I’m back in the office today after an odd couple of weeks. I ended up getting my second treatment postponed due to a wrath of side effects (primarily a pretty impressive skin rash, persistent headaches and blurry vision). I felt rubbish for a week, and was then put on a course of corticosteroids which helped hugely. I’m now at the point where I’m awaiting my rescheduled second round of immunotherapy in 2 days time, and I’m so desperate to get on with it! I’ve actually had a really lovely week, however, since feeling better, with a super break in Pembrokeshire over the August bank holiday weekend with my crazy, fun-loving, heart-warming family. Lots of BBQ’s, pool fun, beach days, and generally spending time with people that feed my soul. Watching Nate with his extended family makes me the happiest – he was in his absolute element.

I’ve been reading a really interesting, thought-provoking book – it’s called ‘Mind Over Medicine’ written by Dr Lissa Rankin. It’s all about the mind body connection and the research that has gone in to showing how the power of the mind can significantly influence the body in different ways. I read a chapter over the weekend about loneliness, and how people who belong to a supportive community (whether that be a religious group, a club, a geographical community, a large family etc.) live longer and healthier lives. It’s a fact. The why behind this is fascinating to me. Dr Lissa goes in to detail and I wouldn’t even begin to try and explain my version of it here, but she’s ultimately trying to get the point across that social interaction between human beings releases the relaxation response hormone, as opposed to the stress response hormone. We all know that stress is toxic to our health, but I found it really interesting reading up on the different studies that have been done proving this. What was even more interesting to me was noticing how I felt after spending a weekend with the Llewellyn’s!

I came back to Cardiff this morning with a whole different set of priorities – albeit these will probably last only a day or two before the normal routine kicks back in. But I found myself worrying less about the things I did before going away, and not getting stressed at certain thoughts that would have angered me only a week ago. Can really only a couple of days with family do that to you? It could also be a factor that the weather over the weekend was gorgeous, we didn’t have any sort of schedule to stick to, and I was able to spend 24 hours a day with my 2 favourite people – my husband and my son. Saying all that, and call me overly sentimental if you want – I do believe that spending time with my family is directly beneficial to my health.

I’m challenging myself to try and be mindful in the moment and check in with how I’m feeling, when I’m feeling it, and potentially why I’m feeling the way that I do. It’s all good practice in the art of mindfulness, something that is helping me in many ways to be present in the moment and enjoy every single day. I heard on the radio this morning, somebody respond to being labelled terminal as, “we’re all bloody born terminal, everybody enters and leaves this world there’s no changing that!” It’s true, and I often find myself at different times throughout the day feeling oddly appreciative of the situation I now find myself in – the fact that I’m continuing with my life for now whilst noticing each and every day fully. There are so many people in this world that don’t get the opportunity to re-evaluate and recognise this life that we’re all living.