Thursday 9 November
My phone call to Coventry hospital goes something like this.... 'I know this is going to sound like the 'dog at my homework' excuse, but this really is true, I need to change my back procedure appointment as I've found out that I've been invited to meet Royalty'.
Well I never thought I'd be saying that, but Susie and I had an email a few weeks back confirming that we would indeed meet a member of the Royal family at the official opening of the Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven.
Although the Breast Unit, for which we have helped raise over £100,000, opened its doors to patients (including us) in March 2016, this would be the 'official opening' to which key fundraisers and campaigners had been invited.
What to wear....
So Susie had bought a lovely new dress, but I couldn't really afford to buy anything new so the old faithful blue dress came out again, but, to be fair, I do totally love it, and blue for Royalty seemed like a good idea!!
The day arrived and we were super excited. We knew we were going to be meeting up with a lot of people who helped the Campaign on its journey for the Breast Unit to become a reality, a lot of people who we've worked with since 2009 and become really good friends. We were looking forward to catching up with everyone again.
However, there were two things we didn't know....but more on that in a minute.
We had to be there for 11.15am, so Susie and I had done our hair and make up and got ourselves ready and got a lift from my parents down to the Unit.
We arrived and there were approximately 70 of us on site. We all had to wear a name badge sticker so people knew were were 'officially' meant to be there.
We were introduced to Pam Healy who is the CEO of the Breast Cancer Haven (who offer their services through the Worcester Breast Unit and, for which, we held to raise funds) and she gave us both a huge hug when she realised who we were. 'So you're Kate and Susie'.... Yep, that's us. She'd heard about everything we do to fundraise. She was lovely.
So, those two things. Well, the first was that Susie and I were second in line to meet the Countess (after Steven, our consultant, and Fiona the charity Chair were introduced to her). We could not believe it. We were so honoured.
As the time approached I started to feel really nervous. We were told that we would hear the helicoptor and from then she would be approx 10 mins away. We'd spoken to Fiona about the 'protocol' - do we curtsy? how do we address her? Crikey...
Our room
The second thing was that Susie and I have had a room named after us at the Unit. What? Really? Yes, really....when we both found out about it, we were in floods of tears, and, as my mum said to me, 'Kate you'll be there forever' and that really struck me, even after I've gone, my name will be there, alongside my partner in crime to represent the positive mark that I have left on the World, and to say I'm honoured is an understatement. How truly, truly wonderful. It was a complete shock and surprise.
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| With Steven outside 'our' room |
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| Yay |
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| So honoured |
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| All the artwork was painted by Steven's brother, Luke Thrush, who's an artist |
The room is actually known as 'The Hub' where the breast care nurses gather. How wonderful.
Press
Earlier that day, Susie and I had both been on local radio talking about the opening and what it meant to us, which was fab, then Caroline, who helps with the charity PR, asked Susie and I if we minded speaking to the Worcester News in advance of the Countess arriving. 'Of course not', we said.
Lots of press were there.....
We were asked about our fundraising and, again, what it meant to us to be there. We get such a buzz talking about the Charity and what we do and I think our positivity and enthusiasm hopefully helps the cause.
The arrival
Just before the Countess arrived, we were all told where to stand, and so Susie and I made our way to the entrance, near to Steven and Fiona. I think many of the other dignatries were wondering who these two women were as Susie and I are not in the 'business/posh-types circle'.
We had heard the helicopter and so knew she wasn't far away. I was getting more and more nervous....
Then all of a sudden two huge black Range Rovers pulled up and a load of security personnel got out...and there she was. She is really beautiful, very natural.
She spoke to Steven and Fiona and they were laughing and joking about something, and then she came over and Steven introduced us. Susie and I gave a little 'bob' (not a curtsy as such... I had practiced it as I didn't want to look like a knob and fall over!!!).
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| Meeting Steven |
She spoke to us for quite a long time and asked us about what we'd done for the Unit and how we'd been involved in the process of it coming alive. We told her about the focus groups that we attended back in 2009/2010 where, as patients, we gave our views on what we wanted to see in the new Unit.
One of the things we told her about is that when you're diagnosed with cancer, you used to have to walk back through the same waiting room in floods of tears, which is just horrendous, for you, and also the other patients waiting to go through the doors to be given news. Therefore the new Unit has a separate 'reflection room' where you can gather your thoughts/cry/swear etc etc, and a separate exit back to the car park, so you don't have that scenario. Actually, if you've read my previous blogs, you may remember that I refused to use that room and go through that exit when I had my secondary diagnosis, as I'd thought 'fuck that', I'm just gonna head back through the main waiting room as if nothing has happened. Call it denial, call it ballsy...I'm not sure what it was, but I didn't want to 'give into it' - that's how I felt at the time.
