Rich and I bought a house! What an incredible feeling. Immediately after I was diagnosed back in June, my biggest fear soon became that, in a worst case scenario, I wouldn’t have anything to leave to Nate. I also worried about having a secure and stable base for my family during what was inevitably going to be a turbulent time.

Very quickly, we found the most beautiful new build property. Only a few minutes from my mum and dad, and within walking distance from where my step daughters go to school. Crucially, it would be ours to own. No more paying a large proportion of our salaries to a landlord, and no risk of ever getting kicked out with a months notice.

We moved over a weekend in between treatments. My mum looked after Nate whilst the rest of us ferried furniture and boxes to and from properties. It’s amazing how after only a few days, our house felt like a home. Warm and cosy, and just in time for Christmas!

The following week, we embarked on a family trip to the Big Apple. The 5 of us (Rich, me, and the 3 kids) spent 5 nights living it large in NYC. This is a trip we had been talking about long before the summer, but I was definitely given a kick up the butt to book it after everything we’ve endured over the past 6 months. No time like the present! Virgin Atlantic had a stellar sale on with £250 return flights to JFK, which felt too good to ignore. I had a rotten week leading up, with an emergency hospital visit after severe vomiting and abdominal pain. Dr F and the team at Velindre were amazing, and adamant that they would get me well enough to travel. I appreciate the value they put on these experiences when deep down, they probably wanted me to stay closer to home and not go galavanting across the globe. 

Of course I didn’t stand a chance at getting travel insurance. No one in their right mind would insure someone like me on active treatment – rightly so perhaps. Dad to the rescue! My super-dad works most of the year in the USA, and has a lot of doctor friends. They sent emails reassuring me that if I was to need any medical treatment whilst in New York, I would be well looked after. Along with that, Dr F made it clear that he would be on the end of the phone to his American equivalent if I did need medical assistance for any reason. I’m very lucky.

I’ve been to New York a couple of times before, but this was hands down the best trip. The fact I was there experiencing this incredible city with my family, made it so special. You notice a lot more around you, and take pleasure in the tiniest things, when faced with uncertainty. We stayed in a quirky loft in the East Village, and filled our days with everything you’d expect from a trip to NYC. The thing that sticks out in my mind however, is the amount we talked and laughed and just enjoyed spending time as a family – away from everyday life, and everything that it currently involves.