Wrapping up in New Zealand

It’s a little bit difficult to know exactly how to begin this blog to be honest. I can’t go through all the details of the last six months but I can tell you it’s been both heavy and magical, and a million other things, all at the same time. The consultations I’ve had, the anxiety and fear, the laughter, the incredible people I’ve met, the learnings in it all… the experiences are indescribable really but at the same time so deeply deeply treasured.

I’m just a few days away from leaving New Zealand, a country that I love so much, but yet it feels exactly perfect and the right time to be doing it. I had my bilateral mastectomy just under 2 weeks ago. The wounds are healing nicely and the breast specialist says that if healing continues as it is that I’m looking good to fly next week. Flights are booked for Saturday so looks like we’re all set.

Kate and I are packing up our place (well, Kate is really – I tend to be plonked on the sofa cheering her on) and getting ready to head off, going on lovely walks down by the river and taking in the magical views of Golden Bay in our last few days. We’re doing research into all the wonderful things that the UK has to offer in terms of complimentary therapies for cancer and generally looking into things the other end for our arrival.

Kate and I are moving into a cute wee cottage in the Sussex countryside that my incredible family are kitting out for when we get home. Wow, what an incredible bunch my family is. What a blessing to be able to focus on what I need to be focusing on – healing, the journey back to the UK, mental preparation for chemotherapy and, when it comes around, settling back in the UK and all the changes that that will bring.

So this blog is here for Kate and I (and whoever else crosses our path) to share our journey through this with you all, so that we can keep you all up-to-date. It’s not something that you should feel obliged to read or anything like that. It’s more if you want to know how we are, what’s going on etc, then you can check in here for the update. Part of the blessing for us of having so many loving, caring people in our lives is that we have a lot of people we’d like to keep in the loop, although given the nature of what’s going on, it’s difficult to speak to everyone individually. So this is our way of opening up our world and sharing a piece of the journey with you.