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| The reflection room, named after Jacqui Heal, a breast cancer nurse, who sadly died from breast cancer herself |
Anyway, she also said that we must now see the difference that it makes as we've been through the 'old system' in the main hospital, compared to how things are in the Unit, which showed us that she'd truly been listening to what we'd been talking about and was really informed.
She was just so nice. And then it was time for her to move on and meet others.... Susie and I just beamed at each other.
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| Meeting our wonderful friend Carole Crowe, the first charity administrator |
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| Meeting some of the nursing team |
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| In the prosthesis fitting room with my lovely primary breast cancer nurse, Tracy. |
The next thing we know, about three people came up to us asking what she'd said to us, and we told them, and then we were interviewed by the Worcester News again (read the article and see us on video (briefly) here).
We stood chatting to a number of our friends while the Countess did the rounds through the whole of the Unit, and some drinks and nibbles were served.
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| With Phil, Anja and Kathy |
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| With Jess, Steven's wife, and their daughter Genevieve |
She then came back into the main reception area where she gave a speech and personally referenced Susie and I, which was really lovely, and it was officially declared 'open'.
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| Pam, Fiona, Steven and the Countess |
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| The amazing charity team, Jacquie and Lexi |
What a wonderful, wonderful day. One, at times, we never thought we'd see, but to be part of it and to be there, was truly magical. We remembered our wonderful friend, and fellow calendar girl, Cherry, who sadly passed away two years ago, who never got to see the Unit open, but was an avid campaigner and fundraiser, and we know she would have been so proud.
It was then time for the Countess to leave. She was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Steven Thrush's daughter and got back in the Range Rover and sped off to her next engagement at Worcester's homeless hostel, St Paul's.
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| Beautiful |
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| The Thrushes and the Countess |
I had been in heels all morning, and as my joints hurt quite a lot on the Letrozole tablets, I was really glad of a sit down while we hatched our afternoon plan.
Drinkies?
So Susie and I had already been planning to go into town afterwards for lunch and a few drinks to celebrate the Opening and we talked our friend Carole, and Lexi, the charity fundraising manager, into join us.... (Actually a big shout out goes to Lexi and Jacquie (the sole two charity staff) who organised the event, which was brilliant and really seamless. Whoop.)
Carole drove us into town and we cracked open the prosecco and had some lunch and as the afternoon wore on we moved onto the cocktails.
What a day. One to remember and put into the #makingmemories bank.
Hospital news
In other news, I was meant to be having my back procedure on 15 November. The plan was to go into hospital the night before. This is so they can guarantee a bed for the day and night of the procedure...I mean, what a total waste of resources...jeez.
So I was asked to call them on the Tuesday to find out what time to go into hospital. I'd built myself up to it mentally and then, 'oh sorry, we haven't got any beds available'. FFS!! So the procedure hasn't gone ahead.
The ward hadn't told the appointments team however, so when I called them to find out if I would get another appointment through she said 'oh, well it would have been good of them to tell me that your procedure was cancelled' Oh dear. Anyway, I was offered two appointments (middle and end December), but I've now decided to wait until we get back from holiday in January. I just don't want to build up to it again and for it to be cancelled, especially so near to Christmas, sigh!!
I also went for an MRI this week. I've had a couple before and while not a bed of roses, haven't been too bad. This one was different. I had to have a contrast injected into my veins (very similar to the CT scan) so they can see the liver more clearly (this scan is to determine if I'm eligible for the radio frequency ablation procedure). Now they managed to get the cannula in pretty easily (thank god), but then I was in the scanner for about 45/50 mins and I was starting to panic and was bloody hating it. I also went in feet first this time and it made different noises to normal, which were so strong that it shook my body. I could not wait to get out of there. I felt absolutely drained and really tearful when I got out. Thankfully I didn't ball, but was so glad to see mum back in the waiting room and couldn't wait to get home for Timmy and Rocco cuddles. In fact, we watched Gremlins and had a bottle of red wine. Boom.
What was funny though, was my biker boot (which I had on in the MRI room) which flew into the scanner because of the magnetic field, so it shows how strong it is....yikes.
So, I'll sign off for now.
Until next time. xxx
In memory of Cherry Robinson. xxxx
