"Calm, calm . . ."

Lots of yoga breathing over here today . . . because today brings the joy of 'the results appointment', in other words the full diagnosis. By mid-afternoon, I will have learned the exact nature of the malignancy Massive Inconvenience that had the audacity to take up temporary residence in the temple that is my body. (Ahem.)

I'm hovering between displacement activities, meditation and what-not and all I can think of is Robert Lindsay in the 1991 television drama serial, GBH - an incisive piece of writing from Alan Bleasdale. Lindsay's portrayal of Michael Murray, an ambitious and ruthless local politician, with more than a hint of Derek Hatton about him, was a tour de force. Those of you who remember the serial may recall that, at times of intense stress, Lindsay/Murray would mutter, often through a rictus smile, the words: "Calm, calm . . ." Or was it the teacher, Jim Nelson (played by Michael Palin) who steadied himself in this way? See, this is what happens post-dollop of anaesthetics - brain fog. 

So, as the Dear Daughter whisks me along the leafy lanes the afternoon en route to Musgrove Park, I will be attempting to achieve a zen-like state, using whatever means I can, even memories of television production from two decades ago.

While I'm on the subject of television, I just want to mention Downton Abbey, ITV1's current Sunday night blockbuster, period drama serial. It arrived on our screens last weekend, with a cast of Britain's finest thesps and no apparent expense spared, it would seem, on its promotional budget.

The Dear Daughter and I watched and waited for it to get better. But it didn't and we had to do a lot of hanging around and tea-making during the seemingly interminable adverts. The characters were all straight out of country house / period drama central casting. And it had one of those patronising, written-for-numpties scripts; you know the kind, where almost every single cultural, social and historical reference is explained by one of the characters because we, the audience, are obviously too ignorant to know what they mean or too dim to work them out for ourselves. Honestly, I'd rather watch reruns of Upstairs, Downstairs on daytime telly (which is allowed when one is in the recovery position). 

Needless to say, Alan Bleasdale was not responsible for the script. As if. But he did write Boys from the Blackstuff, probably the finest drama broadcast by the BBC in the 1980s. After wasting 90 minutes on Downton Abbey, I discovered that we could have been watching the first episode of Boys from the Blackstuff, which BBC4 is screening again on Sunday evenings. It's not available on iPlayer, sadly, so no chance of catching up but no matter; come next Sunday, I know what I'll be watching. Yosser rules, OK?

Comments

[Lizzie]

Wishing you lots of luck. x

[colleen]

I can normally suffe codswallop on Sunday evening along with a small glass of something, but even I drew the line at said period drama.

Will be thinking positive things this afternoon...

[Sally]

I wish you well at the appointment, well as it's breakfast time here in New Zealand, your appointment will have been already; I hope the news is good. I appreciate your need for divertissements, shame the new series wasn't as diverting as it should have been.

[Vivian]

I know I am commenting late (being nearly on the backside of the globe will do that) but I am wishing you the very best and hope all went well! {{{{HUGS}}}}

[Dancing Beastie]

My late mother-in-law used to murmur 'Gently and Calmly' to her children apparently, when they were behaving anything but. A couple of days ago I found myself absolutely ROARING it at my 4 yr old in the playground. Lead by example and all that...

Hope the visit went well?

[Nancy]

I sincerely hope your appointment went well. Please keep us updated.

[Di Foden]

Hi, my appointment is on Thursday (I have bowel cancer which has spread somewhat, they reckon). I'm blogging my experiences too - I live in Mallorca and that adds its little eccentricities to the whole process - in the hope of de-mystifying it for other people who might be scared too.

You can see how I'm faring at www.twocrumbliesandacat.blogspot.com

Good Luck xx