It seems every
couple of days now we are at Clatterbridge for my scans and the new mask to be
made, so on every visit now Andy & I pop in to the Clatterbridge Cancer
Charity Office to see our fantastic new found friends, yes a drum roll please…………..
as we introduce you to Louise & Karen. Louise is first out of the office to
thank us for our collecting efforts and to chat to me to see how I am and
to tell us of more up and coming events. I’m in one of my Cath Kidston Dresses,
Louise thinks its stunning and I begin telling her about my love of the retro
styles and my love of Crocheting and making my greetings cards. “Oh my god,
I’ve got someone you need to meet” at that Louise gets up and calls for our
next special guest to introduce you to, another drum roll please………….! Another
young lady appears, wait for it… Here’ssssssssss Karen! Lord this team never
stop smiling and are filled with positivity by amounts similar to their Charity
Collection buckets would hold! It turns out Karen too is a fan of retro and
she’s in to crafts, she’s almost swooning at my dress, I truly rub it in when I
tell her how many Cath Kidston Dresses I have and how many Vivienne of Holloway
dresses that I have (but sadly can no longer get in to – damn you steroids!!)
We so
instantly hit it off with this dynamic duo and of course the lovely Elspeth! We
continue chatting a combination of the reason for my visits plus how we can
support the charity more. Louise adds in bits of how they can help us if we
need it, currently we don’t but Counselling sessions are available for us both,
we learn more of the way everyone’s amazing donations are spent in support of
the hospital and patients, for example bleeps are handed to you when you check
in to the outpatients suite so you can
go get a drink or walk in the grounds or chill in the conservatory area, the
bleeps were paid for out of donations to ‘CCC’, the furniture in this area is
funded by ‘CCC’ rooms where families can stay over when loved ones are in the
hospital.. funded by….’CCC’, never mind the expensive ground breaking treatment
equipment they fund. We cannot help but feel humbled by the dedication and the
way donated funds are utilised. This all helps all be it temporarily takes my
mind off fluff. It was time to say goodbye for now but we leave invigorated and
with more determination to do something significant. In the words of Arnie
“We’ll be back!”
On future
visits we’re back and the girls want to see which dress I’m wearing today and
to ask me how I am. It’s a waiting game we explain to Karen as we chat that how
we want to help others in this same position, Andy knew what he wanted to do
but was clueless how to start. Karen explained she ran a blog, wow, heard of
them, never read one. Karen said she’d help us get one off the ground if we
liked, she gave us the link to hers. Truth be told without that chat you would
not be reading our blogs! The seed was planted.
A link to CCC Website...
On our next
visit we call in at CCC again to catch up with ‘The girls’ we are talking to
Karen about me having treatment via the Novalis Tx. Andy Said it’s a shame we
can’t film all of this to share with others, it’s so unknown, its mysterious
and of course mystery scares. Karen & Louise looked at each other, “We’ve
wanted to do this for ages but we’ve never had willing patients or patients fit
enough” Andy explained well now’s your chance but do we have time? The
procedure is next week? We were all on board with this, a day or so later
another fantastic member of ‘Team Clatterbridge; contacted Andy, Susan. She
wanted to be sure we were definitely up for this; she would be arranging a
photographer and a Video camera operator.
It is truly
amazing when a team work together what can be achieved! This is happening!
So I’m back
to the mould room, we met up with
Radiographer Katie again who made my first mask and Louise one of the
Radiographers from Clatterbridge’s Walton site, Louise was going to be part of
my treatment team, where do all these amazing and lovely ladies keep appearing
from?
My mask was
of a different grade material this time a white heavy duty plastic type
material. Louise explained the need for the added rigidity. Again, less than
ten minutes and I’m looking like an Ice Hockey goal stopper!
October 9th
has arrived, I’ve been trying to keep busy to keep my mind off what I still
fear is the inevitable and today is ‘D-Day’. There has been a lot of chatting
between Andy, Susan & Karen about the filming, I’m no movie star, I am the
child who when made to stand up in front of the class at school to read a story
and always froze, despite my outgoing girlyness I’m shy, Karen is coming over she
tries to assure, Andy does his usual with “you’ll be fine hunny”.
We drove
over to Walton Hospital and drove in to the Clatterbridge centre carpark, the
building before us is impressive. We parked up and walked in to the reception
area and ’reported in’, a young lady escorted us to Cairns Ward where we were
to wait, bizarrely the staff were not expecting us but showed us to the day
surgery waiting room, ha, if they weren’t expecting us they sure as hell weren’t
expecting the media team, Susan, Karen plus Dr Haylock!
Susan
introduced us to the media team, the Video Camera man & she’s brought along
a stills photographer too. Susan explained how the ‘guys’ would set up their
equipment cameras and lights, that once Dr Haylock arrived they would film my
pre-op consultation then we would film a piece of me talking to the camera
explaining who I was, why we were here and what was being done.
Dr Haylock
arrived the crew were ready and it’s “Action!” In his usual softly spoken tone
Dr Haylock asked me how I was he explained I was having my treatment today, we
were waiting for the call from the treatment suite, that I’d feel nothing and
it would take no time, a couple of missed words and it was “Cut”, then Action!
