Page 336 - She's One Crazy Lady!

The photo here of Mum and I is one I will always treasure – it was to be our last photo taken together on my birthday in the October before she slipped away. I remember the day vividly. As always, I called in to see her after work and it was as if she heard me walking along the corridor for as soon as I popped my head in the door she started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ so loudly, so clearly and with such gusto! Jimmy was there and both she and I were amazed at the sudden energy she had – it certainly made my day!
Prior to Mum passing away we, at Crazy Hats, were faced with a further, devastating blow.
Marilyn was diagnosed with breast cancer! Who would have thought it possible! Both of us!
Early in September 2013 Marilyn and I had spent a few days in Norfolk and on our return she asked if we could find a chemist as she thought she had a boil on her side. She wouldn’t show me it but I was suspicious – does anyone get a boil on their side? We dutifully bought some cream that can help a boil to burst but after a few days she told me it was still there and I found out that the ‘boil’ was near to her breast so insisted she saw a doctor to which she, thankfully, agreed to.
Having seen her GP she was referred to the Breast Clinic where she underwent the customary examinations, mammogram and later an ultrasound and biopsy – Marilyn telling me the doctors, as they were doing their tests, were asking her what Crazy Hats was going to do to help them next!
The two week wait for the results was, as it is for anyone, a ‘long’ two weeks. By now we were convinced it was cancer as her ‘boil’ had grown. I was with her when her consultant (a Locum) delivered the bad news. Marilyn was very calm and accepted the news it was breast cancer (we had guessed it would be) but was in a dilemma when she was asked if she wanted a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. She wanted to be told what they would do and struggled with making such an important decision. I couldn’t advise her – this had to be her decision. She was told her cancer was ‘Triple Negative Breast Cancer’ – with only 15% of all people diagnosed having this type and that if cancer was found in any of her lymph glands she would
require chemotherapy.
After much deliberation and
soul-searching on Marilyn’s part she opted to have a lumpectomy and
“The photo here of Mum and
I is one I will always treasure – it was to be our last photo taken together on my birthday in the October before she slipped away”.
336