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A DIFFERENT HOLY AISLE

By Ali Bodie
Contact the author via Chris Johnstone by e-mail at christopher.johnstone@ntlworld.com

Ali and Leviathan on their wedding day

Who said a sick girl can't get married?

OK there are complications, will the bride be alive next month?

Will the bride have anything to fix her tiara to?

Is the bride in her right mind?

The hurdles we had to jump over!

I bought my dream dress and Leviathen and his friend Jonathan came over from New York to dress up in full highland regalia for the day.

Jonathan the best man is taking me to meet Zandra Rhodes soon, he thinks we are one of a kind.

My brother piped me into church, then a long delay whilst the organist went fishing for Marion Easton (of Whitefriars Perth) to lend me her glasses.

At last I walked down the aisle (helluva narrow it is you are fat like me). It was all lovely! And videoed by my nephew Stephen, homing in on anyone who blew their noses.

I must apologise for Benjamin Britten's version of "The Spacious Firmament on High" from Noye's Fludde; you had to go to St Columbas, Kilmalcolm to understand that version. I was a tiger, my school friends and my sis Elaine needed no instruction as they all played parts in the opera.

Elaine, my sister, was my matron of honour.

The reception was remembered for the slow service and my five year old nephew falling off a chair, Dr Graeme McCrory and my brother headed off of PRI with him but arrived back for the meal. Fast tracked because of the kilts, and Graeme probably stunned them with his mustard kilt socks.

We had to leave eventually as our guests were about gone, with the best man in the back and a big cheerio and more luggage than a Beetle can hold we set off in a shower of confetti for Edinburgh. Then I realised the boot was open, we had to stop, not a dignified exit.

Three days in Edinburgh are not enough for an intrepid explorer from New York, we did see the Rosslyn chapel which was wonderful. Levi bought a cashmere jersey or two or three and a Kilt from Armstrong's vintage clothing (he loved that place).

On the way home he spend two and a half hours in Stirling Castle, enthralled, whilst I froze in the car, no steep cobbles for me now. We both love Lord Of The Rings so anything medieval is our thing.

I have now lived so far beyond my prognosed three months, I kind of feel I'll live to be 70. However my scans dispute that. My ribs break for no reason, but not worth acting on as there is at least a months wait for any kind of "palliative" radiation. How can it be palliative if I have to suffer so long?

I've been waiting an age to get my 5 cm lung tumour radiated, I travel everywhere with a bowl incase I cough myself sick, but at last my name has come up for a slot, starting next Thursday. Oh, a night without coughing.....heaven.

And that's only if it works else I'm stuck with chemo which I have just neatly dodged so far.

So, taking it for granted that my lung responds I'll be off to Arran in April. I never thought I would see Arran again. Last year I could see no way of being independent enough to travel there alone.

Then Elaine and I and hopefully my Mollydog will head for Portugal, I have ten offers of rescue should things go wrong. Molly is getting her pet passport. She will love swimming in the warm sea with me!

But I know I will eventually have to go through the whole dreadful acceptance thing, I will NOT have my brain scan for fear of results.

Nevertheless I've gone seventeen months now, if I believed the net that is one month short of the eighteen month maximum.

Oh and I did enjoy the hoolet dinner and Alec Logan was so kind to make sure I got safely to my car.

I enjoyed my missing coat drama having a good chat with everyone! Here's to next year.

Other hoolet online articles by Ali Bodie can be found at:
hoolet edition 49 - Perched on her Electric Chair
hoolet edition 48 - A Different Holy Aisle
hoolet edition 47 - Swimming up the Aisle
hoolet edition 46 - Support Groups and New York, New York
hoolet edition 45 - Cancer, Attitudes, The Cure... Not!
hoolet edition 44 - Cat In a Bag
hoolet edition 43 - Swimming Against the Tide
hoolet edition 42 - Swimming to the Holy Isle
hoolet edition 41 - Swimming In De Nile
hoolet edition 40 - Breast Lumps and Swimming

hoolet is the magazine of RCGP Scotland. It is supported intellectually, financially and emotionally by RCGP Scotland.

This issue maintained by Robert Hallam.