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It’s ok not to be ok

Fresh out of hospital after another major operation. Pedro was so beautiful that day. So gentle and loving. I think he missed me. Recovering from a double whammy with both my right breast mastectomy and my leg being used for the reconstruction. A good ten hour operation. I look at this image and I feel…

Sensational Brazil

Twenty years ago at the youthful age of 25, I had just returned back from what was to be the most epic challenge and adventure. A ten day charity bike ride in Brazil starting from Ouro Preto in the Minas Gerais region and finishing in Rio de Janeiro on Copacabana Beach. It was extremely hilly,…

Feeling proud

Yesterday I completed a super-sprint triathlon and I have to say I’m feeling really bloody proud of myself. There is lots that I have accomplished and achieved in life that creates a sense of pride but this time it just seemed different. Completing yet another physically demanding challenge. The battering my mind, body and soul…

Book recommendation

I recently finished reading this fabulous book. Given to me as a gift for my birthday, I was keen to start it as soon as I could because I’d heard great things about it. I was not disappointed. I’ve really got back into reading. I tend to choose books that have meaning and substance. Many…

Back to what I love….

I vowed to myself recently that I would make a conscious decision to start focusing on my health and wellbeing again. I mean really really focus on this. I eat well and I walk the dogs constantly. I’m am active person and love seeing family and friends. I enjoy the great outdoors too. But my…

World Mental Health Day

Today is World Mental Health Day. A day to bring this to the forefront of our thoughts and give it the attention it so rightly deserves. So many people go through suffering with their mental health. Myself included. A few things I’ve learnt along the way which helped me massively with coping with tough times.…

Breast Cancer Awareness – Childlessness

I’ve written and posted about this before but thought it worthy of being shared again. I have have been sharing some posts this month on the subject of breast cancer and awareness of the subject. Some of which is the side to breast cancer that noone sees or maybe aware of. Today is my childlessness.…

Why Run Nic Nac Run?

Where did the name @runnicnacrun come from? It’s kind of obvious really but it’s the meaning behind it that resonates. Well it all started ten years ago when I took part in the 2011 London Marathon. When I was young my parents and brothers called me Nic Nac Noos. Mixed with loving Forest Gump #runforestrun…

Yes. Another day.

Every morning I wake up and my first thought it “Yes. Another day”. Another day  to make of it what I want. Another day of my beautiful life. Another day to enjoy. Every morning this thought, is more often than not, swiftly followed by a whistle stop tour of my brain thinking of how far…

My beautiful life

Out on a run today with my husband cycling alongside me. My heart beating fast. Absorbing the stunning countryside. Taking in all nature’s beauty. It’s times like these that always highlight to me how I should always count my lucky stars. I always know how lucky I am. And I will never ever forget…… How…

Short Story 1

As I gazed down the hospital bed, a sense of trepidation came flooding over me. What was I about to see? As the surgeon peeled back the thick bandage, I was soon presented with one of my surgery wounds. The bandage was removed, and I was there, looking down at my unrecognisable leg. I let…

Childlessness on Mother’s Day

I’ve woken up this morning and I haven’t cried. The first time on Mother’s Day in seven years. Yay. It’s a big thing for me. I’m a bit confused. Why? Am I at peace? It’s a rarity on this occasion. I feel it’s a turning point for sure. I’m not saying there might not be…

Here’s to all the women that inspire me everyday

Sharing my FB post from yesterday on International Women’s Day I celebrate all the brilliant fabulous women in my life. Here’s to you all. You inspire me everyday 🙌 🙏Here’s to being fierce, strong, passionate, driven, kickarse🙏Here’s to being soft, vulnerable, emotional, gentle, coy, shy🙏Here’s to being ambitious, career-driven, a leader, a manager🙏Here’s to being…

Lockdown is shit. We must focus on what we can still do.

I love this so much. It links in nicely with the ethos of Survive Be Alive and why I set up this project. It’s still very much working progress. I hope the project has given some Hope to people. That life is what you make of it. That things can be achieved when you put…

Breast cancer awareness….

Every 9th October I wake up and am catapulted back to that same day back in 2013. The day that I had a bilateral lumpectomy to remove my cancer. It wasn’t a massive operation but the significance of that day was extreme. I wake up, on this day, every year filled with such enormous emotion.…

My invisible loss

Today is National Grief Awareness Day. So I thought I’d write a bit about what I’ve learnt and what it means to me and how I dealt with it in relation to my invisible loss. The concept of grief fascinates me. I’ve read a lot about it over recent years and so I now have…

Incremental changes for big gains….

You have the power to change your life. You can change your thought process. You can change how you deal with things. You can take control of how you feel about things. You can take a monumental hardcore time in your life and get through it. With adapting the way you think about things. You…

Power in perseverance

Who knew that being diagnosed with cancer twice and having the prospect of having a baby ripped away and going through years of treatment could be such a powerful tool in being able to deal with a global pandemic?!!! You never know how strong you are until you’re tested hey. I didn’t realise how equipped…