THE MIRACLE OF THE FIRST SNOWDROP

On Monday last week I saw my first snowdrop popping up through the frosty soil in our garden and my heart lifted.

In 2002 while recovering from the effects of my first chemo John and I were at a wedding up in Yorkshire and we visited Skipton Castle. They were selling bunches of snowdrops which I bought and planted in my garden thinking "I' will never see these next year due to my terrible prognosis.Well 7 years on my snowdrops have multiplied and I still get such a thrill when I see them for the first time, knowing that however bad the news from the surgeons and oncologists, never ever give up hope because that is all that we cancer patients have and even in seemingly hopeless cases miracles do occur.

Talking of miracles despite my new found Tai Chi class which I love I managed to finish my talk I was giving for the Dorridge W.I. on my life at the BBC that night.When giving speeches whether it be on my journey with cancer or my adventures at the BBC I always write them afresh. I hunted in the loft for my BBC memorabIlia and photos and all the memories of 37 wonderful years there came flooding back.

I knew that my back x ray results were available, but I didn't want to hear today just in case it's bad news and spoil my talk so I would ring tomorrow.

I had a great welcome at Dorridge Methodist Church Hall and to my amazement a lady called Muriel who worked in the office above mine when I first joined the BBC was there. Good job I tell the truth I thought as I related many stories and experiences and the amazing people I had met and worked with. At the end you always feel on a high that you have made people laugh and sometimes moved them to tears. Any money I make from my talks goes to Macmillan as my way of giving back something for my amazing Macmillan nurse Sue who supported and guided me through my journey with cancer.We became great friends and I always said I hope I died before she retired and she said she hoped it would be the other way. Well as usual she got her way and even though she retired last April she is still keeping an eye on me and always will.

The next day I rang up about the x ray on my back feeling very nervous. My doctor said that there was no cancer, but I had a curvature of the spine and chronic degenration of the discs and bones and arthritis. "Thank you I am so pleased" I replied This must sound crazy especially as I have always been so active and sporty, but it definitely beats being told you have cancer in your spine. My husband thinks it's my age but I won't accept that, what I do know is that chemo and the steroids they give you can damage the bones
but it's a small price to pay for the miracle of being alive!