Three months off - better than visiting daily!

 My last blog was written as I finished radiotherapy at the Royal Marsden, which took almost 8 weeks. 

Since then, the fabulous summer has continued, I went down to the Minack in Porthcurno, Cornwall with Surrey Opera and we had a wonderful week performing Don Giovanni. 

It was really really tiring, now I look back at it. (And we threw in a couple of weeks of grandparent duty in Somerset as well.) But actually, I got through it, and didn’t give myself a chance to dwell on the treatment. On the time off that we had, Peter and Minstrel and I walked lots, and discovered some incredible beaches that we haven’t explored before - one of which has made it into the top ten beaches in the World list! Pedn Vounder is a glorious little cove normally only populated by naturists and jellyfish. Peter discovered it on the day after we arrived in Porthcurno, whilst I was at the theatre all day, doing a tech run and a dress rehearsal. He told me that he’d found this beach, but that he didn’t think that I would be able to get to it, as it was quite a challenging climb. I NEED NO FURTHER CHALLENGE than to be told I might not be able to do something. Game on. We went there the following morning. 

It was a tremendous climb down… anyone who has been there will understand. You have to veer off the cliff path, and keep descending downwards on a noticeable but very rocky track, and then suddenly, you realise that the beach is below you, and you need to scramble and climb down the cliff face to it - much harder going down than climbing up! (Especially with a small wriggly sprocker under your arm). We had a glorious day there, I managed a swim, and was simply amazed at the beauty of the lagoon which was left behind when the tide went out, full of jellyfish. The beach is also populated, as I mentioned, by naturists, who mostly consist of men of a certain age, wearing nothing but sunglasses and a smile. There’s something wonderful about an all over tan isn’t there?

Here are some pictures of PednVounder - well worth the clamber if anyone is in the area…… 

I’ve thrown in a picture of me in my costume for Don Giovanni too.

The chorus were mostly playing ladies and gentlemen of the night, steampunk style. Great fun - but I can assert that wearing a corset in a heatwave is not much fun…… As chorus members, we weren’t on stage all that much (and not on stage at all, if you missed your cue…..oops) but the Principals were simply incredible - singing brilliantly even when temperatures soared into the forties. One day, I was tasked with meeting Leporello as he came off stage, with an ice bucket and a flannel. 

He certainly deserved a medal, that man.

There’s something rather wonderful about performing as a company - respect given to all, from the stage manager, and technicians, to the principals and the minions in the chorus. We had a ball. 

Here’s the whole gang ……………

When one has a cancer diagnosis, whatever the prognosis, one always takes private stock, and wonders, with each new experience, if it’ll be the last time one does anything…… I kept myself super busy over the summer and really enjoyed my three months away from the hospital. No treatment, no appointments, no worry……… (outwardly). 

I forgot that I was a cancer patient! I was concerned when the radiation finished, that there might be long term side effects - but I’ve been extraordinarily fortunate. Nothing detrimental long term at all. I have felt really well - and so enjoyed this summer, which gave us all a taste of living in the Mediterranean!

The summer is now finished - the rains have come. Hopefully, the reservoirs will be filling up. The nights are drawing in, and today I wore a gilet for the first time when I took the pup for a walk!

Do I dare to think there’s a future? Will there be another scorching summer for me? Who Knows? I certainly don’t.

Last week I had to break my absence from the hospital. I had a scheduled FDG PET scan to see what was going on in my inner workings. The scan appointment had been altered, and I had a long old fast. I had the scan - wolfed down a sandwich as I came back down to street level in the lift, and came home trying to forget about it. I knew the follow up appointment was not until the following week and mulling over the possibilities of the result would do no good at all……..

Two days later, Queen Elizabeth died. 

Aged 96. 

I couldn’t help but ponder on the possibilities of getting to that ripe old age!

I did have an interesting conversation with one of my dog walking buddies who is an astrologist. He told me that the Queen had died in her own Chinese Year  - and he explained that this is a regular phenomenon. When I asked him about my Chinese Year - he told me that there were six years to go before we had another Monkey year - so I felt that I could relax a little and plan ahead (somewhat)……. 

Anyway- I forgot about my scanxiety - I’ve been watching the news coverage and seeing the collective outpouring of respect and love for our royal matriarch, and the nervous anticipation of the accession of a new monarch - apparently we are entering the “Carolean Age” - and then….. it was upon me: my appointment with the oncology team to get my results. 

My lovely friend and colleague Helen came with me to keep me company, which I was grateful for but slightly nervous about - what if the news wasn’t good? How would I react with Helen with me? I always go on my own. It’s my way of dealing with things…….. 

Appointment was today - I left Helen in the waiting area when they called me in. Met a new doctor today (another rotation of the team means new faces all round) and I was semi relieved not to be seen by the big Chief, Alix Taylor……… (often the bearer of bad news)

The result? NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE!!!!  Couldn’t quite believe it - but that’s what the lovely doctor Mai told me….. A small area of inflammation, which they’ll monitor. But no active cancer. 

Another three months off. Life goes on. 

Helen and I went home via Green Park, and looked at the floral tributes that are amassing in Green Park - the passing of an era……. But such good news for me today.

When we left Green Park, we walked to Victoria station, and I stopped and stared at a memorial that I’ve seen many times before, but not really noticed properly. 

It seemed fitting to me today to realise that this memorial was dedicated to the over 11 thousand men of the Rifle Brigade who lost their lives in the GreatWar of 1914-18. My dad was in the Rifle Brigade, and he was two years older than our Queen. He lived to a ripe old age too…. 

They had a good innings……… 

THAT’S ALL WE CAN HOPE FOR, ISN’T IT????