Oz and the Orchestra
Platinum Member
I'm at peace now. Up here at Deer Stalker Heights I can see the lake from my bedroom window.
When she phoned me up and asked if there was someone with me? And can I make it to the hospital without assistance? That, and the pity and hopelessness expressed in her voice was a signal from Dr Rosewall's secretary that I was in a very bad place.
Of course I knew I had Cancer, the speed at which I was physically deteriorating, The vomiting for no reason, nausea and dramatic loss of weight. My mother was 52 when she died from melanoma, a skin cancer that took from Aug 76 - March 77 to go right through her body.
My younger sister diagnosed in 08 with lymphoma and bone cancer went into remission after 6 treatments of chemo. It returned in 2011 and she was given 6 more treatments they also offered her a stem cell injection in the top of her spine to stop her brain being infected which she took up but was given only a 5% chance of surviving the op. Though she blew up like a balloon she survived. All her hair had fallen out but she has the sort of face ( a bit like Sinead O'connor) that it wasn't in any way detrimental to her looks.
We were in the middle of a heatwave and it was a beautiful morning and already warm though only 8.30am when we set off down the country lanes, a 25 minute drive to the hospital.
I didn't want to tell my family so Abdul my best friend for over 30 years offered to take me and sit through the appointment.
After a short wait we were led into Rosewell's office by his secretary who as she led us would ring her hands and managed to force a smile across her pouting red lips, her beehive auburn hair, and horn rimmed glasses, giving her a contradictory - mature and controlling head mistress/sex starved tart aura.
"Like a cup of tea?" She pouted. I looked at Abs, already shaking his head.
"No ta!
Dr Roswell invited us to take a seat and as we sat:-
"Right I think...what we are going to do with you........hmm!
He looked down at his notes before I intervened:-
"Doc I need you to be totally frank, don't hold back - how bad is it?
He paused before:-
"Your condition is terminal Class 4 Cancer....a tumor in your bowel has spread to your liver, 85% is infected......It has also spread to your lung and upper arm. We can shrink it, but can't get rid of it!"
"So how long do I have?"
"Without treatment three months, with treatment six!"
I glanced at Abs who's eyes looked like organ stops, he seemed frozen in shock.
Dr Rosewall continued:-
" Rather than going through all that sickness with chemo, some people just go on a cruise....blah blah blah....!"
I thought 'a cruise?' I feel like throwing up all the time without having even had anything to eat. God knows how i'd be on a cruise?
I'd noticed that his secretary would respond to everything Rosewall said - with everything positive she'd smile like a Cheshire cat and nod up and down like one of those rear window Churchhill insurance dogs. With everything negative the head would drop, the pout return and she'd shake her head,
All of a sudden Abs burst into life.....
" Surely there must be some treatment that can give him a couple of years?" - he boomed!
"No no no.... we've got to be realistic here, six months is the absolute lim...........!"
"That's ridiculous your telling me chemotherapy only extends a life by three months?"
" I can assure you that I'm a little better qualified than you....blah blah blah!"
This arguing went on for s few minutes before I finally burst into laughter! Both Rosewall and Abs stopped arguing and turned to me, Rosewall slightly stressed, then said:-
" You seem to be taking all this very well, not in the least bit surprised?"
" I had a good Idea it was Cancer, I know from the speed my health has deteriorated it was something very serious!"
Actually I was too busy - spellbound by his secretaries animations!
As we walked down the main corridor and out into the brilliant sunshine it seemed hard to take in what I'd just been told, the Sun was shining, birds were singing, I could smell the freshly cut grass and the flower beds, Death didn't seem plausible nor possible.
Abs said nothing just looked down. Then as we got in the car and belted up:-
That bloody arrogant prick.....! Said Abs!
Names have been changed, & To be continued!
When she phoned me up and asked if there was someone with me? And can I make it to the hospital without assistance? That, and the pity and hopelessness expressed in her voice was a signal from Dr Rosewall's secretary that I was in a very bad place.
Of course I knew I had Cancer, the speed at which I was physically deteriorating, The vomiting for no reason, nausea and dramatic loss of weight. My mother was 52 when she died from melanoma, a skin cancer that took from Aug 76 - March 77 to go right through her body.
My younger sister diagnosed in 08 with lymphoma and bone cancer went into remission after 6 treatments of chemo. It returned in 2011 and she was given 6 more treatments they also offered her a stem cell injection in the top of her spine to stop her brain being infected which she took up but was given only a 5% chance of surviving the op. Though she blew up like a balloon she survived. All her hair had fallen out but she has the sort of face ( a bit like Sinead O'connor) that it wasn't in any way detrimental to her looks.
We were in the middle of a heatwave and it was a beautiful morning and already warm though only 8.30am when we set off down the country lanes, a 25 minute drive to the hospital.
I didn't want to tell my family so Abdul my best friend for over 30 years offered to take me and sit through the appointment.
After a short wait we were led into Rosewell's office by his secretary who as she led us would ring her hands and managed to force a smile across her pouting red lips, her beehive auburn hair, and horn rimmed glasses, giving her a contradictory - mature and controlling head mistress/sex starved tart aura.
"Like a cup of tea?" She pouted. I looked at Abs, already shaking his head.
"No ta!
Dr Roswell invited us to take a seat and as we sat:-
"Right I think...what we are going to do with you........hmm!
He looked down at his notes before I intervened:-
"Doc I need you to be totally frank, don't hold back - how bad is it?
He paused before:-
"Your condition is terminal Class 4 Cancer....a tumor in your bowel has spread to your liver, 85% is infected......It has also spread to your lung and upper arm. We can shrink it, but can't get rid of it!"
"So how long do I have?"
"Without treatment three months, with treatment six!"
I glanced at Abs who's eyes looked like organ stops, he seemed frozen in shock.
Dr Rosewall continued:-
" Rather than going through all that sickness with chemo, some people just go on a cruise....blah blah blah....!"
I thought 'a cruise?' I feel like throwing up all the time without having even had anything to eat. God knows how i'd be on a cruise?
I'd noticed that his secretary would respond to everything Rosewall said - with everything positive she'd smile like a Cheshire cat and nod up and down like one of those rear window Churchhill insurance dogs. With everything negative the head would drop, the pout return and she'd shake her head,
All of a sudden Abs burst into life.....
" Surely there must be some treatment that can give him a couple of years?" - he boomed!
"No no no.... we've got to be realistic here, six months is the absolute lim...........!"
"That's ridiculous your telling me chemotherapy only extends a life by three months?"
" I can assure you that I'm a little better qualified than you....blah blah blah!"
This arguing went on for s few minutes before I finally burst into laughter! Both Rosewall and Abs stopped arguing and turned to me, Rosewall slightly stressed, then said:-
" You seem to be taking all this very well, not in the least bit surprised?"
" I had a good Idea it was Cancer, I know from the speed my health has deteriorated it was something very serious!"
Actually I was too busy - spellbound by his secretaries animations!
As we walked down the main corridor and out into the brilliant sunshine it seemed hard to take in what I'd just been told, the Sun was shining, birds were singing, I could smell the freshly cut grass and the flower beds, Death didn't seem plausible nor possible.
Abs said nothing just looked down. Then as we got in the car and belted up:-
That bloody arrogant prick.....! Said Abs!
Names have been changed, & To be continued!