Fragility of life
Yesterday we went to Manchester for Quent's scan. On the M6 we saw a near accident happen just a few cars in front of us. A car reversed up the grass verge backwards, then roared across into the outside lane. There it came to a stop, complete with grass caught in the lights & under-carriage and a very shocked-looking couple in their sixties. We later saw them at the services and they were totally unhurt - it was amazing that no-one had crashed into them or vice versa. Then we passed the emergency services attending a totally burned out car on the hard shoulder - it seems hard to imagine the driver of that car was as lucky.
Back to the scan. It was six months since we had last been and they have been busy transforming Nathan House into a swish new outpatients unit. It seemed to put the old ward and our experiences there firmly in the past - and given it's all but 3 years since Quent finished his Christie's treatment, I guess that's where they belong. Quent's scan was clear again, so we certainly won't be back this side of Christmas.
Talking of which, Quent's great news was tinged with sadness as Prof told us that Mr Christmas has recently died. Long term readers of this blog will remember that Mr Christmas expertly removed Quentin's kidney complete with 1.5 kg tumour, in October 2006. We don't know the circumstances of his death but we know he would have been about 55 years old and that he had a 4 year old little boy. He is a great loss to the kidney cancer world - he was an eminent physician and very nice person... the sort of Father Christmas who delivers the gift of life, rather than the sort who delivers the gift of Lego. We like every type of FC, but this one was particularly special and our thoughts are with his wife and son.
And on Friday, Quent will attend the funeral of his Scouting friend Dave Long, who ran Explorer Scouts with Quent for several years and continued to work tirelessly for Batchworth Sea Scouts until his sudden death. Once again, he was one of the good guys and will be sorely missed for both his work and his company. Once again, he was far too young to die.
All of which has reminded us of the fragility of life and of our amazing fortune. Carpe diem - and may you all survive the grass verges of life!
Back to the scan. It was six months since we had last been and they have been busy transforming Nathan House into a swish new outpatients unit. It seemed to put the old ward and our experiences there firmly in the past - and given it's all but 3 years since Quent finished his Christie's treatment, I guess that's where they belong. Quent's scan was clear again, so we certainly won't be back this side of Christmas.
Talking of which, Quent's great news was tinged with sadness as Prof told us that Mr Christmas has recently died. Long term readers of this blog will remember that Mr Christmas expertly removed Quentin's kidney complete with 1.5 kg tumour, in October 2006. We don't know the circumstances of his death but we know he would have been about 55 years old and that he had a 4 year old little boy. He is a great loss to the kidney cancer world - he was an eminent physician and very nice person... the sort of Father Christmas who delivers the gift of life, rather than the sort who delivers the gift of Lego. We like every type of FC, but this one was particularly special and our thoughts are with his wife and son.
And on Friday, Quent will attend the funeral of his Scouting friend Dave Long, who ran Explorer Scouts with Quent for several years and continued to work tirelessly for Batchworth Sea Scouts until his sudden death. Once again, he was one of the good guys and will be sorely missed for both his work and his company. Once again, he was far too young to die.
All of which has reminded us of the fragility of life and of our amazing fortune. Carpe diem - and may you all survive the grass verges of life!
posted by Helen at 7/19/2011 01:50:00 pm
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