year I was looking forward to just chilling out with my son Jonathan and Jaimie.

The day before my flight I attended the funeral of a friend Sue, who had died tragically young of bowel cancer leaving two children barely twenty. It was held at the lovely St. Alphage Church. Solihull and my heart went out to the Hannah and James looking so slight and alone in the pew. Then suddenly James leapt up and went to the front of the altar where suddenly the most amazing piano music filled the church. He had written a piece for his Mother and as the music soared to the rafters, we sat in total awe and amazement at James' wonderful tribute to his Mother, how proud she would have been.

The next day I was standing nervously in the queue to book in for my flight. Had I too much weight? Would they confiscate my bottles? Had I left my fruit knife in my case as I had accidently done last time almost causing a national incident? Would I bleep going through security despite my shoes and all my worldly possessions travelling through in a grey plastic tray separately? Air travel since 9/11 has become a nightmare, but finally I collapsed exhausted in my seat ready to enjoy a relaxing flight. 7 hours later I was being welcomed at the airport by my Son.

Canada is beautiful in the summer and everyone seems so much more relaxed than in England and I never saw a policeman. For the first time I saw the boardwalks round Lake Ontario where people walked, skate boarded and cycled. The beaches were clean and sandy and the beautiful people played volley ball and swam. We walked there most days and went to the Scarborough Buffs (so many English names) where prehistoric cliffs majestically fringe the beach.

Niagara Falls is a must, so off we went on a long journey as I took in the landscape amazed at the number of vineyards we passed. Finally we arrived at what looked like Blackpool. The main drag is very tacky, but nothing can take away the magnificence of the falls. After queuing we finally donned our very fashionable blue plastic macs and climbed on board the"Maid of the Mist" and headed out on the Niagara River to the very heart of the falls, passing the much smaller Swallow Falls on the American side. Only here can you experience the sheer force, power and awesome sound of this wonder of nature.

I had no idea that the Niagara River divides Canada and the USA, but Buffalo is just across the bridge that spans the canyon with the flags of Canada and the USA flying side by side. On our next port of call at a Butterfly Farm I discovered that most only live for a couple of weeks which seems quite tragic to me.

Most species in the world were housed in this great butterfly paradise where they would land on you for a brief moment before flying to the nearest nectar filled flower.

Jonathan and Jaimie are having a baby in February, so we went house hunting which I loved. Every house had a large basement and a veranda. Why don't we have a basement in English houses, it is such a great idea to utilise more space. My cosy bedroom was in the basement and every day I felt like a mole emerging as I climbed up the stairs to see what the weather was like today.

Jaimie took me to her yoga class. I had been doing yoga for years so this would be a piece of cake, I'll show them what we English are made of! This Yoga was so strenuous, the exercises so powerful that I realised I wasn't quite the expert I thought I was as I toppled over trying to do the tree balance. Luckily for me there was an incredible storm with thunder and lighting like I have never seen before. People were screaming in the street whilst desperately trying to find shelter from the torrential rain. This distraction meant that the lovely yoga teacher didn't see some of my less than perfect yoga poses. The storm was over when we left the Yoga class and the night was beautiful and warm again as Jaimie and I walked home and I plunged into a hot bath to soothe my aching limbs.

The next day we caught the tram to Toronto City where all different cultures and nationalities seem to live in harmony together. I went Downtown, where in the winter people don't need to face the bitter cold as there is this fascinating underground world of shops, restaurants and offices. I felt a bit like a mole again!

All too soon, it is time to say fond and sad farewells after a truly wonderful stay in Canada. I understand why Jaimie and Jonathan love it and I look forward to returning in February to see my new little grandchild. Nevertheless it is still hard to leave not knowing when you will see your loved ones again. So I take with me my memories and can't wait to tell John of my adventures when he meets me at the airport back in England.

I still have my lump despite 3 lots of antibiotics and have had a constant headache for 8 weeks. My doctor says" we can't be too sure with your history so we will arrange a brain scan." I know they are right but I do get so weary of hospitals, but I have to say that the waiting time for tests have improved dramatically since I was first diagnosed with cancer. I know people are very quick to complain about the NHS but I am getting superb treatment now.

Luckily I am too busy to worry about these things for too long and I was privileged to be invited to the Eve Appeal Meeting at The House of Lords. They raise funds for research into the early detection, prevention and treatment of ovarian cancer.
I remembered my visit to No. 10 Downing Street in 2004 when a little group of us presented a petition for mass screening for ovarian cancer and were told there was no money. Perhaps the Eve Appeal might make this a reality and how many lives that would save. We had a wonderful day at The House of Lords with lunch on the terrace overlooking The Thames and we met so many interesting and courageous people, Including my friend Monica Price, who is writing the play I mentioned sometime ago. It movingly tells the stories of 5 ladies with cancer. This is being performed at the Solihull Arts Theatre in September - another date for my diary. As John and I caught the train home we thought what a great experience!

