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My Dad rang me Monday evening and said the carpets had all been fitted and that it looked really nice. My Mum couldn’t wait to see it but it was impossible to get her to the bungalow without a car. Tony was going to try and get there Tuesday and take her but he couldn’t promise due to work . He was in a very senior position at British Steel.

My Dad rang again on Wednesday evening and said they were being moved on Friday at 9.00am. I told him what my boss had said about having the week off he was really pleased . I just had to sort out the children now. Once more Linda came to the rescue she was going to stay at our house for the week as Mike was on late shift.

I went to Rotherham on the Thursday night ready for the move on Friday. We had decided that I would take my Mum to the bungalow at 8.00am so that she could then supervise the removal men and also see the new carpet. We got almost there when I realised we didn’t have anywhere for my Mum to sit , so back we went and all I could get in the mini was a deckchair, that would have to do.

My Mum was gobsmacked she said it looked better than she imagined it would look. We couldn’t help but laugh there was my Mum sat in the room with absolutely no furniture just a carpet in a striped deckchair. I said all she needed was a hankie knotted at the corners, on her head and she could imagine she was on Blackpool beach. Neither of us could stop laughing it looked so weird. Mum said it was the first time she had really laughed in ages and it felt good.

The furniture van pulled up outside my Dad had hitched a ride with them. They all burst out laughing when they saw my Mum in her , it was so funny. The guys were really nice and did everything my Mum asked them to do like putting the furniture where she wanted it and moving it if she asked. I think my Dad must have told them her situation.

I was the chief tea-maker and did they like their tea. It didn’t take them long and off they went. My Mum and Dad were so thrilled with the bungalow. It was ideal with the warden as well. There were pull cords in every room which alerted the warden. I would be able to relax a lot more now as someone would be on hand for them.

The next thing we had to do was buy some curtains as the curtains at the other house had to stay there. My Mum wasn’t able to come this time as we would have to park and then walk to the shops. She was able to give me an idea of what she wanted for each room and me and my Dad went into the town.

We found a curtain shop and were faced with so many curtains we didn’t know which to get. It is really awkward buying for someone like my Mum who was really fussy. We decided on some and just hoped for the best. I envisaged another trip to town to possibly change them but fingers crossed! My Dad and I liked them.

When we got home we showed my Mum and she was thrilled she said she couldn’t have picked better herself, thank goodness for that. We had also seen a really nice vase which was white with lilac flowers on it in a Grecian style. I thought it would look lovely on the front windowsill and she agreed, did I see a little tear, she was overwhelmed.
I was only able to stay at my Mum and Dads until Wednesday as I had a call from Mike saying Linda had gone into labour therefore there wasn’t anyone to look after the children. My Mum and Dad said they were really pleased with what we had achieved, everything was unpacked and found a home, The curtains were up so really they could manage without me now.

So off I went back to Hemel promising I would come again when I could. It was going to be awkward now Linda would have the baby. Dennis was still in prison I think for about 6 months. Linda had told him that she wouldn’t let him go to the flat. Their marriage was over when possible she would get a divorce, you couldn’t blame her really. It seemed Dennis was ok with that, being off the drugs in prison he began to see clearly just what he had done to Linda and said the baby would be better off without any involvement with him. He said he would only ruin his life and this he did`nt want to happen. So really it was an unselfish thing he did by signing over the flat to her.

She had a beautiful baby boy who she called Craig. For some reason she was keeping away from us, every time I asked why she said I was imagining it but I wasn’t.

My Mum was doing quite well the radiotherapy seemed to be having an effect. My Dad said she was able to potter about and had even done some cooking, after the way she had been, this was amazing. I received a letter from her consultant saying she had responded really well to the radium and at this moment in time was in remission. He didn’t know how long it would last but with special medication that she must take without fail, also weekly injections that the district nurse would administer, he was pretty sure that for a while, he kept stressing a while. She would be able to have a much better quality of life. This was truly amazing news we didn’t think this would happen. I couldn’t wait to speak to my Dad and tell him the good news; I was going to ring him that night.

To get in touch with my Dad without my Mum knowing was a work of art. I would ring the warden and explain to her that I needed to speak with my Dad without my Mum being aware she would then call my Dad on the alarm service and say she needed him to sign a form or something to do with benefits then my Mum wouldn’t be suspicious.

I eventually got to speak to my Dad and told him what the consultant had said, in fact I read out the whole letter to him and he couldn’t speak he was so choked. I waited a while and then he said he didn’t think this was going to happen. What he really wanted to do now was tell my Mum the good news but as she was unaware of what she had he couldn’t. We both hoped she would just assume that she was at last getting over the hysterectomy.

Mike was still behaving himself I knew it wouldn’t last much longer I could see the signs. He was pleased about my Mum too.

About six months ago I spoke to Mike about my Mum and Dad coming to live with us so that I could take the pressure off my Dad, I went to Mrs Smith the housing lady and explained the situation and asked if it would be possible to get a four bed roomed house so that they could have a bedroom and if there was a dining room we could make them a sitting room so they could have a little privacy. With three young children they would need it. Mrs Smith said she would see what she could do.

Life went on, I loved the job I was doing now, I worked at British Standards Institution as Office Supervisor. Mike was still driving buses and the children seemed to be happy and enjoying school. Lesley and Sheila had a few arguments about sharing their bedroom. Steve was fine he had his own room albeit very small.

A couple of months went by my Mum was so much better she was coming to stay with us for as long as she could manage it. We had arranged for the district nurse to call and give her her injection, the children were on summer holidays so my Mum wanted to be with them. I am sure she did really know that she had cancer but was protecting us. It was just that she said she wanted to look after the children as maybe she wouldn’t be able to again.

Mike said he didn’t think my Mum should come by coach and that he would drive down and pick her up. My Mum and Dad were quite choked. My Dad was staying at home I think he would enjoy it on his own to potter about, although my Mum would probably leave him a list of to-do things as long as your arm.

I couldn’t wait to see my Mum the children were the same, they hadn’t seen her for almost a year. It didn’t seem possible that she was that much better that she could travel here , I never thought that would happen again.

I had the day off work to get things ready for my Mum. I had a lovely meal planned. The children were drawing pictures for her. The house looked spotless. The kids had tidied there room and I made up a bed for her. We were all so excited.

Suddenly we heard this car tooting like mad and Steve looked out of the window and shouted excitedly that it was Mike with my Mum. I quickly put on the kettle for a nice cup of tea and went out to see her. I still couldn’t believe she had made it here. She looked amazing. We were all crying, even the kids it was an amazing moment.

We all piled indoors I made the tea and a sandwich for us all and we all sat down and started talking at once. My Mum said she had really missed the kids and couldn’t wait to have them to herself when Mike and I were at work.

The children were all over my Mum, they had missed her so much and she them. She was very tired and went to have a lay down while I cooked dinner.
We had dinner and were now sitting down to watch the TV and relaxing. The children had at last torn themselves away from my Mum and gone out to play. Mike my Mum and myself sat and chatted about their bungalow and how she was feeling so much better although it was still hard on my Dad as Mum couldn’t do housework or much cooking but hopefully that would change soon, she said they were beginning to have second thoughts about coming to live with us. She was concerned about not being able to continue going to Weston Park hospital as our hospital did not have a very good reputation. I said to her not too worry as we hadn’t heard anything anyway but we would leave it as it was and see what happens.