There is Nothing like a Dame A novel by Bronwen Welsh Copyright© 2017, 2018 & 2019 Bronwen Welsh A sequel to 'The Might-Have-Been Girl' and 'All the World's a Stage'

Chapter 57   A nasty surprise

I was now rehearsing one of Shakespeare's plays that's not very frequently performed, “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry VIII of England”, to give it its full title. This play, which was titled “All is True” prior to its appearance in the First Folio, was a collaborative history play, written by Shakespeare and John Fletcher. It is likely that they contributed whole scenes, judging by subtle differences in style of writing. The play is also famous for the fact that in 1613, during a performance, a cannon used for special effects, set fire to the thatch roof of the Globe Theatre in London, burning the building down.

I had been invited to play the rôle of Queen Katherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII. She was originally the wife of Prince Arthur, Henry's older brother who died aged fifteen. It was because of her inability to produce a live male heir that Henry divorced her, and that led to the Reformation.

The play only covers Henry's life as far as part-way through his marriage to his second wife Anne Bolyn, or 'Bullen' as she is refered to in the play. Tactfully there is no mention of her execution, since her daughter Elizabeth, later a popular queen, was not long dead when the play premiered.

The part I was to play was not large but there were a couple of decent speeches, and the novelty was that they would not be familiar to most of the audience. Ironically, here was yet another play where my character died. This was getting to be a habit!

One advantage of rehearsal weeks was that I could go home to York every weekend. On the second weekend, I visited Emma and her family. In retrospect, I noticed that Thomas looked a little pale and was not as animated as usual, but I put it down to tiredness. If there had been anything wrong, surely Emma would have told me.

It was on Thursday of the following week during the lunch break at rehearsals that I had a telephone call from Emma.

“Harriet, I took Thomas to York for his routine checkup today. He'd seemed to be a little off-colour the last few weeks but nothing serious. Oh sis, it's back, the leukaemia's back again!”

I was so shocked, if I said it felt like an ice-cold dagger in my chest, that is a gross understatement. I couldn't find words for a moment and when I did, all I could say was “Oh Em!”

“He was going so well, and now he's back in hospital,” Emma sobbed. “Oh Harriet, I'm afraid I'm going to lose him this time.”

“Emma, I'm going to check with the director, Jeremy and also Duncan Morgan. I'm sure they can manage without me if I come up today instead of Saturday. After all, I'm not in every scene. I'll let you know as soon as I've spoken to them.”

“Thank you Harriet, you're a star,” said Emma, sounding a little calmer.

“I don't know about that but I'm your sister,” I replied.

I immediately sought out Jeremy and explained the situation to him.

“I'll be back Monday, but my sister needs my support right now,” I said. Duncan Morgan the CEO was equally understanding. He phoned Jeremy and they agreed I could have until Wednesday, so I called Emma back quickly, sent a text to Reggie and went back to the flat to pack, leaving a note for Dale who expected me to be there until Saturday morning.

I put my suitcase in the back of 'Bluebird' and taking a deep breath to steady myself, I headed north to York. Emma said she was at the hospital, so that's where I was headed. David had gone home from the theatre early to look after the other children.

Once at the hospital, I was directed to the Paediatric Oncology ward where Thomas was and was shown to his room. Emma jumped up as I entered the room and gave me a hug. “Harriet, thank you so much for coming,” she said.

“I'm not sure what I can do, just tell me,” I responded. There were tears in my eyes by now.

“You're here and that's what counts,” responded Emma.

“Have you spoken to the doctor yet?” I asked.

“I'm waiting for the specialist to come. I've only seen one of the residents so far. It was such a shock. I've brought Thomas here quite a few times as you know, so it was becoming a routine visit; have the test, wait for the result and then make another appointment for six month's time. Oh Harriet, I'm so frightened.”

We shared another hug. I felt embarrassed about what I had to say but said it anyway. I knew that Emma and David ran on a tight budget, so I just said “I'll only say this once, but money is not a problem, you know that don't you? Whatever it takes, don't hesitate to tell me.”

Emma blushed. “Harriet, you are so good.”