Monica and I

The next day John's family came to stay from America, his son Mike, wife Louise and grandson Alexander were joined by John's other son Richard and family and we celebrated Mike's birthday with a picnic in Brueton Park, Solihull and a jolly evening with a Chinese takeaway on the night. We then went on to Llandudno with Richard, Antonia and their boys. It is a very Victorian town and after building a castle on the sands, the children rode donkeys on the beach, watched a Punch and Judy Show and went on a little train that went from the North Shore to the West Shore. We took the Victorian tram to the top of The Great Orme and ventured down the copper mine. Very similar to the childhood holidays we remembered. It is so good that some things in life never change.

We came home to go to the theatre at Malvern with our friends Margaret and David. It was her 65th birthday and we were spellbound by the brilliance of the performers of Le Grand Cirque. She rounded off her birthday week with a lunchtime party for friends at the Howards Arms, Ilmington.

65 sounds so old and yet none of our friends are the least bit old, they are still enjoying life to the full and having so many adventures. Maybe this is what keeps you young - a zest for life.

Yesterday was a busy one, Coventry Hospital for a brain scan at 9am back home for an eye appointment and back to Coventry Hospital to see my Professor Poole in the afternoon. In between I had to make a very quick visit to Melbick's Garden Centre where an assistant was feeding a parrot by the name of George. She was lovingly tickling his neck and he seemed in ecstasy. When she went I thought I would do the same. As I went to stroke him, he bit my finger and trapped it in a vicelike grip. Blood was dripping into his cage and onto the floor as I shouted for help. As I managed to prise my finger from George I noticed the sign above his cage "I BITE" bit late now I thought as I heard them urgently paging for first aid. Gemma arrived with alcoholic swabs and plasters to tend to my bleeding wounds and I had to fill in a form. So much for my quick 5 minute visit I thought as I left with my bruised finger and pride.

Back at Coventry Hospital, Professor Poole was in a very good mood. My brain scan was fine, so he said I had to think of something else that could be causing the headaches .Everything else seemed to be O.K. and he said he would get a breast surgeon to remove my lump so I wouldn't have a scar. I told you how wonderful the NHS can be. I had to go for a blood test and I left the hospital with a plaster on that arm. One on the other where they had put in the iodine for my scan and the third was where George had bit me - John said "what a lady!"

That night I went with friends to see "Walking with Dinosaurs." All the stresses of the day disappeared, as we were mesmerised by these magnificent beasts who were so lifelike and George was but a memory.

At the beginning of July, Marilyn Meade-Brown from Macmillan came to my house to discuss a conference speech I am doing for them in September where I am to talk about my journey with cancer, how my Macmillan nurse helped me and how the New Perspectives Courses I tutor are helping other cancer patients. There was a lot of material to cover here and it was very strange to go back to day 1 of my cancer journey and to relive it, remembering all the amazing things that have happened to me over these 8 years as well as the hard scary times. Sue Harris, my nurse always said she knew I wanted to get back to being normal again, but I don't know what "normal" is anymore.

Talking of amazing things, we always go the first week in July to The Lakes. We have a timeshare in Langdale near Lake Elterwater, which is such a beautiful area, but every year it rains. This year we had sunshine every day and what a difference it makes from trudging around in waterproofs and wet walking boots. John and I have had a very busy time over the last few months, so what a joy to just relax and take in the beautiful scenery at leisure. We had the added bonus of our friends Jean and Ray calling in to see us on their way to Scotland. When we returned home we both felt refreshed with our batteries recharged.

Two "grumpy old men" waiting for their wives to come back from retail therapy!!

They say it is always back to earth with a bump when you come home from your holidays. The next morning, I looked out of our front window and to my horror, I saw a man with a chainsaw up the oak tree outside our house. It was over 100ft high and was always a welcome sight when we returned home. The squirrels lived in it and it had been a source of joy to look out on since we moved into the house.

Perhaps they were just giving it a prune I thought hopefully, but when I went to investigate they said it was dying and could be a danger "health and safety and all that!" " But it is still has greenery sprouting out of its trunk, how can it be dying!" I protested. They must be used to people like me who are passionate about trees and the man said they have had people chain themselves to a tree to try to stop them chopping it down. He explained that when a tree is in it's death throes it gives out a last burst of growth, so sadly I had to watch a magnificent tree that had taken 150 years to grow, reduced to a mere stump in just 6 hours. We all felt sad, those who had enjoyed it's splendour. I rang the Council to ask if they would be replacing it and they said they would - in November. I still feel sad every time I pass where the oak tree once proudly stood, home to many birds, squirrels and insects.

