Friday

Up and at ‘em after a terrible nights sleep on the lovely new matress. Julia was worried she would fall out and took over two thirds of the bed and no amount of snoring would get her to move!

Felix bounded out of bed as it’s Children In Need and pyjama day at school. Imogen was less excited about the idea of the early rising. Michelle was a star and took the kids at 6:30am as we dashed down the A1 and onto the M25 for the 9am appointment in Rickmansworth.

The staff were great and we soon found out about Julia’s operation. No general anethestic needed so Julia was happy. I had some coding to do, so spent the waiting period working and watching lectures for the online course I’m doing.

A short time after Julia is wheeled out, she’s back and still chilled out from the sedatives. She looks a million times better than she did after the general and is keen for food and drink so they can discharge her.

Once free we have to take some bloods to Harpenden so Julia can be signed fit for chemotherapy. At the hospital Julia gets to meet the chemotherapy nurses and they talk us through the process. This answers some questions and wierdly it all now feels more “normal” now.

We get home and Julia rests up. I get the kids from school but by 8:30pm I can’t stay awake and head up the wooden hills to Bedfordshire.

Saturday

Julia seemed less scared about falling off the bed and we both manage to get a good nights sleep. It’s my parents 45th wedding anniversary today, I didn’t think we’d make it but Julia is feeling well enough to go. So we head off to Newbury. The M25 is a nightmare and we park for 30mins, I’m just glad it was easy running the day before. Once that wrinkle is out the way, we cruise to Newbury and surprise my parents by phoning from outside their flat. We have a great lunch, it’s brilliant to see the family and to see Julia looking so great and enjoying some fizzy wine! We head back in the early evening tired and happy. Julia is sore from Fridays operation and plans to have a well deserved lie-in the morning.

Sunday

I let Julia rest and take the kids to their swimming lessons. We swim for an hour and then after a cuppa it’s time to head home and do the chores. I head to the tip, do the laundry, go shopping, do the tidying and the cooking. We are now eating more vegetables and I’m not a fan of raw veg but it’s time to get over that. Felix is less enthusiastic initially but the kids barter between themselves - some of the pepper slices for cucumber and peace is restored. I even smile whilst showing Felix I now like raw tomatos!

In the afternoon I play some Lego Star Wars with the kids then I bully Julia into an afternoon walk. The doctors have said that exercise will help… Its a grey old day, but the kids chase me kicking the rugby ball round Ivel Springs. We head home via the Orange Tree for a cheeky pint. Good day.

Monday

My parents arrive at lunchtime they are over for the week to help out. I take them on the school run to pick up the kids and meet the teachers so they know where to get them later in the week.

In the evening Julia has her ECG the whole thing was funny, the Doctor was great, slightly disorganised but the tells Julia she has a perfect heart. We are good to go for Wednesday.