Ok, I have a confession to make. I feel deeply ashamed. After all the promises that I made in my last post about the wealth of blogging that I'd be doing to celebrate (celebrate?) breast cancer awareness month, I feel embarrassed that it's taken me exactly 20 days to write a follow-up. Why the delay ? Well, what with the cooking, the cleaning (and now that he's getting bigger, stronger and faster) the wrestling of Baby A, I'm currently experiencing a bout of baby-related fatigue. If you ever feel the need to test your levels of endurance and stamina after having completed four months of chemo and undergone a major operation, forget about running marathons, just have a baby instead. Add to the mix a leaky bathroom ceiling which turned into a full-on re-plastering project and a car crash (luckily a minor one) which left me with a case of whiplash and a dodgy back; you'll understand why it's taken me so long to get back to you.
I still found time to see the new SJP rom-com about a mother who juggles motherhood with her career and came away thinking, y'know what ? I still don't know how she does it, really I don't. 'Her' meaning those power-dressing, power-hungry women who manage to hold down a super-exec job while starting up a multi-million pound company from their bedrooms while also juggling three children and keeping their equally power-driven husbands happy. Who are these aliens who do such a great job in making the rest of us feel so inadequate ? And what exactly do they run on ? Is it 100% pure distilled vodka or better still, daily shots of Jamaican Wray and Nephew overproof rum (now that would be something worth trying...). I would love to know the answer. On a postcard alien women. On a postcard please...
But, at least I can console myself that I have one up on them. A super-exec I am definitely not. But at least I can proudly say that not only am I currently juggling a teething toddler, a flat with a crumbling bathroom wall (long, long story best left untold) and an imminent return to work after a two year break, I also have metastatic breast cancer and can consider my attendance to all those scans, surgeries and visits to the chemo lounge as being the equivalent of holding down a full-time job. Which means that I surely should be up there with the best of them ? But anyways, let's get to the real reason why I'm blogging today, which is not to have a moan about never having enough hours in the day as a new mum. There are truly enough mummy blogs out there which cover this overtired (excuse the pun) theme in a much more articulate way than I ever could. Let's talk about Ladies.
My long overdue post was going to high five a bevy of inspirational phenomenal women who have in their own small way, made a significant contribution to the understanding and awareness of breast cancer. Since we only have one day until the end of this month and therefore, until the end of breast cancer awareness month, I'm going to have to pretty much condense my high fives into a list of hasty shout outs instead. So here goes...
www.betterdays.uk.com
Set up nine years ago by Marina Raime, a young mixed-race woman who was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, this is an excellent and much needed resource for black and minority ethnic women. Marina spends most of her time campaigning and educating black women about triple negative breast cancer and how to spot early signs of breast cancer.
www.coppafeel.com
The brainchild of the very lovely and inspirational Kris Hallenga who was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer at the tender and unbelievably young age of 23, this funky site is aimed at the 18-30 market and campaigns to raise awareness of breast cancer among young people. Coppafeel travels the country popping up at places as diverse as music festivals and tube stations using gimmicks and eye-catching PR stunts to attract publicity and raise awareness.
www.fabulous-boobies.blogspot.com/
I should have a blog roll or list or top ten or whatever you call it. Y'know, a list of great fellow blogs. Because there are surely so many of you guys out there writing who never cease to motivate me or make me laugh or better still, educate me about what I should be reading or watching to retain some kind of sanity while dealing with this shitty disease. But I only have time to high five one today and so it's going to be Nicole of myfabulous-boobies. There are few black and minority voices out there in the breast cancer arena and even fewer of us blogging. So it's always encouraging to drop in on her thirty-something world of dating, dealing with her diagnosis and finding love after breast cancer. Always amusing, always heartfelt. Great writing.
So there you have it. I could go on. I should go on but it's late and I have at least two more blog posts to write before my deadline runs out and I hit the first of November and this website turns into a pumpkin (a what ? sorry folks, wrong story - that's how tired I am). See you in the morning...
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