Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

The story of my fight, actually… What happened to me nearly two years ago, still haunts me, reminding me of how lucky I am to be here…

(An excerpt from Apple Blossom, the short story I wrote to help other people who find themselves in a similar situation)

“The lights were dimmed, giving the treatment room a spooky atmosphere. The huge machine that towered over me as I lay on that uncomfortable table seemed even more menacing in the gloom.

The only light in the room was coming from the centre ceiling panels above me, which had been replaced by translucent photographs of apple blossom which softly gleamed in the darkness. Obviously, strategically positioned to take the patients mind off what was happening to them. The panel I liked best had fluffy white clouds on a blue sky behind the blossom.

I had been stretched out and precisely positioned on the platform, all the marks on my chest lined up with the eerie green beams of light that shone down from the machine. It was almost a kind torture, what with my arms pinned above my head, waiting for the machine to start humming. All the technicians had fled, leaving me on my own. Just me and the apple blossom above my head and a machine quite capable of giving me a lethal dose of radiation if it decoded to throw a wobbly. Quite scary, if you dwelt on it, which I was trying my level best not to do.

In the silence, I hear the soft clicks, which heralded the beginning of my third session. Just twelve more to go. Twelve more 20-mile trips to the hospital for just 10 minutes under the apple blossom. And all of this, just to make sure that the aggressive tumour that was cut from my body a few weeks ago has not left any of its calling cards behind. Well worth any inconvenience, I would say.

Not that I am loving any of it at the moment. I could almost be regarded as ungrateful, for although the surgery was quick and virtually painless, the after effects are not and I have no way of knowing if any of it is normal. They say it is, but I have my doubts.
I have two scars, one for the tumour and one for the sentinel lymph node, and I know they will be tender for a while yet, but I have this huge hard lump, which hurts quite a bit at the moment. Doubtless, all will heal eventually; I am just running out of patience.”

Universal Amazon Link:  myBook.to/appleblossom

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