Guest Blogger: Leigh Annell

Friday, June 12, 2009


I'm Leigh, a father of 4 and a very young 31.

I'm married to great lady called Jamie and we live in nice fixer upper council house. I'm a full time mature student although others would disagree, studying Media Management.

My connection with cancer is that of a battle, a real family war really, as before my mum had cancer we used to fight a lot and when I say fight, we were like two children in the play ground and as of a result, we stopped speaking for 4 years until the day I had THE phone call.

And then, after crying through guilt over not really being there, both myself and my mum put things aside and rebuilt bridges, united in the news and I got to know my mum again, not to mention vice versa. We attended support groups like the Macmillan Cancer Information & Support Centre and my mum, who's faith wavered a bit, started visiting church again everyday.

Although I didnt realise really how strong my mum was but with every treatment, every doctors appointment, she seemed to become more defiant and so as the cancer passed, it seemed to change two lives. And now we ring each other every day, if only just to see how much each others phone bill is.

I wrote this for my mum to read out at her support group and now has it framed in her bathroom, of all places.


NO TITLE

Never thought the C word
Would happen to me

My healthy life style
Salads and green teas

All this fussing from people around
Myself, I'm amazed at the new strength that I've found.

Thinking about things I've done in life
Wondering what would happen under the knife?

The thing about this sickness, as I strive to get better
Is that moments ago, I was an active go-getter

Family members saying "As we live in this day and age"
"The more and more people the doctors can save"

Sooner or later, as I lose my hair
I think I've got hats, so why do I care.

Radition medicine now that sounds insane,
Next they be wanting a peice of my brain..

Took me months to say CANCER out loud
I look back now feeling so proud.

Whatever "YOU" believe to help pull you through,
I've been there, I've done it, and I've beaten it too.

No comments:

Post a Comment