ROAD RUNNING see him on the Monday , because he needed to operate on me on Tuesday , as the lump was malignant .
Finishing her 30 th Comrades with Gina Hinchcliffe of Stella
I actually can ’ t remember how I felt after that phone call . I think I was operating on automatic , and in shock . I let my friends , family and work colleagues know what was going on , and I know that I was immediately put on many people ’ s prayer lists . Clive was in shock and came home from work early .
A New Fight
At the Monday appointment the surgeon explained that he would do a wider cut , and would also take out lymph glands under my arm until they found a clear one . He said go home and explain this to your husband . He also said that if I had a mastectomy , I wouldn ’ t need radiation . I knew I wanted to keep my boob – I am a girl and need those . Both of them . After all , boobs are works of art and protect your heart !
I could not believe that I was actually sitting there listening to a doctor say the test results cannot be disputed and that the lump was malignant ! My gut feeling had been so right , but I could not help thinking to myself that health-wise , I have always done everything right – ate the right food , exercised , didn ’ t drink too much alcohol and didn ’ t smoke – so perhaps I should have lived a less healthy life ?
I went home and packed an overnight bag , but I said to myself that I am going to do everything it takes to go home the same day as the op , and sleep in my own bed . I knew that I was facing Goliath , and that I would have to become David . I had planned to do six big things in my 60th year , but fighting the ‘ Big C ’ was not one I had imagined doing .
Testing Times
On 24 June , Clive dropped me off at Entabeni Hospital , because during COVID times nobody is allowed to go into the hospital with you , and you are not allowed visitors . After a mound of paperwork , I got to the ward , and then it was time for other tests to be done . I had blood and urine tests , and then I was wheeled down to the scanning section in a wheelchair . Here they injected colour into my nipple and placed me under a scanning machine . This shows where the lymph glands are situated , which enables the surgeon to remove them . From there it was back in the wheelchair with the porter driving . I went for a chest X-ray and an abdominal scan , as they were checking for any other tumours .
When I got back to the ward , I had to put on my blue gown and blue throw-away panties , and wait to go to theatre . I must add that I had all my usual makeup on , including red lipstick hidden under my mask . I finally got into the theatre at about 3:30pm , and when I came round again , the surgeon told me no further malignancy was found . He said I could go home and see him again after a week . I got home at 8pm and proceeded to vomit like I had just run Comrades . I did not know that anaesthetics do this to me . I was really ill !
Running & Radiation
On 30 June I went back to see the surgeon . He checked the wounds , and I asked , “ Can I run yet ?” He looked at me and probably knew I would run , with or without approval . He also told me that I now needed to see an oncologist . I could not believe it , as I thought everything was OK . He immediately said to me that he had told me I would require radiation , so an appointment was booked with the oncologist for the next day . I was told I would need 20 radiation treatments – one every day except during weekends !
A Comrades Marathon
Legend – BY SEAN FALCONER
With her blonde hair tied in trademark ponytails , Tilda Tearle is part of Comrades Marathon folklore . She finished seventh in 1988 , sixth in 1989 , fourth in 1990 , third in 1991 and second in 1992 , so she lined up one of the favourites in 1993 . She duly took the coveted title , and says , “ I just had to come first in 1993 . I remember the day quite well . I had a virtually problemfree run . I didn ’ t take the lead until Cowies Hill , with 16km to go , but had paced myself conservatively , so I had what I needed to run hard from there .” She broke the tape in 6:55:07 , more than five minutes ahead of Rae Bisschoff , also claiming her third gold medal and seventh out of nine top 10 finishes .
First steps to greatness … Comrades 1984
Winning Comrades 1993
Tilda started running in 1983 and ran her first Comrades a year later . “ There was a guy in the office where I worked who was running Comrades in 1983 . He was always on about it ! I then said to him that I would start running and run it the following year . He was quite sceptical , but after a few months he realised that he had competition ,” says Tilda . He took her to join Savages Athletic Club in Durban , and she has been a member ever since . A year later , Tilda beat her office colleague by a full hour-and-a-half in the 1984 Comrades .
While the Comrades has been her main focus , Tilda also finished second in the Two Oceans Marathon in 1993 and third in 1991 , and ran her best marathon time of 2:48 at the old Ford Marathon in Durban . In 2017 Tilda became just the second woman to complete the Comrades 30 times , and as an avid long distance swimmer , she has also completed the Midmar Mile 22 times . She still runs regularly , notably with the Regent Harriers in Durban North , where she is a proud member of the ‘ TAFTA Express ’ group . “ We ’ re named after the welfare organisation The Association For The Aged ,” she explains with a chuckle .
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