Then, I had a phone call which cheered me up. I was asked if I would go that week to the ICC Birmingham to accept a cheque on behalf of Macmillan for £250.000. I had to sit through 4 hours of the Nationwide AGM. People kept apologising to me, but I found it fascinating and I wasn't going anywhere till I had that cheque in my hand. It was presented by the Chief Executive and how wonderful that despite a very gruelling meeting he took the time to do this.

The chief executive, Graham and I.

The week definitely improved, with a dinner party at our house for special friends and on the Saturday the Solihull Cancer Support Group held a barbecue in the lovely grounds of St. Swithin's Church, Barston. The Handmadeburger Co. in Solihull were kindly providing the chefs and the beefburgers free, all we had to do was to provide the salads, puddings and raffle prizes - and pray for good weather! It had rained everyday that week, but that evening our prayers were answered. It was a perfect balmy hot summer's eve. We had great music, much laughter and really excellent food. We even managed to raise some money for our group. As people left carrying balloons, waving goodbye, the committee were thrilled, that thanks to the Handmadeburger Co. and St. Swithin's Church the night had been such a success.

John and I were invited to two open garden days both in the same week. The first was in the beautiful quissential English village Ilmington on the edge of the Cotswolds. It was a sunny day and after getting our tickets from the Lord of the Manor we explored the gardens, each one seemed to be lovelier than the last and the Morris Dancers completed the scene This is one village that I could happily live in, plus the fact our close friends Margaret and David live there

The following weekend we visited Moseley's open gardens and again some were truly breathtaking.Our friends open their garden to the public every year and the river that used to flood our BBC Bar at regular intervals flows through their garden. During my 37 years at the BBC I travelled through Moseley and always hoped that one day I would be able to see the private park that can only be accessed by a key. After visiting many houses that backed on to this park, I suddenly came across an open gate and at last I was able to walk through this wonderfully kept secret haven. It was there that I saw this delightful family and couldn't resist a photo.

During the week after a another rewarding "Living with Cancer Course", I hurried home to give my grandaughter Lucinda her 1st birthday party. What a joy to be able to share the milestones in our grandchildrens' lives.

Over the last couple of weeks it feels as if the sunny Summer we were promised has now finally arrived. John and I spent a lovely evening in Henley-in-Arden, where Philip, the future President of John's Rotary Club entertained visitors from all over the world to a barbecue with a Jazz Band,in his very English garden which ran down to the river. Our American friends were completely enchanted by the whole evening and many Anglo/American friendships were sealed that night.

My week continued with my complimentary therapies to help keep up that old immune system and yoga and reflexology are so important in helping mine. At last after months of treatment I finally had my root filling and no more trips to the dentist chair. Hurray, another problem off the health list!

Our last garden was Bodnant Garden in Wales where we watched a falconery display and then we were all asked to lie down and this beautiful barn owl with the biggest yellow eyes flew right over us almost brushing us with his wings and yet his flight was silent, no wonder they are such great hunters.

The resident peacock gave us a wonderful display in the garden as he strutted his stuff.
Imagine my surprise when I went into the garden shop and there he was again in front of the mirror flirting with his image. The shop assistant said he was lonely and he thought this was his friend. Perhaps one day they will find him a mate and he needn't hog the ladies' mirror!

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.

While my husband was walking with his friends in Wales I went down to my favourite destination The New Forest, to stay with my friend Debbie. The weather was glorious and what a time to be in the Forest,There were many newborn foals tottering on spindly, unsure legs, staying very close to Mom. While having a cream tea at a Mill, a mother donkey wandered by with her beautiful baby who seemed to be protected by other females, a little like the baby elephants in South Africa who are surrounded by their aunts to ensure they grow up to adulthood.

We found a little donkey lying down by the side of the road looking ill and tired and no amount of cajoling would make her get up and an older donkey kept nuzzling her. Debs and I were really worried and after 2 other people also showed their concern we decided we had no choice but to either bundle her in our car and take her to a vet's or ring for help. The gentlemen suggested giving her 15 minutes on her own and then come back. Imagine our surprise when we returned to find the donkey was gone. Then we saw her ambling up the road happily munching the hedgerow. They say donkeys are stubborn, she was obviously hot and tired and was just having a rest, determined not to be bothered by these do-good interfering females who come from the city and know absolutely nothing about the law of the forest!!

