C is for Cancer Survivor and Cats

Hi again and thanks for reading my blogs Aspiring Author & Books and Blogs. Today I tackle the letter C. 

  Cancer Survivor and Cats

The best place to get advice about any Cervical Cancer questions.
Find more information at Jo's Trust 

On October 27^th 2009 I probably had the second worse day of my life. My first had been when my then 5 yr old son (now nearly 21) was taken to Guys Hospital on a ventilator in an Emergency Ambulance after suffering an epileptic fit.

I had gone for my routine smear on 11^th August 2009 and had been called back because I had an “abnormal result”. I had returned and had biopsies taken. I then got another phone call asking me to return again. It was then in a tiny room with my husband, a nurse and a Consultant I was told I had cancer. Cervical Cancer. Of course being me I had the more rare form. I can remember feeling like I was in a tunnel and everyone’s voices were muffled. I heard words like “hysterectomy” and “oncologist” and I heard my husband crying.

We were taken to another room where I had more biopsies and I was given an appointment to see a Gynaeoncologist named Mr Devaja (now Professor). This surgeon is probably one of the nicest doctors I have ever met. He went through what was going to happen and 3 weeks after the diagnosis on Wednesday 18^th November 2009 Professor Devaja saved my life, by removing (in an 8 hour operation) my tumour that I had named Fred as the word tumour terrified me, my womb, my ovaries, pelvic tissue the top of my vagina and from my thighs 29 lymph nodes.

On Christmas Eve I met my other favourite doctor – Consultant Remi Jyothirmayi – this lady (who is always smiling) had to tell me that my cancer had spread to a lymph node. Fortunately that node had been removed, but I still needed 5 rounds of chemotherapy and 25 rounds of Radiotherapy.

I had all these treatments at the Kent Oncology Centre at Maidstone Hospital and I won’t lie it was f***ing awful.

However 5 years on I am cancer free – YIPPEE!!! – but unfortunately my bladder, bowel and nerve endings in my spine have been irreversibly damaged. I suffer from Interstitial Cystitis, Radiation Cystitis, Atonic Colon and Pelvic Radiation Disease. I am tired all the time and in quite a lot of pain. But I still go to work and am writing two novels. I know my illness tries to define me, but I try not to let it.

So if I fall asleep in front of you, nudge me and if I start feeling sorry for myself, slap me (not too hard) and if I start to cry then hug me.

Nothing you can say will cure me, but everything you say in kindness and humour makes me realise how lucky I am.

Now my second topic CATS!! I am a “Mum” to a nearly 18 year old pussy cat called Darcy. He is white and black and absolutely gorgeous. His name is not a literary reference to Mr D’Arcy, but to Jim Dale’s character in Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head – Lord Darcy Pue

Darcy is a character. He currently has diabetes and we have to inject him daily with insulin. He had lymphoma and we had to give him chemotherapy in the form of tablets. Thankfully like his Mum he is in remission and the vets are very pleased with him.

He has completely stolen our hearts and is definitely top in the pecking order in our house!! Coming home from having chemotherapy and radiotherapy and having Darcy to snuggle up to was great. He definitely knows when one of us is ill.
Cats are wonderful and like books every house should have one.

Jim Dale as Lord Darcy Pue

Darcy with his Mummy - Me!

Darcy chilling out

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Other links that may be helpful about today's blog:
Macmillan Cancer Support
Cats Protection League