It’s that time of the year again when you
reflect back on the past twelve months and, after saying, ‘I can’t believe it’s
Christmas already’, you start to compartmentalise the good, the bad and the
ugly events that have happened to you. For me, this year - more than any I can remember since 1995 - it has been a real rollercoaster.
Also this year I met one of my writing heroes
for the first time – Ramsey Campbell. He did a booksigning, highly entertaining
talk, and Q and A at my local bookshop, Write Blend in Waterloo,
north of Liverpool. I then ran into him again (by design, not accident!) at the
Liverpool Horror
Festival in August – a thoroughly enjoyable event.
So, yes, there have been some ‘highs’ but,
sadly, on the whole, I shall not be sorry to see the back of 2015. It has been
a year which came in with serious health issues and is going out the same way.
This year, I found out I had an extremely rare form of cancer. It eluded discovery
for some time but at least it was still at the microscopic (as opposed to macroscopic)
stage and was therefore removed – along with a number of internal bits and
pieces I would rather have retained. But there have been complications. 2016
will arrive with another major operation on January 12th, followed
by Radiotherapy. With any luck, I may make our planned holiday to Orkney in
early June. I certainly hope so as it is a special one. My husband’s
grandfather was on the HMS Hampshire in 1916 when it was sunk. Only 12 crewmen
survived. 737 lives were lost. Lord Kitchener was one of the casualties, along
with my husband’s grandfather. A special 100 year commemoration is to be held,
together with the unveiling of a memorial wall and restored
Kitchener Memorial, and that is where we are headed.
I must pause for a moment now to pay
tribute and give thanks to the amazing team at the Liverpool Women's Hospital. This
is truly an example of Britain’s National Health Service working at its best.
From the incredibly talented surgeons (and three of them operated on me!),
through to the hardworking, friendly and professional nurses and support staff,
I was treated with understanding, dignity and the best of care. For some reason
which completely baffles me, this hospital is under threat of closure. It’s all
to do with money of course. Such high levels of care come at a price, but
surely we – the patients – are worth it? Thank you LWH. Long may you continue
to provide your excellent service.
Of course, I’m not the only one who has
been hospitalized this year. So many people I know have had a traumatic time
over the past twelve months, with serious health issues affecting them or someone
close to them. In fact, as I write this, I am struggling to think of one person
I know who has had a straightforward year! Is it something in the stars? Has a
curse been put on us? Not that I would attempt to compare our problems with
those in the wider world. Globally, this has been a terrible year for many
thousands of displaced people. I’m sure all our hearts go out to them, along
with our profound hopes that 2016 will see at least some kind of improvement –
whether it be a cessation of hostilities, or some kind of workable solution to
the crises that are causing so much misery, hardship and death.
So now my thoughts turn to the impending
new year. What will 2016 bring for us all? This time next year, will we be
looking back with happiness and reflecting on some brilliant highlights? I don’t
make New Year resolutions but, if I did, I would resolve to beat my health
issues into submission once and for all and get on with my life. I’d resolve to
return to writing scary stories instead of living one!
Lovely post Catherine! And wishing you a wonderful new year come 2016 :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Uvi. Hope you have a great 2016 too!
DeleteAll best wishes to you Catherine, here's wishing you good health and happy writing in 2016!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Frazer. My best wishes for the same to you!
DeleteCat my darling, a great post despite everything you have been through. Fascinating about the HMS Hampshire. ALl the very best to you for next year. May you shake off this one and get on the path to recovery. Mind now, if you are up in this neck of the woods.....
ReplyDeleteThank you Shey. All the very best to you too. We will meet up soon - somewhere or another!
DeleteMay all your future scary stories be fiction, Cat. Good stuff ahead!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Keith. Hope you have a fantastic 2016!
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