The 7 Year Itch Wedding Anniversary

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.