“Now don't go embarrassing me,” I replied. “I'm your sister and Thomas's aunt, that's all that matters, ok?”

Fortunately, the specialist arrived at that moment – great timing! Dr Anthony Daley had treated Thomas previously, so he was instantly recognised by the boy. Emma introduced him to me and it seems he knew of me.

“My wife and I had the pleasure of seeing you perform Juliet in Stratford,” he said.

“Hello, old chap,” he said turning to Thomas. “So you've come back to see us. Do you mind if I give you the once-over again?”

“Yes doctor,” said Thomas. He liked Dr Daley and it showed. The doctor checked him over, looked down his throat, examined him from top to toe, checked his chest with the stethoscope and invited Thomas to listen to his own heart through it, which Thomas loved.

“I'm going to be a doctor one day,” he said.

“That's the spirit. We need more doctors like you,” said Dr Daley. “Now I'm going to have a chat with your mummy and auntie.”

Turning to us he said. “I've had a look at his blood results; it's very disappointing of course, and worrying for you, but relapses do happen and there are other treatments we can do. Have you heard of bone marrow transplants or stem cell transplants as they are sometimes called?”

We nodded but confessed we didn't really know what they were.

“Let me explain,” said Dr Daley. “Blood cells come in three main types, red cells to carry the oxygen around the body, white cells which combat disease, and platelets which are part of the blood clotting system. All of these come from cells called stem cells which develop in the bone marrow. These are immature cells which develop into one of the three types of mature cells which then appear in the blood where they do their jobs. In leukemia, the cells don't mature properly and are released into the bloodstream too soon and can't do their work. For example, the immature white cells can't fight infection, and even with the use of antibiotics, this might not be enough.”

He paused. I think he was going to say 'enough to save the patient' but stopped himself in time.

“One of the treatments we can do and I know it sounds drastic, is to give the patient high doses of chemotherapy or radiation, enough to kill off all their own defective stem cells, but before we do that, we get some bone marrow, usually from a relative which is close enough of a match that the patient's body will accept it as its own cells and then use it to start producing cells which will mature before they appear in the blood.”

“We'll get tested for that of course,” said Emma. “Thomas has a father, sister and stepsister as well as his aunt here. Surely one of us will be a good match?”

“The donor doesn't have to be an exact match, but the closer the better,” said Dr Daley. “We prefer to use adults because we can take a bigger marrow sample from them, but if there is no other option, then a child relative can be used. We take a blood sample first and this is tested in the lab to see how good a match that particular person is. I suggest you talk to your family and see if they are happy to go ahead and then get back to me. In the meantime, we'll have to keep young Thomas here in isolation as he will become very susceptible to infection and we want to avoid that at all costs.”

He left us then to think about what we should do. It's always difficult leaving children in hospital by themselves, and when it happens without warning as on this occasion, what does a parent do? The hospital staff would set up a cot for Emma in the same room as Thomas, although she would now have to start wearing a mask and gown when she was with him. I offered to drive to Bridchester and get her a couple of changes of clothes and anything else she required. She had already phoned David so he knew what had happened and I phoned Reggie and told him too, before heading east to Brid.

I haven't mentioned Aunt Peggy in Australia for a while but I was in the habit of phoning her every week and telling her the news. Early the following morning was my regular time to call when it would be evening in Australia, the best time for her to talk. I emphasise this in case readers think that I only called her when there was a crisis.

As soon as I told her what had happened, she said: “Would you like me to come over again or is there someone else who can step in?”

“Oh, Aunt Peggy,” I replied, quite overwhelmed by her generosity. “We can't keep asking you to drop everything you're doing and fly halfway round the world for us. You've got your own family to look after.”

“Nonsense! They're big enough and ugly enough to look after themselves for a few weeks,” she replied. “Anyway, that's what families are for; we help each other in times of need. I'll speak to Ron right away, that's if you want me to come.”

“That would be wonderful, Aunt Peggy,” I replied.”I'm in York now and I can stay until next Wednesday, but they really need me back in Stratford after that.”

“Alright. Let me know for sure, but I'll talk to the family and start packing a suitcase just in case,” she said.

