Filling in the Gaps (8 page)

In the hospital I was prepped and given extra pre-meds because of my fear of the operation, yet after two hours I was still wide awake and about to do
another
runner from the hospital - was putting on my socks - when they arrived with the damned trolley and I was off to have my throat cut! I woke up three hours later to see Sach beside me in my room and found out that I had a drain in my neck, which made me almost faint whenever I looked at it draining fluid from the wound. As soon as I saw Sach I just grabbed his hand and went straight to sleep. It was nowhere near as bad as I had expected but not anything I want to go through again. My surgeon said it was the biggest thyroid he had ever removed and they were about to cut my breast bone open to remove it when it finally came out. I feel faint just writing this! I am on thyroxin every day for the rest of my life and my voice is still very deep and husky and I cannot sing a note. Sadly, one of the greatest joys in my life has been to sing, all day, every day and everywhere - not a professional voice but I have been told that it wasn't half bad. Apparently my voice box may have been nicked and although I miss the joy of the singing I am more than grateful that there was no cancer. I tell everyone that I now know how Julie Andrew feels - only to be met by eyes rolling back into their heads - no compassion,
for Julie or me
!

My most recent big adventure was a family trip to Bali for Christmas, as was Mum's wish. For years, my sister, her husband and her whole family have had a love affair with Bali, the people, the way of life, the climate and the food - most attractions that eluded me after my first trip to Bali thirty years previously when Su and I were flown there for a photo spread for
Woman's Own
magazine. It wasn't a magical experience, since both Su and I had sensitive stomachs and both were also very sensitive to unusual aromas, of which there were a lot in those days. It was nothing like it is today.

We got the all clear from Mum's medical team and boarded the flight full of anticipation but not long after the plane took off Mum required oxygen and did so for the whole trip for various reasons related to her condition and medication which we could not have been forewarned about. The cabin crew were exceptional and on landing we were guided through customs and into our pre-booked car with a wonderful driver called Darna, who literally adopted Mum, even carrying her if he felt steps were too high or a path too tricky to manoeuvre.

Our first stop was in a lovely villa in Seminyak where we had two sections, one occupied by my sister and her husband and the other by Mum, Sach and me, with a beautiful pool in the middle. Beside the pool was a big, open-air kitchen where every morning the staff prepared a beautiful breakfast. Mum was able to relax with the help of occasional oxygen. There were lots of little lizard-like creatures - geckos - who scared the pants off me but apparently were harmless and ate mosquitoes. We were told not to drink the local water, so lots of bottled water was supplied. I kept forgetting and would clean my teeth from the bathroom tap - a huge
no-no
! I would then spend half an hour gargling with Listerine; after all, I had just had a ‘
major operation'
, as I say to tease people if they ask me to do something I don't particularly feel like doing! We also booked massages - even Mum had a head massage! For me they were more like torture, which made me realise it is the tickling and stroking that I like, which Sach does for me, and not the actual bloody massage. I kept saying ‘
Ouch
' a lot but everyone else was in their element. Sach just slid from the massage tables, which were all in beautiful open-air huts, into the pool and felt like he was in heaven.

The humidity was starting to make me wilt. I couldn't have coped without the air-conditioning and the insane traffic was terrifying to watch. Hundreds of scooters, some with as many with five people on them - usually young children squeezed in between their family members. Darna said that in most scooter accidents it was the children who were usually hurt because they do not wea helmets. That night we had a beautiful meal at a hotel, Mum included. However, she was feeling the heat a bit by now. We then went back to our villa and the air-conditioning. Sach and I decided we would explore the area on our own and being plebs we quite preferred cute little restaurants and bars to the more luxurious establishments. We found some delightful places but many were not air-conditioned so we asked to be placed near, almost on top of, a fan. At one steamy but fun bar we saw a beautiful kitten playing near our stools and a chap sitting next to us said, ‘
There goes breakfast.'
I nearly fainted! At most places a lovely cold towel was supplied as soon as one sat down. On the menu were some delicious-sounding
smoothies
and as it was so hot I drank two but forgot the consequences, because since I have no gall bladder that kind of drink makes an instant, one-way journey from my mouth to my opposite end! A few hours later that journey commenced with a few painful cramps. Fortunately, that was my only health incident. Sach too had one day when he was in bed with the worst fever and looked dreadful but the following day all was fine.