I tell you it may seem like you are staring at the TV and talking to it but it
was scary for me!
That piece
over Andy moved next to me and Susan explained what she wanted me to do,
introducing myself first, I managed that, I tried the next bit but I faltered,
we went for a second take I was even worse, I’m not destined for the big
screen. We had a problem, Susan recognised I wasn’t going to be able to do it
but so much effort had been put in to this it has to happen. Susan said to Andy
“Do you think you can do it Andy? Introduce yourselves, then explain why you
are here?”, Andy in his usual I can handle anything approach said “Sure, let’s
give it a go”. I won’t ruin it for you for the video should be out soon but the
smart arse did it in one take! The whole room was cheering and clapping at ‘One
take Andy’….
Five minutes
later and Dr Haylock appears, “They’re ready for us, well you Julie”. We walked
from Cairns ward into The Clatterbridge Centre still being videoed and still
having our pictures taken, this was after all to show others how relaxed an
experience pre-‘surgery’ was. Truly we were smiling and chatting, yes we had
the team with us and Karen was being so supportive.
On getting
down to the Novalis Suite entrance we were met by the beaming Louise, our mask
making radiographer, she was part of today’s team conducting my procedure.
We had to
cheat a little, at this point the plan was to shoot the procedure identical to
how it would happen then everyone out and we go for the surgery, instead Louise
said, we’ll have to film afterwards, we’re good to go! The smile left my face,
I turned to hug Andy, I’ve heard all the reassurances but I’m still of the view
I might not come through this, we kiss, we hug I hug extra hard, is this my
last hug?
It seemed
weird going into ‘surgery’ dressed in my every day clothes, a kath kidston
dress of course…hehehe… Louise and I walked through together in to a brightly
lit room with a huge, I mean huge piece of equipment a treatment table and a
light panel on the ceiling that was covered in Oak leaves and branches the sun
shining through, it turns out this is ‘The Oak Suite’, its so relaxing and when
you are laid on your back on the table and you can actually have your eyes open
this is a tranquil view.
Louise and a
colleague explained the procedure to me, explained how the table in the main
did all the moving and occasionally this large piece of Machine (The Novalis
Tx) would move too.
Once I was
briefed still in my every day clothes minus my shoes of course, I do have manners
you know! Lol I don’t put my shoes on
other people’s tables!
My head is
clamped to the table in my super dooper new mask. The girls left the suite, I’m
all alone but I know they are just the other side of the wall. My treatment
starts, then Louise and her colleague are in and out or assuring me.
Meanwhile
Andy is outside chatting to Karen over a coffee, he may have looked calm on the
outside but he was a wreck inside, Karen was a calming influence with her me
like jibber jabber hahaha.
Suddenly the
coffee break is over, Louise comes out of the suite and said “We’re ready for
you guys”! It seemed no time to Andy, wow that was quick!
We went
through to the suite, Andy came and hugged me a kiss too, “How do you feel?” he
asked, “I’m fine” I answered, I felt fine, thirsty, peckish but fine.
So the media
crew set up, whilst they did Andy & I sat chatting on the treatment table,
seems the stills photographer had been busy.. The procedure was then mocked up,
I was flat on my back on the table, My mask back on, the team go out then it’s “cut”
the ladies are back in and the machine and table are repositioned, this is the
procedure minus the treatment beam! 
Next thing
you know “It’s a wrap”, we chatted to Louise, in Andy’s words “She’s a babe”
she truly was lovely, she said, “Normally we ask you to sit in the lounge for
an hour to make sure you are ok post treatment but we’re probably 90 minutes
after the procedure so you can go anytime” We swapped hugs and thanked Louise,
this is bizarre all the way through its like we made friends not met medical
experts. I declared “Thank god for that I’m starving! Can we go eat?” Andy
here for this bit, I swear this wonder woman, wife of mine had just had in
effect brain surgery to destroy a tumour, she was smiling and she was starving,
within 20 minutes she was eating Spaghetti Carbonara in a nearby Frankie & Benny’s.
This is whacky… It’s been less hassle than a day shopping with her!
A truly amazing
day, all surgery should be this way.. we mentioned in a previous blog about the
Novalis Tx was only used on a Thursday afternoon, to correct its used daily but
only by the Neurological team on a Thursday p.m. some days surgery goes on
until 10 at night.
So many
people to thank today. If you are mentioned in the above blog, sincerest thanks
to each and every one of you. Truly, thank you. You’ve all contributed to extending
my life and or helping others…………..
We’ve mentioned Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, the team and how we’ve worked with them to date and how supportive they’ve been. If you want to know more, on the right hand side of the blog near the top (on the web & tablet version) is Clatterbridge Cancer Charity Logo, if you click on it you’ll go to their site where you can find out more about their hard work, why they need our help and how you can help by donating, fundraising or volunteering to raise money. I’m adding their link too www.clatterbridgecc.org.uk
To each and
every one of you have supported Clatterbridge either independently or as part
of our campaigns sincerest thanks.
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