I rang Emma back at the hospital and told her the good news; heaven knows she needed some right then, and she was overwhelmed and I'm sure the tears were flowing again.

“I'll ring Aunt Peggy back after she's had time to talk to the family and if they are ok with it, I'll ring Qantas first thing in the morning and get her a ticket as soon as I can, either Business or First Class, whatever they've got in the next couple of days. If they've got nothing then I'll try other airlines.”

To cut a long story short, yes, Rons senior and junior plus Flora were sure they could manage. I'd heard that Flora was becoming quite a good cook, and Ron Junior could boil an egg in an emergency, so they were sure they wouldn't starve in their mother's absence. Qantas had a First Class seat available in two day's time, so I booked it, and rang Aunt Peggy with the details.

“You'll have to change planes at Heathrow and fly to Manchester, but I'll pick you up there,” I told her. Privately I thanked the good Lord that I had the funds to buy her a First Class ticket. Not only was it easier to get, but she would be more rested when she arrived. As usual, she chided me for making her dress up for the flight and told me she would feel like the Queen in such exalted company. We both had a laugh, the first one I'd had since hearing about Thomas, and I felt better for it.

David took Friday off and then it was the weekend. I would be picking up Aunt Peggy on Tuesday and she would then take over looking after the children while Emma spent most of her time with Thomas as long as he had to stay in hospital. Reggie and I offered her our flat to rest, shower and have meals whenever she wanted them.

The blood tests to determine if someone is a suitable marrow donor are specialised, so we had to wait until Monday to have them done. Emma suggested that if the children saw us having blood taken without squirming, then they would find it easier to sit in the chair. Emma and I being actresses helped us to keep smiling while the blood was taken, and David had no problems since he is a regular blood donor. The three children were very brave and got through it without too much drama. We were asked by the children why Stella wasn't having a test too and we had to explain that she is not a relative of Thomas, something I think they often forget. Stella has been living with them so long, they regard her as 'one of the family'.

The following day I drove down to Manchester airport to pick up Aunt Peggy. She appeared looking fresh as a daisy despite the twenty-four-hour flight. There's a lot to be said for First Class and it's a pity most people can't afford it.

It was great to see her again, I only wished her visits weren't always in response to a crisis. We caught up on what was happening in Australia. Ron senior was fine. Farming was what he loved so provided he could farm all was right with the world. Ron Junior was determined to follow in his father's footsteps, and Flora had decided to become a nurse. Even though that meant going down to the 'Big Smoke' as she called Melbourne so that she could train.

I told her what was happening in England and the play I was currently rehearsing, but of course, the main topic of conversation was young Thomas. She knew most of what was happening as we exchanged emails and phone calls on a regular basis, but somehow it's different talking fact to face.

Aunt Peggy looked at me seriously. “Do you think this is his last chance for a cure?” she asked.

“I truly don't know,” I replied. “We can only go by what the doctors say, and of course we need a good match for donating marrow for him. I think it will give him a good chance.”

“If you need me to be tested too, I'm more than happy to do it,” said Aunt Peggy.

When we arrived at Bridchester, the family was thrilled to see her once more, and it lifted everyone's spirits

The following day was Wednesday and I was due to return to Stratford after seeing Aunt Peggy settled in. At about 8.30am as I was loading the car I had a telephone call.

“Mrs Staunton? It's Sarah. I'm Dr Leishman's secretary. He's the Director of Haematology at the hospital and has been testing your family's blood. He'd like to speak with you, today if possible.”

When I explained I was about to drive to Stratford, she said I could come in straight away if I liked and he wouldn't keep me too long. I felt quite worried when I hung up the call. Was it bad news? Surely if they didn't have a close enough match he would have been ringing Emma and David not me?

I drove straight to the hospital, parked and entered the main building. All hospitals are like rabbit warrens, but I was directed to the right place and was shown into Dr Leishman's office. It was a pleasant sunny room with a large desk bearing piles of papers, behind which he was sitting. Behind him was a large bookcase packed with titles which could have been in Dutch for all they meant to me. On a small side table was a large binocular microscope with a camera on top. The only homely touch were some framed photos of a woman, presumably his wife, and three children, two boys and a girl in their teens. Dr Leishman himself was a distinguished looking man with greying hair, in his fifties I imagined. He stood up to greet me when I was shown into his office, the mark of a gentleman.

