It's been a funny day. I popped down to Crossgates to go to the bank this morning and on the way back to the car I saw Jackie and Pauline - two neighbours who live at the back of us. Jackie has been battling breast cancer and unfortunately it has now spread to her stomach and brain. She was being pushed by Pauline in a wheelchair and she looked awful. It really unsettled me.
Funny thing is, they don't even know me! I only know them from being able to see them out of our bedroom window, but they wouldn't recognise me. Roy knows them now, through having chatted to them about the fence, so that is how I know so much detail about Jackie's illness. I just hope that what I saw was the result of aggressive treatment - and not a decline caused by the disease.
Then, driving over to Mum's at lunchtime, Jeremy Vine (BBC Radio 2) had a programme about "being widowed before 50". He read out several very moving emails and then he introduced his guest - Barbara Want, widow of Nick Clarke, the R4 presenter, who died last November of cancer. She was describing her grief, and how she was (or rather, wasn't) coping with her loss. She has twin 4 year old boys. It was heartbreaking. Jeremy Vine was crying reading some of the emails from listeners. Maybe I shouldn't have listened. Ignorance is bliss, right?
Mum was a bit touchy tonight - I think she was frustrated because her foot was "pulling". I decided to stay here rather than sleep at Maureens.
Dad is settled and watching tv. I think he's doing better than any of us just now :-). On a more serious note, he's started to be sick each day on waking now. We need to mention this to the doctor.
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