Sleep.

Well, pretty much over these last few weeks my time has either been spent sleeping or thinking about sleep. I have been doing 3 slightly reduced days at work per week for a couple of weeks now and finding it really hard going. I had hoped to be up to 4 days in the next couple of weeks but after admitting that I was struggling it has been agreed that I should slow down my return to work. I may do more working from home or perhaps do a few less hours and hopefully that should mean I will have more control over life outside of work. Being so tired all the time has really got me down this last week and I don't want to arrange to do anything outside of work just so that I can take it easy and catch up on kip. I really can't keep that up long term, hence slowing down the return to work.

But, through working normality seems to be returning.
You would therefore think that I would want to put breast cancer far behind me and move on. Oh no, not me!!!! This weekend I have been to a younger women's forum run by breast cancer care. It was a 2 day event with talks on medical updates, diet and exercise after treatment, fertility and adoption, coping with uncertainty, and of course the mini makeover and mini manicures. I was put up in a hotel for a night in Leeds and there was an evening meal to get to know other women. I was able to meet others who had finished treatment about the same time as me and was reassured that how I am feeling at the moment is normal; most are not planning on going back to work till the new year so I am doing pretty well. I was still almost the youngest there even though it was supposed to be a younger women's forum - the majority being in their 40's. It was a really fab weekend all in all, especially after I had umm-ed and ahh-ed about going as it was time to move on, but I am really glad I went.

I also have signed up as a Macmillian patient volunteer to get involved in various things for them. My first assignment has just been sent to me in the post. I am to read and review the book "Breast Cancer for Dummies" so they can know whether it is useful, reliable, interesting and whether I would recommend it to others etc.

I have only started on a few pages so far. It seems like it will be quite good and its refreshing seeing it in the "for dummies" format. However, I am already getting annoyed by the "American-ness" of the book; talking about cheerleading squads and yes ma'am's and general American biased things. Grrr, it's really annoying but well a reviewers work is never done and I must just read-past that!