Author Archives: The Musings of Spu

When do you tell people that you’ve been diagnosed with cancer? Who do you tell? What do you tell people? Is this all in your control? Alt text: A selfie pose of a middle-aged white woman sitting in her wheelchair in the corner of a small, bricked-walled garden. She is wearing pink lip-gloss, a smallContinue reading “Revelations”

It’s four years on since my Breast Cancer diagnosis. Alt text: A selfie pose of a middle-aged white woman sitting in her wheelchair in a room that is made of wood paneling & floor to ceiling windows. She is wearing a white face mask, a black puffa jacket with a black faux fur hood, aContinue reading “Four Years On”

Who’s going to hold your hand through this Breast Cancer ‘stuff’? What’s going to help you cope? After much consideration, I think it’s others going through the same & being generous enough to share their stories. Alt Text: A middle-aged white woman sits in a sunny spot in her lounge. She holds a small paperbackContinue reading “Who holds your hand?”

I never knew Twixmas existed until I saw it on social media as a hashtag! So what does Twixmas mean to me & what do I do during this ‘in between’ period? Alt Text: A lightbox positioned on a carpeted floor in front of a real Christmas tree, decorated with baubles, felt toys & paperContinue reading “Happy Twixmas”

I don’t know how long I’ve been going to Whirl-Y-Gig but I do know that it’s the best club in the world. Alt Text: A selfie pose of an older white man & woman, in front of a white wall. Pale disco lights reflect on the wall, their clothes & their faces. The woman isContinue reading “The Greatest Club in the World”

Over the last few months I’ve been reading lots of self-help books and lots of books by people who have lived experience of breast cancer. It’s not such a horrific read as you may think! Alt Text: A middle-aged white woman with long, straightened brown/blond hair sits in her wheelchair, in her bedroom. She isContinue reading “Self-Help Books”

What’s it like going through a medically-induced menopause? Not fun is the short answer! I spoke with India Fisher about it for her ‘Be More Orca’ podcast. Note: Trigger warning – the blog, podcast & transcript talk frankly & intimately about the menopause, Breast Cancer & life/death. Alt Text: A cartoon of a blond hairedContinue reading “The ‘Be More Orca’ podcast.”

In mid-July I contracted the other ‘C’ for the third time. There’s so much stigma & arguing over COVID-19, that I felt it was better if I didn’t put any reference to it in the title, or the subtitle. How bloody ridiculous is that?! I’ve also avoided writing about it, apart from in my firstContinue reading “A blog about the other illness that starts with a ‘C.’”

Just as the title says, fatigue isn’t remotely like being very tired. I’ve discovered this in recent months. Alt Text: A black & white photo of a middle-aged white woman. She is lying on a pillow with a printed dot design. She has shoulder-length hair & she is wearing a small, silver nose ring &Continue reading “Fatigue – not like being tired!”

It’s showtime! How did I do as Breast Cancer Now’s first ever wheelchair-using model? Photo Credit: Breast Cancer Now.Oversize shirt & trousers from Primark. Blue/green Swallows necklace from Tatty Devine. Alt text: A middle-aged, white woman in a wheelchair on a fashion runway with other diverse models. They wear summer outfits. She has curly, grey,Continue reading “The Show Part 2”