Page 22 - She's One Crazy Lady!

The world“
in Northampton with my best friend, Marilyn, trying hats on, having lost my hair through having chemotherapy, that I realised my life was beginning to move forward in a completely different direction – and my previous life was to end.
is crazy. Life can be crazy, and we all have to be a little crazy to get through it,
From headteacher to a ‘crazy lady’ within a few months. Intriguing, isn’t it? I tried on lots of hats, we got the giggles...
I had a light bulb moment!
Twenty-two years later. £3.4 million later, following a first donation of £5.00. Whoa! What a ride!
As I recall my past, and life to the present day, it assures me that I survived well and aim (everything crossed here) to continue to do so for many years to come. Writing this book has helped me to understand my own life-path; it has provided me with clarity when there has been so much chaos; it promoted healing of emotional wounds and it has helped me to feel so grateful for the love, warmth and friendships that have been bestowed on me. It has taught me to appreciate life, to value family and friends, to live life fully and, as I get older, to savour more experiences whilst gathering more memories. Above all, the
whole experience has taught me to respect every person whose life has been affected by cancer and to have empathy and more understanding, knowing what they have endured. I have learned
so much about cancer.
I may not have known anyone with breast cancer back in
June 2001 but, my goodness, I do now!
Thank you for picking this up, opening it and
flicking through the pages, wondering, “Do I want to read this?” Keep going! (You could be in it!) There will be tears, there will be laughter. It may prove to be an emotional read. But for me, it is, indeed, one very special, uplifting, crazy story
that I hope, for you, and others, will ultimately be a kind of a ‘feel-good’ read that may help. Whatever, please always be breast aware – get to know your body and know what is right for you. If in doubt, don’t delay as I did. Go see your doctor!
Talk about it, too!
(On a personal note, writing my life story has always been a burning ambition of mine – for the day, one day, perhaps, when I find myself in an old folk’s home, my memory failing. Now finished, this book will be for my carers, friends and family to use to remind me of who I am and what I did with my life, all the wonderful people I met... and for the ‘now’ – to declutter my house of the hordes of memorabilia and thousands of photographs I
don’t w”
e?
22
have amassed!)