Chapter 6 - Weekend Break at Mum & Dad’
Saturday morning, looking forward to today as I drive to Mum and Dad’s for a mini break.
Be good I say to my boys as I leave to drive in the rain – typical!! Mind you the weather is better now than an hour ago as we woke to thunder and lightning.
I finally arrived at my parents after a horrid wet slow journey.
Dad made me jump out of my skin as I wasn’t expecting him to be home. I did wonder why the house alarm didn’t cheep at me to deactivate it. They had been to the doctors to get their flu jabs and obviously did not have to wait long.
We had a cup of coffee, my first of the day (I cannot drink coffee before a long drive – weak bladder!), while we decide where to go for lunch. Unfortunately bar tickets for the lounge at football are very hard to come by; shame.
We decide on a pub and then on our way we see the traffic jam on the main road going the other way. We hope the pub is not too busy otherwise we might be late for football and my parents space in the car park will be gone if the traffic is still there on the way back. We enjoy a nice lunch, as usual paid for by my mum and dad! I have a half of bitter shandy as I am such a lightweight now. The meal and service as always is excellent at this pub.
We take the risk in the traffic and luckily get to the game in good time. I buy my ticket, correction my mum does, and they are so kind.
We meet my dad in the club shop as there is a jacket he wants to buy. Mum asks if I want one too. So we order two. The jacket is special as it has the family name on as a shareholder. I say to mum that I will add it to the cheque with the presents for my nephew’s birthday.
The game itself is very mediocre, both sides play very bad long ball football. Not our style at all. As usual the ref is pretty naff and everyone complains. Then suddenly we wake up due to some substitutions which should have been made an hour before and we score. This win moves us up from near relegation to mid table but it is all very close in the division this year. Once we get home we settle on the sofa and after a while have tea and cake before watching Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1. This is one thing I really love, sitting down with Mum and Dad (before he goes to the study) watching Strictly Come Dancing and Casualty on a Saturday night. Reminds me of my younger days. Soon it is time for bed for me, it is 10’oclock.
Sunday morning, after breakfast Mum and I go to church. This is the church where I grew up, got baptised, confirmed and married the first time. I used to sing in the choir when I was little too. The service was good, but I could not sing one song as it triggered too much emotion and the words were hard to sing. But I just about managed to hold it together. We stayed for coffee and I caught up with a very good friend of mine, who I also played badminton with many years ago. She was very upset to hear I had cancer. Mum found it very hard to listen to me talking and was comforted by my friend’s mother who was also there. After a nice catch up about the nicer things in life too, we went home for a nice roast lunch with Dad. After an all too short visit and some big hugs goodbye, I made my way home in lovely sunshine to see my boys at home.
Chapter 7 – More Scans etc
Monday is CT scan day and I am terrified. I had an MRI a few years ago before my shoulder surgery and it was horrid. My fears were warranted after the iodine was put in the warm glow was a bit unpleasant, then the feeling of needing the loos; but then I started to shake as if I was terrified. I could not wait to get out of there. It stopped briefly after the chest and pelvis part of the scan. Now the head scan which was even worse, but I managed to get through it. Still shaking a bit, I walked back home.
Tuesday – back to work this morning and it goes reasonably well. I finish early today and meet my husband back at home as we go to see the Oncologist to discuss chemotherapy. We have to wait a while and as always it is torture. I am hoping she will be able to give me some idea of the CT results. Subject to the radiologist agreeing we hear the word “curable”. For the first time since diagnosis, I feel some weight lift off me.
I am given a blood test form, details of a wig company who will contact me and we hope to start treatment in a couple of weeks. We talked about the “cold cap” which stops hair loss. But I am advised that as my hair is already so fine, it is best to let it fall out as the cold cap makes your hair finer. Apparently, I also have to have a clip insert to help monitor the reduction of the lump. It will also act as a marker if the lump was to completely disappear.
Today is Wednesday and I am at work this morning unexpectedly as the Oncologist said I could work as back staff in the surgery. Another not bad day at work. My colleagues were surprised, but pleased to hear I could work when I felt well enough. My son has football today so hubby is on standby to get him in case I am shaking too much after the MRI later. I get there and go straight in after taking an age to park. Why are my appointments always at the busiest time! In I go, I have to lie on the bed face down and my boobs have to go in a special part of the equipment with a space for my head. This is comfy but a bit weird. I am given some headphones and a panic button I prepare mentally for this “treat” for at least half an hour. It seems much easier being face down and I manage to zone out. I cannot hear the music well due to the drill noises and loud bangs of the scanner, but amazingly I almost fall asleep several times. All done after a really long time, but I survived, so well in fact that I call hubby and say I can pick up our little monkey from football. He is disappointed as he was hoping to finish work early. Tomorrow is Thursday and my last Thursday off work as I have agreed I will take Tuesday off going forward so I can regularly attend a support group where my friend is a volunteer befriender.