Meanwhile, poor Mum had a recurrence of an infection that blights her life regularly, so we decided that the best move was to take her to the BMI Hospital, which was not far away. It was just unfortunate timing. She was in good hands so Sach and I and Patsy and Carey took turns to visit her while the other couple went out to eat. The next night was our turn to go out so we headed for the highly recommended Potato Head Bar and restaurant, which is quite unique and lots of fun, except when I left my wallet with EVERYTHING in it on the back seat of the taxi we took back to the villa! As soon as we realised what had happened, Carey phoned Darna, our driver, who turned up in five minutes on a tiny scooter to take me back to the Potato Head bar, which ran the taxi we had used. I walked with Sach to meet him and he said that he was sorry but there was only room for me on the back and only one helmet - his! I noticed that when there are two males on a scooter, both in Australia and in Bali, the passenger never wraps his arms around the driver but hangs on to a type of handle on each side of the seat. Bugger that! I put both of my arms around his waist and linked them tightly as he took off at very high speed, weaving expertly around, between and almost under the traffic. He just kept laughing and patting my hands, trying to reassure me as I screeched every time the scooter tilted almost to the road! Thankfully, my wallet was found and was being held at the concierge. They are amazingly honest people, the Balinese. Then we headed back to the villa in monsoon-type rain. I was soaked but starting to actually enjoy the ride - well, he wasn't unattractive! When we reached the villa I staggered off the bike and thanked him profusely and gave him a small tip - of the financial kind - and thinking I was making a joke, said, ‘
We'll have to get married now we have been so close together on the scooter.'
Not even a grin, but he was the most special and kind man.

We stayed in two other villas, one in lovely Ubud, where we had a meal at the exquisite Royal Pita Maha - paradise - even though we were caught in a storm, which only added to the fun of the experience. Balinese rain is never cold. Then we came back to Sanur and were upgraded into a villa that defies description; photos do not do it justice. Once again, the tastiest breakfasts were made on the premises by always-smiling staff. We even had the latest, curved-screen television and were close to some of the nicest establishments in Bali. We went to the beautiful Regent Hotel one night for drinks and I was stunned when one of the female staff ran over to us and embraced my sister and brother-in-law, because she remembered them from previous visits - quite charming! There was also a trio playing in the foyer that was as good as any I have heard anywhere in the world. Mum was in expert care at the hospital but it was a very worrying time. Our last night in Bali was spent in a very lovely villa but I have to say that I hated Kuta - really hated it! As my GP says, it has a perpetual bad-breath smell. It was dirty and filled with little pesky men saying in a strong Asian accent, ‘
G'day mate',
and offering everything from Viagra to hash, or after looking at us, usually a boy rather than girl for a
happy ending
! I could easily have smacked them into the middle of next week - so annoying! We did have a superb Christmas Day dinner in the very beautiful Koris Restaurant, which has to be experienced to be truly appreciated. Later in the evening the lovely woman owner of the restaurant arrived and struck up a conversation with my sister and then gave each of us the most delicious cocktails. The incongruity of three lovely Balinese performers singing ‘
Jingle Bells - dashing through the snow!
' was a delight.

We flew home the next day but Mum had to stay on for a few days to stabilise her condition. Patsy and Carey also stayed and they eventually flew home with Mum who had no problems. Looking back - and I know I'm in the minority - Asia holds little appeal for me. I love a big city with its attractions all on hand. I guess I'm just getting older and not quite so adventurous; I still do enjoy an adventurous trip but probably more Disneyworld than Asia.

As I was writing this book, I showed an excerpt from an early draft to a female friend. It raised her ire so much that she suggested I take it out, because she felt my comment was too generalised and that I would be attacked on social media. However, now that I am in the final stages of this book I have decided to reinsert my opinion, because the book is about MY experiences and how they affected me, and if I am attacked, so be it! The cause of her angst was my statement that in my fifty-five years in the work force, it has been my experience that many, not all, issues involving persons who say one thing and mean another, or who stir up trouble behind the scenes, have involved women. I still occasionally experience this. Sacha agrees with me and can cite numerous examples. We both agree that if there is a falling out between men in a work situation they usually air their grievances, sometimes boisterously, but more often than not later that night they would meet in the pub for a drink! Conversely, most of our friends happen to be women or married couples. I stress that these are just MY feelings, which I feel entitled to express after so many years in the workplace.

One of the joys of our friendship with John Frost and Shane O'Connor is their kindness in offering us seats to almost all their shows. John is without doubt this country's most prolific producer and he knows ‘everybody'. Last year he received the
2014 J. C. Williamson Award
,
the foremost honour that the Australian live entertainment industry can bestow. Through him I was honoured to be able to meet Julie Andrews and also meet and attend a dinner with the legendary Angela Lansbury, who was nicer than I ever imagined. His calendar is filled to the brim with upcoming events, including Hayley and Juliet Mills
in
Legends
and the musical
Anything Goes
with Opera Australia, plus a combined touring production of
The Sound of Music
with Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian. And he has just announced
Jekyll & Hyde,
the musical, just to mention a few.

Closing Thoughts

I am grateful for many things. Sach knows how I feel about him and hopefully my family and friends know how much they mean to me too. I am also excited that in my seventieth year I am able to put pen to paper and leave a little behind me after I have left this world - which can't be too far away after the latest blood test results! Sach and I also
hate
seeing announcements being made about new buildings or projects that are scheduled to open in twenty years or so when we almost certainly will not be here to experience them. I am also saddened to see new little nephews who are just months old, knowing I will almost certainly never see their 21
st
birthday.

