As I pull the brush through my daughter Maggie’s hair, she passes me a hair band and smiles a toothy grin. ‘Here you go, Daddy. Remember to tie it tightly.’ Styling Maggie’s hair has been an art I’ve perfected, but I can still remember the struggle of trying to twist the hairband while also pulling the hair through, and Maggie giggling at my botched first ponytail. My wife Ros had always made it look so easy, but since she died, I’ve taken on the role of both Mummy and Daddy which means plaits and ponytails now fall to me. If the last couple of years has taught me anything, it’s that as difficult as something feels to begin with, eventually you’ll find a way through.
KINDRED SPIRITS
Ros and I married in July 2007 after meeting at university. Both teachers, she was my best friend and we were inseparable. Ros was committed to her career and I was proud of her when she became a head teacher. Because of work, we delayed starting a family. But after a few years of trying, our precious gift, Maggie, arrived in April 2016.
Ros adored being a mum and when she returned to work after maternity leave, she made the most of the school holidays, enjoying day trips to the zoo and amazing holidays every year. But when Maggie was five, Ros, then 42, suddenly felt exhausted, experiencing pain in her right side. After a lot of back and forth, eventually she went to hospital for tests. ‘There is a dark shadow on your liver, and we need to investigate further,’ a doctor said. Anxiety set in, and following a colonoscopy, a referral was made to discuss the results. ‘It’s bad news, I can feel it,’ Ros confessed that morning. Her appointment was that afternoon. ‘Let’s not worry yet,’ I said, trying to reassure her. But later, we received the news we’d been dreading.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 05, 2024 من WOMAN'S OWN.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 05, 2024 من WOMAN'S OWN.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
MAGNIFICENT MAURITIUS
Pe This istand in the ut 7% Indian Ocean feels Sa: like paradise, says Charlotte Richards
I HATE BEING A MUM
One woman, 55, reveals why she resents all of the sacrifices she made to be a mother
SLASH SUGAR AND SLIM
Trying to lose weight? With these clever tweaks, you don’t have to miss out on the seasonal sweet stuff
DAWN HARPER ASK THE DOCTOR
Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your questions
SEX HORRORS SOLVED!
Stop physical intimacy from turning into the stuff of nightmares with our expert advice
THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE WITH CANCER
More than 12,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours each year in the UK. Two mums tell us how the cruel disease changed their lives forever
DAWN NEESOM MIND OF MY OWN
The Woman's Own columnist has her say on marriage, tea and Absolutely Fabulous!
TRAPPED INSIDE MY HOME WITH A MONSTER
Gemma Williams, 46, thought she'd die at the hands of her partner
AMANDA TO REPLACE CAT?
With increasing criticism directed at the This Morning host, are producers ready to call in a familiar face?
Get the GOSS
Your round-up of this week's biggest showbiz stories