Page 166 - She's One Crazy Lady!
P. 166

What did she mean?
Still looking at me, gesturing with her hands, and whispered again, “You’re not level.”
“I’m not what?”
“Shhh, Glennis! People are listening.”
“What do you mean, I’m not level?”
I followed her eyes to my chest and noticed my prosthesis had come
out my bra, just about to pop out my t-shirt near my neck.
“Oh, that’s alright,” and promptly put my hand inside my shirt to
reposition it. I was used to this so thought nothing of it.
Liz’s face was bright red and people sitting next to us, just glanced in
embarrassment and amazement – and at my chest.
Over the years I experienced and heard many more amusing stories
about the novelty of having to wear a prosthesis!
Before I move on to the next stage of my treatment let me tell you about
my first meeting with Dr Matthew, the Consultant Clinical Oncologist – Dr Matthew, who soon became a very good friend, as did his wife, Elena, and who later, became our charity’s President, bringing much credibility to what we were doing – the perfect ambassador. His name had been branded about many times throughout chemotherapy but I had never met him. I had asked to see him to talk to him about returning to work and what had been put to me about ill-health retirement. (See ‘Alarm Bells’.)
His clinic was running late and when I was called in two health care assistants came and sat in with me. For some reason, that I can’t explain, I didn’t feel comfortable. Even less comfortable when he sat down, looked at me and said in a matter-of-fact way,
“You wanted to see me?”
I felt slightly intimidated with three people in the room who didn’t know me and I found it difficult to talk to him in the way I had envisaged and hoped for. I would have felt more at ease talking to just him – not with an audience. I briefly explained what was happening.
“If you’ve been offered early retirement, take it. I personally would take it.” This is not what I had anticipated so tried to explain more about wanting to take up my post as Headteacher and how very important it was to me, especially as I was only 47. While I was talking he was reading my notes. I felt he didn’t understand the importance of what I was saying and what a worry it was to me.
“You’ve been through some very harsh treatment but you’ve coped well. Your cancer was very aggressive. You do know it could come back in the next
   “I followed her eyes to my chest and noticed my prosthesis had come out my bra, just about to pop out my t-shirt near my neck.
”
 166












































































   164   165   166   167   168