The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow

 

I little while ago I watched a mobile phone video of a friends little girl singing, ‘The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow’. It was absolutely gorgeous, really and truly priceless and a wonderful thought. The reason it was on Facebook this morning was because the child’s mother, the lovely Annie Emmerson who is known these days as a very knowledgeable triathlon commentator for TV. Annie had recorded and sent this darling little video to an old friend who is an old friend of mine too, Beth Davies.  

Steve and I met Beth years ago in our early days of triathlon when Beth was working promoting travel to, and stays at, Club la Santa in Lanzarote. Beth has always been so helpful in her work and on our first trip to Lanzarote looked after us with warmth and enthusiasm. Hundreds of triathletes have enjoyed meeting her over the years she is always full of humour and kindness.

Beth is very ill now and certainly can do with cheering up as she continues, for the second time, to fight Cancer. Her friends have rallied around her and I hope she is feeling all the love and prayers that are being sent to her. 

It knock’s you sideways when you hear of a friend being in such an unhappy situation and the worse thing is that there is not much you can do apart from sent good wishes and keep the person in your thoughts. 

I feel for Beth’s family and friends who are close enough to be with her while she is suffering from this relentless illness and I do know what its like because it sometimes seems as though I have been a carer the last thirty years with very little break between.  When Steve and I had not been married that long we went to live with his Grandmother to care for her after his Grandfather had struggled with cancer, we cared for Grandma for several years. Then with my Father who had lung cancer then that was so awful to witness, close after my Dad, my Mother suffered from kidney failure.  The next big trauma was with Steve’s dad who had cancer of the liver and then Steve’s mum who first moved to a little cottage next door to us for about ten years, before she moved in with us where we were able to look after her for twenty four years, the last few of those years were very wearing indeed and dragged on and on while she slid slowly down and down being able to actually enjoy life less and less until it was just misery. 

Being a carer takes its toll and at times is almost unbearable. It is immensely tiring and in the end people stopped calling in, as it becomes more difficult. The only free moments are when a kind friend or relative offers to sit with the sick person while you go out and find some peace quietly for a few hours. Steve’s cousin Sally and her niece Julia both did this for me from time to time and I won’t forget that kindness. 

It is depressing watching a loved one fade before your eyes and you can only hope that the little song from ‘Annie’ will make a difference, and that for dear Beth, the sun will come out tomorrow.