Never having had any children, we look to our dogs as our pride and joy. When I wrote my last book we had four beautiful dogs but we lost two of them, Rudy and Bijou, last year and I swear that I could not have been more upset if they had been children. I cried for days and couldn't go to work. Little Bijou had a heart attack in my arms and my dear Rudy lost his eyesight and would just keep walking into walls. As I knew his life was coming to an end I would get in the car with him and sit with him on the beach as the sun rose each morning. He could not see but he loved lying in my arms as the sun's warmth enveloped him. I even kept their little rugs.

Then late last year we received a phone call from our dog groomer who advised us that one of her clients, a lady in her thirties, had terminal cancer and had to give up her four-year-old dog or have it put down. Sach ran around to the lady's home and instantly fell in love with Charlie. The saddest thing was that as Sach was saying goodbye to the lady and she was kissing Charlie goodbye her ex-husband turned up to take her eight-year-old twins because she was also unable to care for them anymore. Sach too was in tears as he drove away. Saddest experience for that poor woman! She phoned a couple of times and seemed calm, knowing that her beautiful pet was fitting in here. We haven't heard from her in a while so she may already have passed on. Our other rescued dog is an eight-month-old terror called Marley, who is like a hyper flea but too cute to chastise too much! Both dogs are very needy and always like to sleep with their chins across our leg, arm or sometimes our neck! We simply love them.

Before I finish this epistle I thought I would let you know that I still haven't lost my touch for doing stupid things and doing them well! Last week I was having a drink with pals after work and munching on those really hard and very spicy, yellowish bar nuts when suddenly one of my back teeth cracked in half. So thinking I would be very clever and hopefully have it restored at the dentist, I kept the broken bit in my little pill container. How I hate going to the dentist - a little prick goes a long way - so I have not yet ventured into the surgery. The main reason, apart from fear, is that the other night I woke up with a headache in the middle of the night and in the dark reached out for my pill container, popped it open and picked up what I thought was a pill. I later discovered that I had swallowed the broken half of the tooth! I haven't decided whether to wait until it reappears or bravely call my dentist.

I hate to leave Sach out of this so I feel it my duty to add one of
his
little hiccups recently. He has so few, which is probably why it was a shock. Our neighbour across the road from us had a car on the lawn for sale for one thousand dollars, so you have a good idea of how smart this automobile was. We had only owned it for one hour when Sach ploughed into the back of a car - on the way to license the new car in his name. As soon as I knew he was okay I had to keep my temper in check - but really,
one hour
! We still have that car but there is a leak in the exhaust. If we are parked too long with the engine running, even at traffic lights, we start to feel a bit drowsy because so much of the exhaust is escaping into the car. So one day... who knows! We have never been able to afford an automatic car. The car John Frost and I owned had no hand brake, so we had to always park on a hill with bricks under the wheels and whenever we turned a sharp corner the horn would go off and a door fly open! We also still have our little
Matiz
, even though we can't start it, because it was the car in which we transported Debbie Reynolds and her late PA, Jenny Powers, around Perth and they just loved it.

I also feel that it's time to give Sach his credit as the host and organiser of
Morning Melodies
at
Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
. He spends a great deal of time researching, booking and hosting the events and with great success, as per the article below. I cannot express how proud of him I am. We even have people booking for the shows just to see him. I guess that once show business is in the blood it's there forever. He has flown onto the stage as the
Flying Nun
or as an elf or just as himself - a suave host. Although I am very proud of him I have never watched him host the show because I am nervously lying prostrate backstage in case it doesn't go well. I watch clips later.

Getting older is indeed a bitch. My youngest sister, Patsy Gaye, fifteen years younger than me, enters hospital next week to have both breasts removed because she has the same gene as Angelina Jolie, which means she has a 97% chance of developing breast cancer without the operation. She is much braver than me and her quite frightening decision is an inspiration to others. So there are challenging times ahead with all of our family health issues but my amazing support group keeps my head above water.

People often ask me what I would most like in my life right now. The most important thing would be good health for me as well as for my family and friends, and to be financially secure. On a lighter note, my biggest source of envy and biggest peeve right now is seeing people who are able to use the priority lines, especially at airports, where we invariably end up at the end of a very long queue while the priority persons just waltz through to the VIP club!

I thank you for continuing or starting on this crazy journey of my life with me. I am very grateful and I have enjoyed every minute of reliving it all and I hope that you have enjoyed at least a little of it. I will keep on being the eccentric person I
probably
am - no doubt of it, according to Sach - and continue to drive Sacha and others to distraction, but hopefully not
intentionally
hurting anyone as I do so.

I often feel as though I have an ‘
angel on my shoulder'
. The words of a favourite song come to mind as I finish this book. They have been changed slightly, but are apt.

‘Now, I've known the fears of seventy years I've had troubles and tears by the score but the only thing I'd trade them for is seventy seven more...'