A glorious day on the beach at Hengesbury Head, a ride on the Noddy train and all too soon I am on my way back home to see my oncolgist. He had bought my appointment forward three weeks so I was worried - there must be something wrong. I had already got myself down for chemo even though John kept saying I looked too well - how does he know! Sadly, however hard I try to be positive there is always the fear that it could be bad news and on the day of the appointment I am always a nervous wreck. I start teaching my Living with Cancer Course next week for 6 weeks, I can't possibly be ill.

Once more I am waiting outside Professor Poole's office, how quickly it comes round, but he is smiling - a good sign. He called me early because of concerns by my doctor - all that worrying, if only I had known. He agreed with John's diagnosis that I looked well and he would give me another 3 months. I am elated, another reprieve from the dreaded chemo.

That weekend I spent the next couple of days preparing for my Macmillan course. John and I went out for dinner to celebrate my good news. Then I discovered it - a lump in my breast which felt just like a pea. I managed somehow to get through Monday and on Tuesday I started tutoring my course. Five of the ladies had breast cancer and each one described feeling a pea-sized lump.

At the end of the session I headed down the M6 for home and pulled into a layby to make an urgent call to my doctor's to say "I have a lump in my breast." If I could get there in 15 minutes they would see me. I couldn't spend anothere sleepless night worrying so I said "I'll be there." I had already lost my other bits to ovarian cancer, please don't let me have to lose a breast as well.

I firmly believe that someone is looking after me, because the doctor said that it was not a cancerous lump but a sebaceous cyst. Maybe I've spelt it wrong but who cares - I don't have breast cancer! What a rollercoaster few days, but do you know, that night I slept like a log!

We are off to Llandudno and we decided to take our 13 year old cat Chloe with us for the first time. She always associates the car with going to the vets and injections so she was quite surprised when 2 1/2 hours later she found herself exploring her new home for the next 5 days. When a large seagull perched on the windowsill I think it came as quite a shock to a little cat who is only used to chasing pigeons and magpies. We took her out on the landing and to John's horror she disappeared through a gap in the marble balastrauds, It was a 30ft drop and he dreaded seeing see her lying on the floor but no, there she was gingerly walking round a narrow ledge. Cats are cleverer than we give them credit for and very intuitive. When I was really ill during chemo sessions, Chloe would lie with me on the bed and never leave my side. I am sure that other people with animals know they can be a real comfort.

When she was put in her basket for the return journey I think she had quite an adventure. If only they could talk! I will never know if she would have preferred to have stayed at home and be looked after by our kind neighbour Mike rather than be with us in strange surroundings.

Our special Chloe
Back home I went to a fondue party in Balsall Common and what great fun we had cooking chicken, steak, prawns and cheese. It was in the 60s 70s that I last used a fondue and it was so enjoyable I must go into the loft and find it and start using it again. Why do all the cooking when you can get your guests to do it!!

After a session of aromatherapy and healing, the weekend was upon us and John and I went to my friend Cheryl's 60th birthday party at The Bell and Cross,Belbroughton. Cheryl and I worked together at the BBC and she always talked about her friend Sandra whose love life seemed to mirror mine in those days and then, when I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer Sandra was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Once again our lives seemed to be mirroring each other, although we had never met.

That is until the party where I found myself sitting opposite this vivacious blond with a great sense of humour and a tan. Yes it was Sandra who had come back from a Mediterranean cruise that day. We got on like a house on fire and both agreed that when you you have a life threatening disease such as cancer, you live everyday to the full. It was a really great night and we were all asked to make paper hats from our napkins. Sandra and I might not have won the prize, but we had great fun making them and I think we could have graced Ladies Day at Ascot no problem! The great news is that we are meeting up for lunch in Leamington Spa.

Sandra and I, looking very silly!

John was off on a walking/drinking holiday with 6 of his old friends to Wales. When I go there it always rains, but this time they had 5 glorious hot sunny days. I am not sure if these men, who were all in their mid 60's, walked up Snowdon, or just walked in Snowdonia, but they all had a great time and I think it is good for them to get together away from us ladies.

This left me to my own devices and sunny days were spent sunbathing in the garden and planting all my plants which were promptly dug up by our pesky squirrels or eaten by our army of slugs and snails. Girlfriends came round for a glass of wine and a girly chat. I could play my music when I liked and as loud as I liked and I could go to bed when I felt like it. I certainly wouldn't want to live without John,but just for a short time I was amazed by how much I achieved in his absence. The saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is true and we both felt really happy to see each other again. Now, I too have an adventure to go on, which I will tell you about next time!