Wow! What a month. It's been a roller-coaster indeed, and with the announcement we will be lifting Coronavirus restrictions in England next Monday, a lot of people's emotions are high. Depending on your point of view, it's scary, it's exciting, it's a relief, it's a massive worry. Everyone's own experience will be different, and we have to respect that. There is no doubt that the roller-coaster will carry on running, and in the UK at least, it is about to get bumpy. Thankfully vaccinations will keep the vast majority of us out of hospital. There is plenty of hope.
COVID or not, my month has featured hospital, my own personal roller-coaster, and one of those weird experiences that really seems like proof someone is watching over you.
Surgeons have spent the last ten years attempting to keep my insides in the correct place, and two weeks ago I was told that there is very little left to work with, and I was now likely to be inoperable. That is a huge thing to come to terms with, so I coped in my usual way - by not telling anyone while I sorted it out in my head.
Yesterday I saw another surgeon, and thankfully he has the opposite view. He explained that the operation would be very complex and long, but it is something that's done, and I've already been referred to "the best surgeon for this kind of work".
Being put in that position, for a very long two weeks, really makes you assess life differently. Being then given a chance, and having the hope given back to you, changes everything.
This experience starts to become strange when you realise that I was never meant to see the second surgeon. My next appointment was due to be a CT Scan, and I'd only been told about it 2 weeks ago, so when I had a call from the hospital at lunchtime yesterday, it was a few weeks earlier than I'd expected. I was asked if I could fill a cancelled appointment just 2 hours later. Both my partner and I were working at home, but you don't miss a chance if you can help it, so we rearranged what we could and went. It wasn't the CT Scan, and I was sent in to see the surgeon who gave me back the chance of knowing my Grandchildren.
The weirdest thing is that no-one at the hospital could understand why I'd been asked to come in, and just to complete the mystery, no-one knew who could have rung me to offer me the appointment...
(The moral of this story is, however awkward it is, if you're offered a cancellation at the hospital - go.)
Obviously there have been a good few smiles at my house over the last 24 hours, and it is the 15th, so it's time for #TBCSmiles. I am sorry that I didn't have time to go through all of your photos with comments this month - I've been a bit stressed (lol) - I have however enjoyed them whenever I've caught them over the past 4 weeks, and I spent a truly joyous couple of hours looking through them today. My own grinning has made my face sore - in the nicest possible way.
Anyone can join in and share your smiles on Instagram. using the hashtag #TBCSmiles. It doesn't matter if it's blurry, messy, flatlay perfect or spur-of-the-moment, ANY smile is welcome. Here are just 9 of the biggest shared with the community over the last month...
These smiles were shared by the following Instagrammers:
We made our own smiles here too, although I've been very bad at capturing them with a camera. I've got them all in my head though...
Bizarrely I don'r think the 5 year old guinea pig has ever featured so much...
Your smiles are there, and if you don't see them straight away, look a little more closely...
Aww I do love these posts. Such smiley faces and gorgeous memories made xxx
ReplyDelete