The Stripe

Introduction

Just over a year ago my dad came up to visit us and his great-granddaughter Alexis Leia. We were going out for a meal and he fell and managed to shatter his knee. Below is a picture of him, me and Alexis-Leia while waiting for the ambulance.

I visited him daily in the RVI in Newcastle but did not want to worry him with the fact that I had been diagnosed with Liver Cancer the previous year, and had my first op.

When he was finally discharged I got a cancellation option and they took me in to complete the job. It turned out the cancer had actually affected more areas than they first thought but it was completely sorted and the recovery took a long time.

In the hospital (I was in the Freeman), I had my phone and was supported and gave support to a close friend who was also hospitalised at the same time for different reasons, but with Fiona visiting me and my phone connection the week in the hospital passed fairly quickly.

In the shower this morning I look down at the stripe that runs from the top of my chest down to below my stomach then right across and decided to write this villanelle with a steal from Phil Pullman.

💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗 💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗 💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗

Down The Centre Of My Body, There Is A Stripe

This Is The Place Where The Surgeons Cut Me Open

Then They Cut Out The Cancer With Their Subtle Knife

💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗

It's A Daily Reminder Of What Saved My Life

They Cut Me Then Stitched Me With Staples And Cotton

Down The Centre Of My Body, There Is A Stripe

💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗

They Put Me Under While The Surgeons Spent Their Time

Removing The Cancer They Had Killed With Chemo

Then They Cut Out The Cancer With Their Subtle Knife

💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗

Each Day Since Then I Have Felt Physically Fine

I Am So Grateful For The Care That I've Been Shown

Down The Centre Of My Body, There Is A Stripe

💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗

Without This Brilliant Care I'd Have Had No Chance

I'm Grateful And Give Thanks Each Day To Everyone

Then They Cut Out The Cancer With Their Subtle Knife

💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗

I Feel I Am Cured, The NHS Saved My Life

I'm A Lucky One, I Feel The Cancer Is Gone

Down The Centre Of My Body, There Is A Stripe

Then They Cut Out The Cancer With Their Subtle Knife

💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗 💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗 💗🗡️⚕️🔪💗

Conclusion

This is the story of the actual operation if you would like to know more. The music is "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by Elton John. Thank you for reading