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I'm Carole, living in London, happily married and mum to two amazing boys.I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Rectal Cancer in April 2010. Surgery took place in November 2010 and I now have a permanent colostomy...Spinal mets were then diagnosed in October 2011...In January 2012 I was told of further spread to the hip area (multiple lesions)..My life expectancy is now 6-9 months. Walk alongside me on the last part of my experience with this..

Friday 19 August 2011

The Churchill Experience.......


On Wednesday I finally managed to prise Dj away from his PC ...(he's currently engrossed in an on-line game that he's been playing since the holidays started)...

Rab had a day off work so we decided to take my Mum, Dad and Dj to the Churchill War Experience Exhibition in Central London.

I knew Dj would enjoy this as WWII is one of his 'things' (things he finds interesting to the point of obsession) ...here are some pictures taken whilst we were there.


I hadn't realised that looting was a problem during WWII - people who took shelter in the underground shelters often returned to find their possessions had been stolen by looters! I actually think that's a lot worse than the looting that's taken place recently. During a war you'd expect people to be pulling together not robbing each other :(



Mum and Dj in the dressing up section - they have a variety of hats and uniforms that kids can try on


Dad and Dj....




Model of Churchill at his desk during the war years....


Evacuee's during WWII




After we'd finished in the exhibition we walked along by the River Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge and had a coffee...in the background here is HMS Belfast which is permanently moored on the Thames now...




As we walked under one of the bridges along the river front this sign below was on a door - Dj started to laugh and said 'When I was younger I used to think that sign meant that if you were in this area you could get stabbed'...

LOL! I do wonder about this boy sometimes y'know :-)

So we all went out, it didn't rain this time, forgot about 'c' and just got on with things for another day of our holiday.

Coming back home on the underground a lady got on the train, she was in her early 30's, with a walking stick and she had no hair plus was very thin and looked completely tired (chemo'd) out ...Dj looked across at me and just for a split second I saw a fleeting look of sadness cross his face.
He smiled at the lady and she smiled back and then we got off the the train - he immediately said 'Can I have a hug?' and that's when you know that even when you're trying really hard (all of us) to just ignore it, it's still there in my head, in his head, in all our heads.....damn cancer...

One month today until the next scan................sigh..................but in the meantime I'm still on holiday :)

6 comments:

  1. A great post Carole...so pleased that a good day was had by all. DJ is clearly a very caring and sensitive soul, you must be very proud of him.
    'Danger of stabbing in this area,' an interesting thought lol!
    The first sign on your post should perhaps be put around now!
    You are so right when you say that 'c' is never far away!
    All the best for next month's scan....and congrats on such a lovely family...give DJ a big hug from me!
    Carol

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  2. Hi Carole, I sometimes wish I lived closer to London, theres so much to see and do, and i'm pleased it's serving as a bit of a distraction for you at the minute, even though like you say....it's always 'there'
    You have a wonderful son, with lots of hugs to offer you, I often wonder if i'll regret not having children? suppose i'll just have to have my hugs from Derek instead :))
    Take care, Lynn x

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  3. Hi Carole
    J had a 'thing' about all things WWII at the same age DJ is now. Went on HMS Belfast, and also went on a camping holiday in Normandy specifically to visit the D-Day beaches (Arromanches etc) and museums there. They have really good displays in the museums (Arromanches has a 360 degree one) plus tanks etc parked outside. He bought 2 'replica' soldiers, about 18" high, with uniforms and weaponry that can be taken off/on. Also a helmet with camouflage which later, for a school theme day, we painted in UN Peacekeeping colours. Still have that somewhere. We must have watched Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan forwards, backwards and in slo-mo on and off for about 5 years! There was also a museum site, forget where, with trenches you could walk around.
    Oh yes, we did WWII back to front and inside out and every which way, including painting one wall of his bedroom in camouflage and another with a map of the Normandy beaches bought in France. And oh yes, spent hours and hours painting miniature soldiers in the British and German uniform colours to make a diorama.

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  4. A very touching moment on the train. I can only imagine what your eye's are open to when you have 'c' in your head.

    Glad the day out went well. Give my best to the family xx

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  5. Could get Stabbed in the area! LOL! His thought process really goes far when most of us miss the sign completely. Go DJ, you should get a job in marketing as your captions and ideas would be great! :)
    Glad you all had a nice day out. Wish I was there too but maybe I shall see you all after the tourist season. hugs xxx

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  6. Somehow 'it' just doesn't go away does it Carole? Souns like you did have an enjoyable and educational day though. What a caring, sensitive son you have xo

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