I haven't posted much lately (or at all, in fact!) as this has been a helluva year for me. This blog started off as one aiming to help new mothers in as many ways as possible but obviously breastfeeding was the main topic. Well, in April, on top of the Covid-19 pandemic, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It came as an awful shock and I'll not bore you with all the details, but needless to say I was devastated. However, I was lucky in that it was caught early and following surgery, all I had to do was take hormone blocking medication for the next 5 years. The medication has some pretty awful side effects, but I'll do anything to keep the cancer from returning.
What helped me most was writing. I know - that's ironic considering I pretty much abandoned this blog. But what I did do was pour my heart and soul into writing children's books and a poetry book documenting the pandemic, my breast cancer experience and just daily life in general. In My Head is a collection of my own poetry and is available to purchase now as an ebook and also in paperback and hardback formats.
I've always found writing to be very therapeutic; it helps me escape the usual worries and busyness of everyday life. For me, it also brings me right back to my love of the English language and reminds me of why I chose to become an English teacher many years ago. Although I chose to become a stay at home mum after the birth of my children, I am finding that I'm very much drawn to writing these days and who knows, maybe one day I'll even return to teaching!
Right now, I'm busy finishing the first draft of a novel I started writing before my diagnosis and which I'm only now ready to tackle,
so wish me luck! Onwards and upwards is my plan from now on. There's nothing quite like a cancer diagnosis to make you appreciate every single moment and to help you follow your life's dreams.
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