Living flat and recovery after breast cancer
I've been journalling every day since January. Each morning I've been dumping my thoughts out of my head onto paper. It's been helping me control my anxious and whirling mind. Usually I write about what I'm feeling and what I did the previous day. Maybe something about my therapy and the processing of my thoughts. … Continue reading Bread
Photo credit: Ami Barwell for Stand Up To Cancer Defiance – what does that mean to you? One dictionary definition is: proud and determined opposition against authority. To me it means challenging the norm, being brave enough to speak up for myself. Ami Barwell’s Defiance exhibition for Stand Up to Cancer shows the gritty and … Continue reading Defiance
I haven’t blogged in months. Not since the beginning of June to be precise. I was riding high on a wave of positivity; my image having appeared on billboards in Times Square and Piccadilly Circus. I’d been on BBC Radio London and made a repeat appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live. There were press articles … Continue reading Living my best life
At the weekend, Facebook reminded me that I started this breast cancer blog a year ago. When I wrote the first post, I had no idea what reaction I’d get – if any! I had no idea how blogs worked...and even less about search engine optimisation. I still haven’t worked that out and it did … Continue reading Weather report
What to do to commemorate the third anniversary of my breast cancer diagnosis? It's today, by the way - 22nd January 2019. I decided to celebrate, rather than commemorate. I celebrated being alive and being one of the lucky 1 in 8. I celebrated life and family and flowers. I celebrated by getting inked. A … Continue reading No tits and a tat
Anger is fuel. We feel it and we want to do something. Hit someone, break something, throw a fit, smash a fist into the wall, tell those bastards. But we are nice people, and what we do with our anger is stuff it, deny it, bury it, block it, hide it, lie about it, medicate … Continue reading The one about anger
How a joyous, yet poignant, visit to RHS Chelsea Flower Show reinforced my love of flowers but came at a time when I was experiencing acute anxiety, two years after being diagnosed and being treated for breast cancer. Two years on On Wednesday I spent the day at Chelsea Flower Show with Liam. Nothing too … Continue reading Flower power
How the anniversary of my mastectomy following breast cancer, reminds me that sadness and anxiety are unexpectedly close to the surface. I’ve always thought of myself as a glass half empty person and I’ve experienced anxiety and depression over many years. I’ve also been very good at catastrophic thinking. I mean, why wouldn’t I have … Continue reading Happy Anniversary?
