We thought Mum wouldn't have to go through chemo.
Turns out she will.

And then she sends me an email saying she's sorry she upset me (by telling me the news)
I guess I didn't manage to pass off the sniffling as well as I thought.

Of course I sent her one back saying she's the one with cancer and she should never hold off telling me the truth, and I was only upset because I love her.
But it set it all off again and I had to have a good old howl. Easier to hide that from Mum from behind a keyboard.

I'm really sorry Sundae.

Oh Sundae, so so sorry to see this. Big hugs to you xxx

Out of an abundance of caution, I'm sure...:grouphug:

We're here for you, Sundae. You can type the howl out, if you want to.

Chemo is unpleasant, but not fatal. it's nothing like the images of our childhoods when it was still in it's early/experimental stages. they have a plethora of anti-nausea drugs and drugs to combat all sorts of side effects. Except the losing your hair. That is often a necessary evil. I am sorry you had thought she would not need it -it's pretty inescapable for stage 3 cancers because that means the cancer has spread outside of the original tumor, so even if they think they got it all with surgery, they can't be certain. It doesn't mean it's worse than they thought. Better chemo now than realizing they missed a bit later. On the plus side, you'll be able to help her shop for scarves etc.

Damn, hon, you're really through the mill right now. Like monster says - better this than not get it all. Sounds like they're really looking after your mum.

I know. It's better to be safe than sorry. It was just a shock.
And I honestly thought I was doing okay with it. Nearly as well as she was. So to get her apology and realise I'd upset her even more (even more than having cancer!) was really awful.

She's still going to try to come up between now and Christmas. Before she starts treatment and gets too ill. It all depends on whether she can get my brother to stay with Dad. She loves Otley, and wants us to go to the places we couldn't because of Dad's poor mobility. Skipton Castle, Hebden Bridge, Ilkley (where there's a branch of Bettys), maybe even meet up and stay together in York instead of Otley. She could only really be away for two nights, so we couldn't do all of that - she gets tired too (she's 69 after all) and forgets that when Dad dozes off after lunch, so does she. But we'd do something fun.

Fingers crossed.
I'm not pushing this at her; it's her idea, her plan. But you bet your brass knockers I'll jump at it. My honest opinion? She's scared that this may be her last chance. Between her own understandable fear at having cancer for the second time, and Dad's dementia, she wants to pack in as much as she can. She's not on the endangered list by any means. But she's facing her own mortality, she's losing her husband and she wants to kick back and have some fun.

I'm only just now reading about your Mum, Sundae. I had no idea, mostly because I really don't keep up around this place like I used to. Please know that you're all in my thoughts, and give your Mum a hug for me. Do you think she might like some of those christmas treats again this year?

My post in the 'Short Films' thread doesn' t meet the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' criteria for a short film.

Don't send anything you can't afford. A card would be more than enough - she'll love to know you've thought of her.
I'll PM you their new address.

Fing X-mas music already.

I will put a small package together for her. x

Goddamned, motherfucking thieves.

what did they take?