Yes, it’s that time of year again: another trip to the Marsden and  a clear chest x-ray. As ever the x-ray is done within 10 minutes of my arrival and I’m ushered into my appointment 5 minutes early, and out 15 minutes later. The NHS is a wonderful thing.

This year I was a bit anxious on two counts. One, we are about to go off for four months and suddenly I felt I was chancing my luck having an x-ray so close to D-Day. I remember when I was first diagnosed Ross and I were about to go to luxury dive resort, Wakatobi,  and I remember saying to the doctor, ‘Well unless it’s a matter of life and death, I’m going tomorrow’. To which he said, ‘I dont think you’re going anywhere’.

This year I have a number of friends with cancer and last week was deeply saddened by the death of a friend’s daughter from Ewing’s sarcoma. It is reminder that just when we feel safe, it is not a given. So I am extremely thankful for the continuing gift of life.

with Ross

with Tommy

Our trip will be a fantastic rejuvenating tonic for us both. In the meantime I leave you with some photos of the things that make me happy: Pickle; growing food and gardening; cooking! L’chaim!