“Thank you for coming in so promptly, Mrs Staunton. Sarah tells me you were heading off to Stratford-Upon-Avon. Are you in the theatre there?”

“Yes, I'm an actress and I'm currently rehearsing a Shakespeare play 'Henry VIII',” I replied. “I've been given leave of absence because of what's happened to my nephew, Thomas.”

“Ah yes, that's the reason I asked you to come in and see me,” he said, picking up a report on his desk. “We've completed the tests, and I'm pleased to say we found two very good matches as potential marrow donors, you and Thomas's sister, Elizabeth.”

“That's wonderful news,” I replied. “Unless you see any reason to the contrary, I imagine I would be the person you would choose to donate?”

“Yes indeed,” he replied. “However, there's something personal I have to ask you, I hope you won't mind? While the testing was being done, we also do a chromosome test which showed the sample labelled as yours had 'xy' chromosomes, in other words the type shown in someone of the male sex. I have to confirm with you if this is correct in order to exclude the possibility that we were testing a mislabelled sample?”

I smiled. “There is no mistake. I was born physically a boy and lived as one until my mid-teens when by accident while working backstage in the theatre I was called upon to step in and play the part of a girl when the actress became ill. It was at that moment that I realised what I had been suppressing for years, that mentally I was female. It's a long story but basically, I started to transform using hormones and surgery to become what I am today. The one thing I can't change of course, is my chromosomes.”

I could have sworn Dr Leishman heaved a sigh of relief, but he concealed it well.

“Thank you for sharing that with me. It makes no difference as far as donating your marrow is concerned, in fact some studies suggest that male to male marrow transplants are slightly more successful than female to male.”

“There is just one thing,” I continued. “I was 'outed' by a tabloid newspaper years ago, they have no concept of keeping things confidential. I was a twenty-four hour wonder of course and then they turned to something else, and nobody ever mentions it now, in fact, it's probably long forgotten. Nevertheless, I hope I can put my trust in the discretion of all your staff so that the story doesn't get into the newspapers again? In fact, I'd rather not have it mentioned who the marrow donor is.”

Dr Leishman smiled. “We take patient confidentiality very seriously, and in this instance, you are classified as a patient. Any staff member breaking the rules faces instant dismissal.”

“I presume you'll be giving this news to the rest of the family today?” He nodded.

“Please tell them that I think it's best for an adult to face the discomfort of having the marrow extracted, speaking of which can you tell me exactly what happens?”

“We treat the recipient, Thomas in this case, with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation in order to kill off as many of their bone marrow cells as possible. This leaves them highly vulnerable to infection of course, so before we do that, we admit the donor to the hospital to exclude the possibility of something happening to prevent them from arriving to donate their marrow.

“On the day of the transplant, both you and Thomas are taken into separate operating theatres and given a sedative and local anaesthetic. Your marrow is drawn out by inserting a needle and syringe into the pelvic bone which is a good area of the body to access marrow. Thomas will have a central line inserted in the area his surgeon determines to be the best one. This is the only painful part of the procedure so we sedate him. The marrow will be inserted into his body via this line, and that is quite like a blood transfusion, so completely painless. Your marrow cells find their way into his marrow and start to produce new healthy blood cells. After you recover you may experience some soreness or pain in your hip until it heals.

“It will take a couple of weeks for Thomas to start making his own blood cells from your marrow cells, so he will have to stay in hospital and be monitored. You, however, will be able to go home once you have recovered from the sedation. I would recommend a day or two off, especially before you drive again. Do you have any questions?”

“Just one, doctor; can you tell me when the procedure will take place?”

“If you can be available in a few days' time, that would be perfect.”

“I think I had better go to Stratford and explain what has happened. If necessary, I'll withdraw from the production while they still have time to replace me. I hate to do it, but this is more important than a play.”

To be continued.