• Health,  Pain,  Slider

    Chronic Pain & Me

    In December 2017 I was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer for the first time. I didn’t know what “having cancer” would entail and I never expected the level of pain that it would cause me both physically and emotionally. Although I managed to find myself in remission from the cancer itself, it left me with a stark reminder of it: constant pain. We flew through the basic pain killers going from paracetamol to morphine to fentanyl pretty quickly as well as drugs like Gabapentin to try and control the neuropathy that formed in my feet initially due to the chemotherapy. By the time I finished treatment the neuropathy began to spread…

  • Books,  Lifestyle,  Slider

    Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

    Talking to Strangers is the latest book out by Malcolm Gladwell, investigative journalist. This book examines the way we navigate the world in our attempts to make out strangers, who are they, do they pose any threat to me? Etc. It also examines the ways we fail to make sense of them. Gladwell breaks down the tragic story of Ms. Sandra Bland, and why being pulled over for a routine traffic stop, ended in her taking her own life three days later in a jail cell hundreds of miles from home.

  • Books,  Lifestyle,  Slider

    The Lies We Tell by Niki MacKay

    The Lies We Tell is the second Madison Attallee book by Niki MacKay. Niki has rapidly become one of my favourite crime thriller authors across her three novels so far due not only to great stories and some really clever twists but some brilliant pacing and the use of multiple character vantage points to create a world that doesn’t just lay flat on the pages, it springs into life in your head and, lucky for us, we are getting to access for a while.

  • Books,  Lifestyle,  Slider

    I, Witness by Niki MacKay

    I witness is the first book that introduces us to Madison Attalee, former Police detective who lost her job, her marriage and her family to the bottom of a bottle. Having managed to get clean, she has started her own private investigation firm and although she’s been getting some work she suddenly find’s herself in a meeting with a new client from a case she worked with the Police, a murder case. Only the perpetrator Kate Reynold’s sits in front of Madison and says she thinks she’s innocent...

  • Books,  Lifestyle,  Slider

    Found Her by N. J. MacKay

    Hi book worms! This is a full in depth review of Found Her by N. J MacKay spoilers and all, so do be careful reading if you don’t want the spoilers! I found Niki MacKay through a podcast that she is a co-host on with two other authors (Elle Croft and Victoria Selmen) called Crime Girl Gang that I adore. Found her is Niki’s third novel, the first two are based on the same lead character but Found Her takes a break from Madison Attalee to focus on Eve Moriarty.

  • Family,  Mental Health,  Slider

    1,825

    There are 1,825 days in five calendar years. Did you know that? Does that seem like a lot of time to you? Or like less than you had imagined? Have you achieved all you wanted in the last five years? Do you wish you had achieved more, or spent more time doing something that sets your soul alight? Are you happy? In the last 1,825 days I have gone from having one child to two. From being single to married. From healthy to sick. Life changed for us on a sixpence. The day my beautiful sunshine Isla was born, so to came the news that something was there that shouldn’t…

  • Gynae Cancers,  Slider

    Ovarian Cancer

    My really good friend Stephie Langford endured the hell of Ovarian Cancer when she was in her early 20’s. She managed to beat the odds and smash stage three Ovarian cancer. She is one hell of a woman for managing to take on and beat her cancer. Lots of love to you Stephie xx  The aim of this post is to hopefully help empower you guys to know what to look out for, to understand what it is and how it might affect your body. Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women. It occurs in the ovaries which are located low down in the tummy,…

  • Cancer,  Colostomy,  Health,  Mental Health,  Slider

    Telling it As it is

    Now, every time I witness a strong person, I want to know: What darkness did your conquer in your story? Mountains do not rise without earthquakes ~ Katherine Mackenett Tuesday, 19th December 2017 The day that the darkness began. This was the day that I first heard the word cancer. That I saw the look on the doctors face and I first asked if I was going to die. The day I phoned my mum and sobbed down the phone to her “What if I am dying Mum?”. This was the day in my history that will forever be written as the one that the C-bomb exploded on, casualties still…

  • Cancer,  Health,  Mental Health,  Slider

    Remission

    This part of my life is something that is worthy of more than one insta post. It’s massive, beyond all understanding. It was entirely unexpected and triggered a whole host of wild emotions. Elation, total pure joy, disbelief, fear. Remission was unexpected. I remember being told that the cancer was incurable and asking if remission was a possibility. My oncologist told me that it wasn’t, the term remission was usually held for cancers like leukaemia, not cervical. It was then she told me that the cancer was “life shortening” (her exact words) and she progressed to give me 5 years left to live. That moment is one that will be…

  • Baby,  Creative Writing,  Family,  Motherhood,  Slider

    An Ode To a Bubbalum

    And now for something completely different! I’m not usually a poet, but, the other night my tiniest girl was having trouble sleeping, and it just sort of popped into my head. Who knows where it came from, but didn’t Percey Shelley do some of his best writing on opiates or something? I’ll not be the poet laureate anytime soon, but I thought it was rather fun and that I’d share x