Stella Pike

Stella Pike

1998 was a year I will never forget, not a good year.  Every month that year brought its new stresses and did not let up.  My beloved father passed away in April, after a short illness, he was almost 92.  In June my husband left the PACT Opera company after 17 years as a production manager and was very unsettled in his new job.  And so it went on, every month a new crisis.  In December we decided after such a lousy year, that we would make it nicer and at least finish on a good note by going to the UK to visit Melle’s family.

We were booked for Friday 18 December.  Exactly a week before we were due to fly, I suddenly found a lump in my right breast, it seemed to pop up overnight.  I felt it was something sinister.  Being a Friday had to wait with anxiety levels sky-high for Monday to call my gynecologist, he was away that day, Tuesday he was operating, Wednesday, 16 December, public holiday, saw him on Thursday and could see he wasn’t happy.  As we were flying out the following day, he sent me straight to the specialist whom he called back from the car park, as the specialist was on his way home.  December 18 was diagnosed, 2 hours before we were to leave from the airport.  Cat was already in the cattery, luggage was packed, although I knew in my heart it wasn’t going to happen, we canceled, and my mastectomy was on 20 December.

I vowed that we would do that trip in August, gave myself 8 months to recover, we would go to the UK in summer and for my birthday and combine it with a hiking trip in the Lake District, and that was my goal.  That is exactly what we did.  I still have my goals always reaching for something and am so proud to be 21 years of cancer free now.  My life is fabulous and that is thanks to a wonderful family, husband, and friends who are the best support always and that includes our Wings family also. Each day is a gift to appreciate.