

Nell: It’s very early again.
Me: I couldn’t sleep and I wanted to let people know what happened yesterday.
Nell: That’s understandable but you need to rest.
Me: I will later.
Nell: David is not supposed to be up on your chair.
Me: We’re watching Masterchef Australia, Nell. We always watch it together.
Nell: Anyway, you had better update everyone.
Me: I was really scared but all the messages of support kept coming in so I knew I had to be brave.
Nell: And you were.
Me: When I arrived at the hospital the doctor I saw last week was there too.
Nell: Why?
Me: She wanted to examine my lymph nodes before the operation.
Nell: They were worried the cancer had spread.
Me: I was terrified about that too.
Nell: I know.
Me: Anyway, she spent some time feeling my neck and under my arms etc. and then she said ‘I think we caught it in time.’
Nell: That’s wonderful news.
Me: I burst into tears.
Nell: Of course you did.
Me: Then they removed the skin lesion under local anaesthetic.
Nell: Did it hurt?
Me: The injection hurt a little but then it was just tugging. One of the nurses chatted to me the whole time.
Nell: Good.
Me: We talked about you, actually, and all the people supporting me.
Nell: It helped, didn’t it?
Me: I can’t even begin describe how much.
Nell: So, what happens now?
Me: They’ll do tests and I’ll probably have to come back for at least one more operation.
Nell: Right.
Me: They need to be sure they’ve got it all.
Nell: Yes.
Me: And then I’ll be monitored closely.
Nell: But we have hope now.
Me: Yes we do.
Nell: And those are happy tears for a change.
Me: Yes. Sorry.