26/10/2026
❤️🩹 TEAM MIKE – THANK YOU ❤️🩹
After everything we have been through, I can finally say that Mike's cancer operation is over. 🙏
Following Thursday's heartbreaking disappointment, when his operation was cancelled after seven exhausting hours of waiting, today we had to find the courage to go through it all over again.
At 12 o'clock this afternoon, I watched Mike being taken into theatre for one of the biggest and most frightening battles of his life.
Seven hours. Seven incredibly long hours.
Seven hours of waiting, worrying, watching the clock and wondering what was happening behind those theatre doors.
I cannot describe how slowly time passed. Every minute felt like an hour. Every time I looked at my phone, I hoped it would ring with some news.
My mind was full of questions. Was he okay? Was the operation going well? Were there complications? Would they manage to remove the cancer? Would his nerves be saved?
I tried so hard to stay strong, but inside I was absolutely terrified.
At around 7pm, after seven hours of surgery, Mike's operation was finally finished. 🙏
His cancerous salivary gland has been removed, along with many more lymph nodes than the four we had originally expected.
It was a huge, complicated operation, and although the surgery is now behind him, we know that his recovery will be another difficult journey.
Seeing someone you love go through something like this is heartbreaking beyond words.
There is nothing worse than watching the person you love suffer and knowing that, no matter how desperately you want to, you cannot take their pain away.
I wouldn't wish this nightmare on my worst enemy. Not the cancer diagnosis, not the fear, not the endless hospital appointments, not the surgery, not the uncertainty of what tomorrow might bring.
Cancer doesn't just affect the person diagnosed. It turns the whole family's world upside down.
It steals your peace, your sleep, your plans, and sometimes even your ability to think about anything other than the next hospital appointment or test result.
Over the past few months, there have been moments when I have felt completely exhausted, frightened and emotionally overwhelmed.
I have tried to be strong for Mike, to keep everything together, to smile when I wanted to cry, and to carry on when all I really wanted was for our normal life to come back.
But tonight, more than anything, I am grateful that Mike has made it through those seven hours of surgery.
We still have so many unanswered questions. We still have to wait, heal, recover and face whatever comes next.
But tonight, we have taken one enormous step forward. 🙏
❤️ AND NOW, SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF YOU... ❤️
From the very bottom of my heart, THANK YOU.
Thank you to every single person who has messaged us, hugged us, checked on us, prayed for Mike, thought about us or simply asked how we were coping.
❤️ To all my wonderful clients, thank you for your kindness, patience, understanding and for continuing to check on me even while you have your own lives and worries. Some of you have become so much more than clients. You have become friends, and your kindness has touched my heart more than you will ever know.
❤️ To the amazing people at DotScan (ServicePoint), thank you for thinking of us, checking on us and showing us such genuine care and compassion.
❤️ To all our lovely neighbours, thank you for being there, for your messages, your concern and for reminding us that we are surrounded by good-hearted people.
❤️ To our friends, near and far, thank you for every hug, every phone call, every message and every moment you have made us feel that we are not facing this alone.
Some of you may not even realise how much your smallest gestures have meant to us.
A simple message saying "How is Mike?" or "Are you okay?" can mean the world when you are going through one of the darkest periods of your life.
Without all of you, this journey would feel so much lonelier, emptier and harder to bear.
You cannot imagine how much strength your love and support have given us.
And I am sorry if I haven't replied to every message. Please believe me when I say I have read them, appreciated them and carried your kind words with me through these difficult days.
Sometimes I simply haven't had the emotional energy to find the right words.
Tonight, I am tired. Emotionally, physically and mentally exhausted.
But I am also incredibly thankful.
Thankful that Mike is still fighting.
Thankful that the operation is behind us.
Thankful for the medical team who spent seven hours operating on him.
And thankful that, during one of the most frightening times of our lives, we have discovered just how many wonderful people are standing beside us. ❤️
Our biggest wish now is for Mike to recover, regain his strength and for us to have our ordinary, peaceful life back.
A life where we can wake up without fear. Where hospital appointments don't control our days. Where we can make plans again without wondering what the next phone call will bring.
I don't need anything extraordinary. I just want my husband healthy, happy and home with us. ❤️
We know this battle is not over, but tonight we are holding on to hope.
One day at a time. One step at a time. Together. ❤️🩹
Please continue to keep Mike in your thoughts as he begins his recovery. 🙏
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing beside us when we have needed it most. We will never forget your kindness.
With all our love and gratitude,
Anna & Mike ❤️
❤️🩹 TEAM MIKE – STRENGTH • TREATMENT • RECOVERY • HOPE ❤️🩹
