July 2009 Archives

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!