Audrey’s Blog on living well with disability and breast cancer

Easter is an anniversary for me. It's three years since I was re-diagnosed with breast cancer. It seems like no time at all in some ways but also such a huge amount has happened, it feels slightly unreal still. Of course I had travelled the route before, I had adjusted my life expectations more than once, I had adjusted my self image too. But more surgery meant I felt the need to go for reconstructive surgery. I prevaricated but finally decided to do it almost a year later. My prevarication was about going back for surgery, in effect becoming a patient again. But I also recognised it would not be past for me until I felt more recovered to my sense of self. My surgeon explained it would need more that one op as I had opted in part for lipofill. I think I blanked that bit. So when my recovery was more than I had anticipated I declined to go back. I can change my mind anytime I'm told ( not happening soon). I'm probably reflective of the studies that show when we

The Blog Tour! Words tempted by a page Of space to be free A story to be created Bursting to reveal themselves Words shaping and Forming as the unfolding Truth emerges Surprising and unburdening. Thanks to Marie  for this blogging baton handover. It's been an   interesting process, never having thought about how and why I write before. I have valued reflecting on authentic writing and what that means for me. Here are my thoughts and insights on what writing means to me. To check out earlier parts of the blog tour look at these by Marie , Philippa and Catherine . Hard acts to follow. This time the baton has arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland. What am I working on? When Marie handed over the baton I was thrilled to be described as a writer;I am honoured to be described as that and also I still  don't quite believe it. I've come late to writing although all my life wanted to write a book. I trusted i

A rainy Monday night in Glasgow and I was heading to the university of strathclyde for a Scottish women is business debate on Independence. An all woman panel and an all woman audience, talking about politics and constitutional change. Not an everyday experience. It was encouraging to see the good humour of the panel who were ; Annabel Goldie ( or Bella as I know her now!), Nicola Sturgeon, Johann Lamont and Ruth Wishart. Sally Magnasson chaired, having squeezed out a promise of good behaviour in advance. ( Nicola and Johann have previous on this!) The discussion was energetic and stimulating. And if on occasion it flushed out the usual responses from both sides, at times we also saw the humans behind the policies.  One questioner asked for politicians to be less partisan and Bella said but that's our job. Yes in normal circumstance it is but this debate is bigger and wider than that and probably why we all need to be more engaged. Men or women.  We know statistics mould in the

I was described once as feisty and fabulous. I have to admit I loved the description but it felt it was only something I could aspire to. I probably have the feisty part in the bag but fabulous ...I wish. But today we lost a woman in Scotland who I believe fully fitted the description. Margot MacDonald was an Independent MSP in the Scottish Parliament. So popular with her Edinburgh electorate that even when she left the SNP she was still so popular she won her seat as an Independent. She started as the "blond bombshell" with her election in Govan in the '70s,a photogenic new SNP MP, the like of which Westminster had never seen. I find myself wishing to be a fly on the wall when she arrived. Although that particular career was short, what followed was a high profile, principled and colourful , in its best sense, career.  I first met her when I worked in the third sector and we were setting up the Long Term Conditions Alliance. By then Margot, an MSP, had been open abou