Haven't done much.

[Opal]

I haven't done much this year apart from the odd fishing day with our 5yr old g/daughter, I don't post much but this is an excellent site that I keep looking in to.
Four years ago while at work, I received a phone call from my youngest son telling me our daughter had breast cancer,
I was shocked and devasted. She began a long process of chemo, radium treatment and operations.

She coped well and returned to work. Last November she began having back pains, we took her on holiday in February to Benidorm,
not long after her pains got worse. Half way through May this year, she came home from work crying saying she couldn't carry on working,
I drove her immediately to the hospital near us.

After receiving some pain killers she came home with us. We looked after her until the end of May when I found her downstairs on the sofa rambling away.
I phoned for an ambulance, we were informed she had sepcis, bone cancer, cancer cells in her lungs, tumours round her brain and spine, heart valve knackered too. We chatted to her hoping she could hear us, her eye flickered now and then.

To cut this short, the specialist team told us they wouldn't let this go on if she was older, leaving it to us to let her go, no way we'd do that.
Later they had us all together and when we asked how long had she got, the top man informed us she had "minutes" to live, WRONG! she fought
like Nelson Mandela and is still here today, had a heart op three weeks ago, mechanical valve job so she can walk a bit now without gasping for breath.

A few days ago, our daughter was visited by two of her work mates, they gave her a card, this card.



Our daughter looked confused until she was handed a plastic zip bag with £1000 in it to spend on a holiday for her and her 5yr old daughter, she was very taken aback, her work mates had been doing various car booties and collections for her since August, our daughter was in tears,
what fantastic generosity shown by her workmates.

The workforce didn't get on too well over the years but her friend informed her that this had brought everyone together completely changing the atmosphere. My mam would always tell me..."yer a long time dead, Lad", Ain't that the truth?

We might not get along with each other at times but just stop and think, is it worth the animosity some of us show (not on this forum I might add) towards
others in this walk of life. We don't know how long our daughter has with us, we just hope it's years and when
I feel down (which is a lot these past six months) I think of the people far worse off than me.

There's people out there who really care and when yer think there ain't much hope, think again, nothing is impossible.

I wish everyone here a great Xmas and healthy future.

[saxonaxe]

It's often the case that it takes the suffering of someone else to make people realise that their own problems are really only very minor in comparison. That gift of money to your Daughter was not out of sorrow or pity, far from it, it was in it's way, her work mates saying 'thank you' to her for showing them that their problems and arguments are really very small. I doubt any of them would admit that or even realise it but the proof is there...." but her friend informed her that this had brought everyone together completely changing the atmosphere."

The example of her courage and perseverance will live with them for a long long time, perhaps even change forever the way that some, or even all of them look at their own lives. That's no mean feat for a young lady who was ' beyond help ' and more than many people will achieve if they live to be a hundred.

I hope her future is long and bright.

[Jock719]

A humbling story, and one that brings home the reality of life and its transient nature, enjoy every day and be thankful in the mornings and before going to bed. I wish your daughter and your family well and a peaceful and happy new year.

[JonnyP]

Hi Opal.. Dunno what to say really mate, but all the best.. Good luck to you're daughter..

[Tigger004]

Well posted, it is good to have a reality check now and then, it's too easy to be complacent

[headshot]

wow.. dunno what to say other than whats been said,she sounds like a fighter as do you,life throws some cruel blows and we have to deal with it the best we can,makes my "problems"..well they arent problems compared to what you have had to deal with..mean nothing.
all the very best for this coming year and may your daughter carry on fighting..atb kev

[Opal]

Thanks, Lads, for your good wishes, much appreciated.