Part 2 of my journey, come along if you like!
This particular holiday is a special time, a time for making new memories for both Kev and I and if I don't win my battle to survive, Kev will be able to look back and smile, that this moment in time cannot be taken away from us, no matter what happens in the future.
The thought of leaving this fantasy and going back into hell again can't be forgotten about. We will get back to Cornwall knowing that I have to go back to hospital to be put on another fluid drip overnight, only to be given my 7th chemo and knowing that this feeling of total calmness and happiness shall be swiftly taken away from me, A needle will be placed into my stomach, pumping through the anti sickness drugs I need to stop me vomiting for days, a cannula will be placed either in my hand or arm, where ever there is a vein that still works and 3 different chemos will start to poison me yet again, leaving me tired and weak and wondering why the hell I am still trying to fight this damn cancer. The tears will come as my immune system crashes at a rapid rate of knots and then I have to struggle to pull myself up from the floor once more.
LEAVING FOR WHITCHURCH.............DAY ONE
I was dreading the 5 hour journey to get to the boat yard, thinking of the pain of sitting in the car for so long after loosing so much weight because of the cancer treatment. We left the house at 8 am and headed up the A30 towards the M5.
It ended up that my worry of being in any pain was wasted, I was fine. We made our presence known at the boat yard, though it was different this time, Andy and Christine who managed the yard had now retired and there was no familar friendly greeting that we had gotten used to and not one familar face to be seen. The new people were nice enough, but it wasn't the same, but this holiday was going to be different anyway.
On seeing Elvind, has I've already said, we were both left with an easy, calm feeling. We had reached our first goal, our much needed time to relax and to escape the last 7 months of pent up anger and frustration at being forced into a situation where we had no control of.
There are two timber bridges that have to be raised a short distance from the boat yard and then a third, that this year is out of working order, which catches us out each time. We had decided to stop at Platt Lane and maybe have a meal in the Waggoners Inn if I wasn't felling too good, but it turned out that the pub had a fire which had started in the kitchen and half of the building burnt down!
So it was off to Ellesmere, to The Black Lion put for a wonderful meal and a drink, well several drinks!!!!! We chugged our way through some of the most beautiful countryside in the sunshine with raised spirits and huge smiles on our faces, at last we had something to smile about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(next part soon)
FormerMember
Reading your great commentary I was 'there' with you ! Can't wait for the next installment lol.
What a wonderful reminder. We had a narrow boat for about 5 years and it was moored at Platt Lane near Whitchurch! We know the Waggoners well (fancy the fire - what a shame!) and also the Black Lion in Ellesmere.
You chose the right holiday for unwinding, that's for sure. It'll set you up for what's to come. You can do it!
Let's have more of this. I have been canal boating many times - before I was married it used to be my father, brother and two uncles and in spite of splicing the mainbrace we still managed a fair few miles.
Its sounds blissful, chugging along the canals watching the world pass by, the birds singing - oh and not forgetting the stops for refreshment. I feel chilled just reading your blog. Enjoy.
