I was ill recently.
The people closest to me and most work mates are aware. Why bother anyone else? Why bother anyone else with my troubles. Would they even care?
Then a friend of mine recently spoke up to make people more aware of mental illness. That sort of got me wondering. Shouldn’t I do something too?
My illness is pretty well known. Banging on about that would be rather conceited on my part. Hell, what can I say about something that far cleverer & more literate people haven’t already said?
But then I thought about the moment we all sat in a room in the Freeman Hospital when the Doctor told us exactly what was wrong – Leukaemia.
Without treatment I was going to die. I had a fairly rare version, but also the most treatable. With treatment, the recovery rate was very good indeed.
I remembered my reaction.
I remembered my wife’s reaction.
This was serious. The most serious thing I have ever come up against.
I listened to the Doctors. I was going to do exactly what I was told from that moment on. And I made sure I did.
My 1st of 4 chemo sessions was the following day. The only thing I really remember is sitting on the toilet floor & throwing up, thinking “is this how it is going to be?”
Well, it wasn’t. The nurse came in & explained they could give me something to prevent sickness.
I was ill, and I soon felt that way. But it passed. The pain went.
The Doctors & nurses at the Freeman Hospital are, indisputably, the best in the world.
I met a lot of people during my numerous hospital visits. Every one of them is a hero in my book. Such dignity as I have never before known,
One particular guy had it a lot worse than me. He had to endure a bone marrow transplant. He is still working hard to get back to fitness, but we know he will get through it. We are always thinking about you, Steve, and Nadine too.
OK. I don’t want to go on about this. It isn’t my way.
Suffice to say that, eight & a half months after being diagnosed with Leukaemia; I am due to return to work in early September. It has been bad, but I had family & friends with me all the way. I need to say thank you to everyone. It really did make a difference, knowing that people cared.
Always remember, no matter how bad things are, there is always a chance.
Grab it.
Don’t ever let go.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope it helps someone, somewhere, in some small way.
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