The easing of lockdown restrictions over the summer brought well needed opportunities for socialising with friends again, albeit still in limited numbers. The hospitality industry and its customers benefited from the Governments “Eat out to help out” scheme and whilst we were still all wearing masks in shops and on public transport there was a sense of things starting to get back to normal.

As we moved into the Autumn things changed. Possibly the consequence of the freedoms we had been afforded over the summer but infection rates were on the rise particularly in the north of England and there was increasing talk of the need for further restrictions to be imposed. During the summer we had booked a week in Norfolk with my parents for October half term. Mum and dad had volunteered to be part of a COVID testing programme so were being tested every other week so we had decided that the risk of them passing the virus onto me would be minimal. I was desperate that we would be able to go as my chemo was due to start the week after.

In the weeks before half term the Government introduced a new tier system across the country in an attempt to deal with the rising infection numbers. I watched the news with growing dread and kept in touch with my parents trying to work out what we would do in the event that they, we or all of us were unable to travel.

To my enormous relief we managed to get to Norfolk. Worried that the owner of the property would sniff out their northern heritage and ask them to return from whence they came, my fastidiously law abiding mum contacted the property owner directly and in an act of full disclosure warned her that they were coming from the “infected north”. She was not remotely concerned about that and was happy to proceed with our booking. Mum could relax. There would be no dramatic banishings on arrival.

Mum and dad were already at the house we had rented in Blakeney when we arrived. It was so good to see them in the flesh rather than on a Zoom call. The house was perfect, located just on the edge of Blakeney with a garden that backed onto the rugged coastal path. The views were beautiful, Autumnal Norfolk skies, seabirds and the salt marshes that stretch for miles and miles. Mum and dad had a bedroom in an annexe in the garden whilst Dan, the kids and I were in the house with Luna. We were very conscious that even though we had been able to get there we still had to be extremely mindful of the risks and ensure that we were taking as many precautions as possible. The last thing any of us needed was COVID but least of all me with chemo looming. So there were no hugs, we had separate bathrooms, identified where we would sit in the lounge and stuck to those seats. Mum even ensured that she kept the cutlery and crockery she and dad were using separate from ours. All so strange but we were together and that was all that mattered.

North Norfolk is one of my favourite places, we have been back time and time again and it never disappoints, I love the calming effect of its rugged natural beauty and big skies. We had an amazing week just being together, talking, laughing, eating delicious food and sharing a few too many glasses of wine and for those few days I was able to put my cancer and treatment worries out of my mind. Fresh bracing air and the company of those who mean the most to you is a wonderful tonic. We wrapped up warm every day and headed out. We explored Blakeney harbour and the kids went crabbing catching a massive haul in the pouring rain one day. We walked the coastal path from Blakeney to Cley and in the other direction to Stiffkey many times, Luna racing ahead through the marsh land trying to catch just one of the thousands of marsh birds teasing her whilst I put the world to rights chatting with dad. We enjoyed Holkam beach in the glorious sunshine (Not a bad beach for Luna’s first beach experience!) the kids leaping from the sand dunes and racing out across the flats to find the waters edge in the retreating tide. We walked from there to Wells, past the beautiful beach huts and made a short pit stop for much needed hot chocolates at the beach cafe. Happy, happy times.

Of course it wouldn’t have been a trip away with my parents without a car related incident. Whilst driving back from Holkham we drove through a rather large pothole and when we got back to the houses saw that the tyre had developed a huge bulge in it as a result. Luckily Blakeney is serviced by probably one of the most beautiful garages I have ever seen run by the nicest people (check it out if you are ever there) and they were able to order in a new tyre for us. Minimal fuss and inconvenience. Result!

Those of you who were brave enough to read my post op post will be aware that, following my surgery, I was still struggling with a rather massive seroma in my armpit that despite regular draining was refusing to give up. I had been having it drained twice a week in the weeks leading up to our Norfolk trip so the trip was going to be a test. We had already decided that we could come home early on the Friday so that I could pop over to the hospital on Friday afternoon and have it drained then. The big question was would I last until then? Mid way through the week the seroma was pretty huge but I was determined to last. I wasn’t at all keen on the idea of giving up a day of my precious holiday driving to and from the hospital.

On the Wednesday we were away I received a call from a very friendly nurse called Vicky, one of the chemotherapy nursing team at the hospital I would be having my chemotherapy at. She confirmed that they could fit me in for my first session for the following Thursday. They needed to see me to run through a few things and also to do my pre treatment blood tests and COVID test before then and by the end of the week if possible. She also told me that I would need to have a PICC line fitted (under the NHS I had been told this was an option but for the private treatment it was a requirement) and she would try to get that arranged for either the Monday or Tuesday. All of a sudden it was all happening. We decided that we would all head back to Hertfordshire on Thursday night rather than Friday morning. Dan was able to come with me to the hospital appointment with Vicky which we scheduled in for Friday afternoon as soon as I had been to have the seroma drained.

On our last night after dinner mum and dad told Dan and I to go and have a drink together in the local pub whilst they stayed with the kids. It felt a bit strange stepping out of the house together, we hadn’t done that for such a long time. We wandered along the road to the Kings Arms, put on our masks and checked in with the NHS app. We were shown to a table in the main but very small bar area. Strange experience sitting at a socially distanced table waiting to be served. I imagined what this pub would be like in normal times, full of a mix of locals and tourists, squashed in around tables and sitting at stools at the bar. With the new regulation spacing out of tables it was amazing they were open and generating any sort of profit with two bar maids serving what I could see were only about 10 table in total.

The friendly barmaid brought us our drinks and we sat and chatted reflecting on a lovely week and wondering what the next few months will bring us. Whilst we were chatting an older man came in and joined the man sat opposite us drinking a pint of ale. They were clearly regulars and Dan recognised one as the mechanic from the garage that had sorted our tyre. It was impossible not to over hear their conversation as we were sitting directly opposite them and were on the only tables in that area of the pub other than one more occupied by a couple enjoying pie and chips. They chatted about a fuel delivery arriving the next day and how they were going to staff it. Somehow our conversations overlapped and we started chatting to them. It felt wonderful, the first time we’d had a conversation with genuine randoms in months! We ordered another drink.

The men were both local boys and in the short space of an hour we had heard both of their life stories. In exchange we told them a bit about us and in the course of doing that I told them about my diagnosis and that I was starting chemotherapy the next week. It felt odd saying it all out loud. It was the first time I had told a stranger what was happening to me and all of a sudden I felt extremely vulnerable. They were clearly affected by what I said. They didn’t know me from Adam but I saw sadness and sympathy in their eyes as I told them how lucky I had been that I had found the lump when I had. When we left they wished us both well and said they’d be thinking of me next week. It marked a real turning point for me. Since meeting with my oncologist and being talked through the treatment and it’s delightful side effects I had pretty much put it all out of my mind. I had been able instead to fill it with thoughts of going away and enjoying time in Norfolk but now I had to focus on what was to come. I had acknowledged it with strangers, it was happening and I needed to get my head around that.