The benefits of TLC..both kinds!

How do fill your time after getting up for the last coffee before fasting for real begins? Write a short blog entry? OK. It's so hard not to hit automatic pilot and make my porridge so i am looking for distraction. I have been reflecting on anniversaries. No not the ones linked to precious stones or similar, those ones linked to events, diagnoses , loss and so on. These type of anniversaries can be evoked as seasons change, with songs listened to , with places, with smells. So many things that can bring back memories ,so often in this situation ,unwanted. As we have embraced April i too have experienced that and of course here I am bag packed going into hospital to try to in do the physical and in many ways psychological impact of last year.I have pulled some of the clothes I wore ,as recovered last year from the wardrobe, then stuffed that back quickly, so strong were the sensations they evoked. But another irony struck me as I opened my invitation a few days ago to breast screening. I calmly phoned to decline as you are advised to do should you be in treatment. But what then occurred to me was had I not been breast aware and noticed a change between appointments AND got advice with that...I would have only been starting this new journey this April. And what difference would that have made? Of course I can't know exactly. But I do know that when I had a mammogram three years ago there were no changes so I can only assume that another year might at least have required me to , at the very least ,have more treatment than I needed last year. Cancers can develop between screening appointments so being breast aware is a life time job. At Breakthrough Breast Cancer we understand how important this is and so I will again remind you and those you love to show themselves some TLC! Touch look check...look at our website for more information or download our ibreastcheck for free from iTunes.Yet again my own story reminds me of the importance of that. Reasons to be cheerful....now you may be thinking get a grip woman, how can you be cheerful with surgery looking you in the eye! But I truly am grateful for the love and support from my family and friends this weekend. I have felt truly fortunate. One of the real paradoxes of times like these are they are reminders of how precious those you love are to you and maybe for me today..how precious I am to them. Now that is the best reason to be cheerful.And to celebrate another kind of TLC too...hope you have some of that in your life too.