Making the most of it

Donkeys years ago, I started the Blog to keep everyone updated on John’s health. Over the years, it has morphed into ‘an every day story of village folk’ and John’s health has sort of been a side-show to the daily family and friends fun and dramas that have unfolded.

This morning, as we waited for a phone call from John’s oncologist, I was reminded as to why I’d started the Blog – to document and share the anxious times, the frequent visits to hospital(s), the pronouncements of the various specialists and how John was an interesting case.

John has been in pain with his hip and leg in recent weeks, so we have both been wondering separately, whether it was the cancer spreading or whether it was something else. “I’ll ask her today,” John said, stoutly. I nodded in agreement. We need to know. “But I’m surprised at how quickly it’s going if it is the cancer,” he continued. Well, the answer is that neither of us knows because we haven’t asked the difficult question.

Anyway, the consultant couldn’t say one way or another over the phone, naturally. She has arranged for an x-ray and we’ll see. But she had other suggestions insomuch as she was keen to make sure that there was no break/hairline crack in the bone. And she was more interested in whether John had pain in his back. So we were encouraged a little bit. But she did talk about getting in touch with MacMillan nurses, so we were cast down again a bit by that.

Nevertheless, there is life to be lived. For a start, there’s the Lotus to be finished. John is now tunnel-visioned and determined to get the car on the road as soon as he can. I had to laugh though – I’d been pottering about and went into the garage to see if he’d like a cuppa. He was lying under the car…..tinkering? Erm, no – he was having a little doze while he thought about how to go about a difficult bit. Chortle, chortle. And yes, please, he did fancy a cuppa.

And so, if you want to know where John is at any time, you’ll find him cuddling his car, all hands on deck to try and finalise all the niggly bits.

Meanwhile, we continue to make the most of it. We’re (mostly, except when we’re irritable) enjoying each others’ company; and we’re taking opportunities as they come, if we’re able. For example, could we look after Freddie overnight, please? Paul and Harriet’s babysitter had let them down at the last minute. Of course we could! Freddie is always good company and great fun to be around when he’s with us.

I missed taking a photo of Freddie snuggling into Grandpa though, as they watched a Minecraft video together (honestly, it’s beyond me). But I did get a lovely one of Freddie’s cheesy grin as we played with the Lego before bedtime. He’s a card, that boy!

Thank goodness for the uplift of kids to take away your anxieties, eh?

Take care everyone, God bless.