From me,
to you
By Mike Burton
Dedicated to my wife and children
for all their support, before, during
and after my ordeal.
A Hard Day’s Night
You know I work all day to get you money to
buy you things*
The sun shone on the home that Susie and
I had worked so hard for. The home we had
made with our boys, Thomas and Stuart.
This particular Saturday morning (one I’ll
never forget) the kids were already up and
playing. I really needed that first cup of tea
and swung my legs out of bed and fished for
slippers, only to discover that I was trying
to get my right foot into the left slipper.
With all of this fidgeting, Susie came round,
rubbed her eyes and told me she’d make the
tea, while I snuggled back under the duvet.
Susie returned with cups of steaming tea.
Although by the time he got to his, Stuart’s
was stone cold. We shuddered when he
finally emerged from his game and drained
it in one. “Tea is tea” he said and disappeared
back into his room... There was nothing
strange or remarkable about any of this. It
could have been any one of a number of
perfectly ordinary Saturdays. But I’ll always
remember it; it was the last time things were
ever ordinary again.
8 THE VOICE | Autumn 2011
Mike Burton and his grandson
I am a neck breather. I was diagnosed with
cancer of the throat and spent two months
in hospital, including a three week course
of hyperbaric treatment and 30 sessions of
radiotherapy.
At the end of it all, I could hardly say
anything, and I was heavily disfigured. On
my chest there were wavy red lines running
from my nipples up to my shoulders where
the stitches and staples had been. I’d had
skin removed from both thighs and my
neck and jaw were a complete mess. The
maxillofacial unit had actually had to break
my jaw and I lost all my teeth. Over time,
there would be some improvements, but
traces remained to remind me.
Lovely Rita
Rita, Rita, meter maid, where would I be without
you?*
As for the surgery – I have no idea how
long I spent in ICU or HDU. I do vaguely
remember a vision of Susie and Andy (her
brother-in-law), who came to see me when
they thought it was all over. I know I wasn’t
a pleasant sight. Susie cried.