A rapid ride through the mind During the toughest periods, a cancer journey can be likened to a novice on a rafting expedition into the unknown. There is a journey to navigate which has a beginning and an end. An unfamiliar face, the guide, gives you a broad run down of the itinerary. On edge […]
Today we live in a self-conscious world where most of us attach at least some of our identity and personal worth to our appearance. With social media at our finger tips 24/7 it can be almost impossible to escape the traps of physical, emotional, material and achievement comparisonitis. A quick scroll through your favourite social […]
Only in relatively recent times has our western society viewed death as a somewhat mystical and taboo experience. It wasn’t all that long ago that our loved ones had to be cared for in their own home in the lead up to their passing. After the awaited final breath was taken, family and community would gather in the home and support each other. Death was embraced as an expected and […]
Your cancer type, treatment regime, age and pre-existing general health will all impact on your ability and readiness to return to work. Your Cancer Specialists and General Practitioner (GP) will help to guide you with your decision to return to work. My return to work experience It was about 10 months after my bowel cancer […]
You’re not going crazy If you have had a cancer diagnosis and are having memory or concentration problems- you are not going crazy! ‘Cancer fog’, ‘brain fog’, ‘chemo brain’ or ‘cancer-related cognitive impairment’ are all terms used to describe memory problems caused by cancer. For simplicity I will refer to these terms collectively as cancer […]
A cancer diagnosis, like any life changing trauma, will immediately enroll you into an extreme and unique self-development course. When your mortality, your future and everything you know about you changes- strap yourself in, buckle-up, and hold on tight. Life will never be the same again. But for many cancer patients including myself- it isn’t all bad news! In fact, […]
Knowledge is power. The knowledge that I’m talking about comes from an expert. Not Dr Google and not your cousin’s neighbour’s friend. And by expert – I mean a Specialist in your condition. You wouldn’t ask your nail technician to colour your hair. Everyone has their Specialty. Speak to your cancer specialist about your specific […]
Is there such a thing? If you have been in hospital for more than a night, you will know that Yes – there totally is! Planning for a hospital admission can be hugely stressful unless it’s for the birth of your first child. If you have a non-emergency admission your mind is usually preoccupied with […]
HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS? Parenting is one of the world’s most sort after and privileged roles. With no training manual, the role of parent comes with great responsibility and reward- and no sick leave. When you need a rest or a day off, your title of mum or dad continues. You are […]
Walking in a patient’s shoes, from the nurse’s perspective has been a hugely humbling and enlightening experience. Before I became a patient with my recent bowel cancer diagnosis, I would have described myself as an ‘empathetic caregiver’. Over the years I have had plenty of experience working in some of London’s busiest trauma centres. I have […]
