VIPs for tea in the Whaley parlour...

Reporter: DAVID WHALEY
Date published: 01 April 2015


The Chron’s managing editor’s continuing saga of his battle with throat cancer

WE have been both the visited and visitors in a memorable last seven days.

Our visitors were local “royalty” – the Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham came to the humble Whaley abode; while our visit was back to the Manchester Royal Infirmary, scene of the latest stage of this amazing journey of ours.

The impending arrival of Councillor Fida Hussain and his boss Tanvir was something that sent Mrs W into overdrive. We got a call at the office a couple of weeks earlier from the mayor’s secretary, Nicola, to say that he was eager to see how my recovery was progressing. I called Mrs W at work to see if her busy diary would allow her time off to be there. That was a daft question.

She worked extra hours to make sure she was on parade and cleaned the house from top to bottom. I get that she is houseproud but I really don’t think the mayoress will be checking for dust under the bed in the spare bedroom. But I’m a man: how can I understand?

Safe to say we gleamed by the time the mayor’s attendant knocked on the door.

Yes, it’s pomp and it’s ceremony and yes, they were wearing their robes and chains - but that was because they were calling on the way to a more formal appointment.

The truth is Fida and Tanvir are two very caring Oldhamers who were kind enough to say they were following my reports week by week in the paper.

“You’re an asset to Oldham and to the local community, which has gained so much from the telling of your story,” said the Mayor, which was nice of him...

Oldham’s No1 civic couple had time for a cupp, and Wendy was ready with her ace card, herbal tea.

The mayoress had unsuccessfully tried to convert me to the stuff in the months leading up to my operation and we had acquired a significant collection of different types and an infuser.

In the end the mayoress chose lemon and ginger and the mayor followed suit (see, she IS the boss).

We talked about the recent weeks and the stellar improvement in my health; the busy year the Hussains have had in office and their plans to wind down with a holiday and some overdue gardening in the months to come.

Tanvir sympathised with Wendy’s efforts to be there every step of the way (she too has been an excellent sidekick) and was delighted to hear we have decided to take a holiday, to give Wendy a break before I finally get back to full-time work.

I have found working from home and email so much easier than being in the office, but I need to get back there — not least before they realise they can do without me (insert nervous laughter...).

As the mayoral limo pulled away we were quickly donning our coats to head for MRI, stopping for a fastfood lunch (another first for me) along the way to the head and neck ward.

I was certainly a lot healthier than the last time I had gone through the door; as we headed to reception I spotted one of the angels who had done so much to care for me. I called her - Rachel - and her reaction was a great big hug and a smile from ear to ear. She was amazed how well I looked.

We inquired where Bill, the man I had been asked to mentor, was and had to laugh when they told me bay 13 - the same one I had been in for three weeks. We walked the corridor to see him sitting up on the bed, two weeks post-op and doing great.

It was strange to see how the surgery had affected Bill - it was like watching myself in a time-lapse movie. It also made me realise how far I had come.

Bill was using a wipe board to communicate and hadn’t lost his sense of humour. HIs positive attitude was helping him take the small steps back to health.

Like me, Bill found having visitors for both afternoon and evening slots quite tiring, added to all the other calls on your day. So we didn’t outstay our welcome We left feeling uplifted that Bill was looking so well. Let’s hope the toothache and sore ears that are unwelcome side effects will soon be gone.

Empowered by such a positive day, we got back to Shaw and I jumped on the exercise bike to clock up a few more kilometres.

By the start of this week I was on the virtual run-in to the home of golf, St Andrews. as I completed the 452km. Result!

The biggest battle is to eat enough in the day to more than counter the exercise and put on weight.

Thanks to the Professor advising me not to cancel a long-booked golf trip and giving me the travel OK, I plan to put the all-inclusive food and drink to the test over the next week to be piling on the pounds by the time Easter is over. Life can be hard sometimes...

KEEP SMILING