There is a saying that tough times never last, but tough people do, so when cancer touched my boob, I decided to kick its a*s!…”
Here is what I’ve learned so far
– Cancer causes shopping – seriously, it’s one of the most dangerous side effects.
– At the beginning of your journey you will spend way more time making other people feel better about your diagnosis than them comforting you. Definitely stops you wallowing.
– Taking up yoga, meditating, burning candles and drinking green juice is not for everyone. Mostly made me want to smack some people (although the green juice is good).
– The music on your Healthcare providers authorisation line will become the music you remember – hope it’s not 80s elevator music like mine.
– My godsons have coined a new phrase “Cancer Christmas” – it’s the festive period when all the people who love you send chocolate, brownies, fudge, cupcakes, hampers, cheese plates and your neighbours give you a LOT of lasagne. (Side effect – no longer fitting into your new mastectomy bra).
– Trying not to laugh when your seven year old tells you the doctor forgot to put your nipple back on is a difficult, but not impossible, feat.
And the last trite but true for me saying – the sun never stops shining, sometimes the clouds just get in the way… and any cancer diagnosis is more like an eclipse than a rain cloud. But the sun is still there and every day throughout my treatment with the amazing Professor Zoe Winters and her team, it shines a whole lot brighter and the sky becomes clearer.
I think a cancer diagnosis inevitably changes you, and I’ve decided it’s changing my life for the better. I’m thankful everyday for my friends, family and loved ones who have done and continue to do so much for me. I’m so grateful to all the amazing medical professionals that are guiding me through my journey, but also to those behind the scenes that have discovered cutting edge medical treatments and cures, and help us fight this battle with such an incredible arsenal of weapons . I have decided to laugh whenever I can (mostly at myself) and bring a smile and some happiness to someone else at every opportunity – and if all else fails, every now and then, hide your head under the duvet, eat your weight in chocolate and wait for the clouds to clear again!