My friend Briony: 1970 – 2020

My friend Briony died on the morning of 2 July 2020. Briony wasn’t her real name, but I know she would have loved the pseudonym. I’ve kept thinking I… My friend Briony: 1970 – 2020 (Update on new blog. Click to read.)

Death, family, grief

Following on from my last post, this is just a way of letting it out really and trying to make sense of what is happening right now. I’ve been … Death, family, grief (Post on my new blog – click link above to read)

The grief of the not-yet-happened

Yesterday (well, now the day before yesterday as I never seem to sleep much during lockdown) Briony woke up and she couldn’t feel her legs. She … The grief of the not-yet-happened (Full post on my new blog – click link to read)

Breast cancer clinic

I’m sitting here waiting for my breast exam. I’m working from home today so I am wearing non work clothes, just jeans and scruffs. I had to fill in a form just now and it struck me what a juxtaposition there is between my shoes (DNA patterned TOMS) and the fact that there’s a whole…

R2W7D4: Zumbaaaaa and the fundamental goodness of people

Well I got back into my groove, I think. Just in time for girls night out on Friday! Weight: -0.3kg. Okay. Right direction. Breakfast: Green smoothie. Lunch: Packed lunch salad! As ever. It was a two egg one so very proteiny and it was good even though I had to eat it by myself in…

F*** cancer

My friend has just been diagnosed with cancer for the third time. The first time was years ago, before I knew her. The second time was about two years ago, or maybe three. It was before B was born and we were trying to have a baby. Back in those days we were positive, because…

Saying goodbye

(This refers to my previous post, entitled Today.) It’s taken me a few days thinking and processing M’s passing and her funeral that I went to last week. And honestly, it’s just too hard and I wouldn’t do it justice, so here are some messages I sent to friends about it. Went to the funeral…

Today

I received a text message from my old uni flatmate this morning. “Sad news. Call me. x” I thought – this is it. She’s gone into a hospice. Our other uni flatmate M, and her best friend – has had lung cancer. (Did you know lung cancer is the #1 killer cancer? And yet it’s…

How to help a friend going through chemo?

A friend of mine has cancer. It had to happen sooner or later, because statistically it’s likely to happen to 1 in 3 of us I think – or even more. And one of my friends has already beaten some fairly depressing statistics, being told she had terminal cancer, then a 10% chance of survival,…