Eight Years Ago

It's the Anniversary of my getting the symptoms of Bladder Cancer.  I recall it well as it was England on playing in the World Cup - that year they probably did slightly better than this :-)

After a 4 1/2 hour drive I checked in to my Hotel, went to the toilet to be greeted by a stream of claret coloured urine.  It didn't stop doing that until the 24th July when I had my operation....  

It still sends a shudder through me thinking about it.  Gee though I get cranky around this time of year.  But in many ways I should celebrate as it was around this time of year last year that it all started to become clear to me what needed to be done and finally I'm out of the rut I was in and I'm in a great place at the moment.  I can see my future (well not really) but I'm positive about my future is probably a better way to say it.  I'm really happy and positive about things.  P and I are getting along wonderfully and that's great - I'm so pleased about that.  I'm not sure quite what to do about introducing her to the girls - it's very difficult I suppose.

I am seeing Mrs. F. tomorrow evening to discuss the way forward.  I'm in no rush to push her into anything - it's not my way and it appears that L now has a local job (that did surprise me - I thought she would have stayed in Cambridge).  That will mean she will stay at the house I guess.  That means that they will need the place for the moment and I suppose I will have to wait a little longer for the settlement to materialise.  I think  I can handle that but of course it is burning a hole in both our monies with me living in rented accommodation.  

SO here I am - 8 years on from the huge trauma of Bladder Cancer.  I'm still here - HURRAH!  I'm healthy - YIPPEE! I'm happy, I'm free, I'm excited, I'm empty of all that angst and baggage, I'm crazy about P, I have a new business to launch and everything is looking good.  

I look back and see how much my life has changed and in a few ways I'm sad about the outcome of my marriage but I knew that was rocky even then.  I can't fault Mrs. F. standing by me though, she was a rock bless her but it's time to move on for me and I really hope that she finds someone for herself that means as much to her as P does to me.

Talking of P that's 12 weeks this Thursday - time has flown and it feels a long and a short time all at once!  I wonder what will happen in 1 or even 8 years from now?  This certainly isn't quite what I felt it would be but there you go - it's just the way it is people come into and out of your life for a reason I guess.