Good personal news. Some of you may remember I had a rather dramatic collapse and loss of consciousness back in December 2025.
After a blue light trip to A&E and various tests at the time I was sent home and told not to drive and was referred for further tests.
So in the last four months, I've had no end of tests for my brain and heart to see what caused the collapse.
And this week I've had the last MRI and with it the confirmation that my heart is normal. They confirmed my brain scan was normal back in Feb.
There's no explanation for my collapse, so it stands as an unexplained loss of consciousness.
I cannot express how relieved I am to be 'normal' and I'm celebrating that 💓
Here's to getting back on track. And hopefully back driving again when my six months are up 🥰
I've been on a bit of a health rollercoaster this last three months.
My advice to everyone is make time to have the screening offered to you.
Whether it's b00bs, poop or prostrate, get it done.
Without my routine screening my little left b00b gave no signs it was harbouring some troublesome pre-cancerous DCIS cells.
My journey:
11 June Routine screening
19 June Callback received
30 June Second screening appointment with a bonus biopsy...
9 July Another callback
23 July Another, bigger biopsy
28 August results appointment and the news no one wants. But it's precancerous cells, discovered very early and treatable.
2 Sept A pre op to insert a wire to guide the surgery because the cells are tiny can't be seen with the naked eye and there is no lump.
3 Sept Surgery to remove the cells
2 Oct Results and treatment appointment.
So today I got the good news that my surgeon had removed all the cells and created the margin required. I'm clear and do not need any further surgery.
Now I'll be referred to the oncologist for a week of radiotherapy and I've been prescribed tamoxifen for the next five years.
My pre-cancerous cells were receptive to oestrogen and progesterone so the drugs will help protect me from my own hormones.
I know so many women who have had a breast cancer diagnosis. Every one is different and I now have a new perspective on the diagnosis and treatment.
I'm incredibly lucky to have mine caught so early, really before it became 'cancer'. And without the screening my story may have been very different.
Thankful for the NHS screening and the numerous people who are magically there when you go through something like this.
Here's to moving on from what's been a very challenging few weeks.
🙏
#thislittlegirlisme carefree and laughing aged about three. During coaching last year my coach recommended I pull out a photo from my childhood to help me be kinder to myself, with my expectations, my judgement and self talk. It works, and also reminds me to live a little lighter, to put myself first, to stop taking on others' happiness as my responsibility, to say no, to make time for me and much more besides. What would I say to this little girl? I'd say be you, keep laughing and creating your own joy, be bold, be seen and don't let others dampen your warmth or dim your light with their words and spite ❤️ You have nothing to fear 😘
Every so often I book us into doing something a bit different. So last night we joined a guided twilight walk with the rangers and a dozen others in search of nightjars. You'll need to turn the volume right up to hear them in the video. It really was quite incredible to hear and see them flying about at dusk hunting for their dinner of insects and moths. We also spotted a glow worm 🐛 loads of deer, bats, rabbits, Dartford warblers, siskins, meadow pipits and more. The views at Arne are always glorious, but to be there at dusk was very special 🥰 #rspb_love_nature #arnenaturereserve #nightjars
We had an epic adventure today. Mr M and I walked The Itchen Way from Eastleigh to Winchester. We couldn't have picked a better day for it. It was glorious. We got the train from Bournemouth to Eastleigh, walked 12km with a stop at The Bridge Inn in Shawford for a pint, and continued on to finish in Winchester, stopping for another pint before getting a train home to Bournemouth. Life's been so hectic lately for both of us, and I've been ill over the last week or so. So we definitely needed this escape before another busy week. If you're tempted to do the walk, be prepared for walking through a lot of water at the moment. Sections of the path before Shawford are still under a few inches of water. #itchenvalleycountrypark
One of the things I've done for years is volunteering for CIPR. This year I'm the co-chair of CIPR inside the specialist group for internal communication. As a committee we agreed to host an online event for our community. That event was Tuesday this week. After so many hours of voluntary work around our day jobs, we'd registered over 250 attendees, scouted for speakers, designed our event and all the assets, written loads of content and more. Then Tuesday was the day. It was brilliant to see it all come together and co host the day. Delivering events to this scale is no mean feat, especially as a side hustle. Today, instead of working, I'm relaxing after a long walk. Bob the cat has come to join me on the sofa 🧡 #internalcomms #volunteering #downtime
Time out. Blue cards for football players. Time on the naughty step for toddlers. Whatever it takes to give yourself a reset. It's all been in the news this week.
Whilst I've not been misbehaving, my mind has been in overdrive this week with many competing priorities. I feel myself getting to that point where I feel anxious, overwhelmed and annoyed.
Not good.
So my pre-blue card solution:, a good walk, every day. (I think I have some Spaniel traits 🤣)
Today I was lucky to get two walks. One as usual with the dogs by the river #Stour. And a nod to my Robin friend who sings to us daily as we pass by.
The second, a special one at #Pamphill with a good friend to set the world right. 💯 what I needed to reset my balance, and give me some time out 🤗
This last week has been one of so many different perspectives and locations.
I've been talking with and more importantly listening to the people at the sharp end of public life.
The street cleaning teams, the housing officers, the homeless outreach teams and more who work for local government have been telling me about their work, the communication, what works, what doesn't and what gets in their way for them doing their best work.
Then I attended a client all company meeting with star studded entertainers and hosts, which was a brilliant opportunity to immerse myself into how this new client does things.
Meanwhile, in between these times with clients I've been preparing to deliver a workshop for another client.
It's such a privilege to hear people's stories about their work, to get a unique insight into their organisations and help them in their journeys.
And alongside this I've been in conversation with some fantastic speakers for The CIPR Inside summit We'll be announcing more in the next week.
Last weekend we carved out some more space in our house for me to use. I found I needed another space when I needed quiet thinking time. I'm hoping this will help.
It's been very busy lately and hard work in both personal and professional life.
So this weekend I got a good dose of vitamin D and good times spent with my family and friends to celebrate a family birthday. My cup is refilled ready for another busy week ahead.
#communication #review #internalcomms #localgov #events #dichroicsphere #thedemon #northgreenwich #southbank #studlandbay #oldharryrocks #corfecastle
Incredibly foggy and frosty day to pull a pine at Arne nature reserve today. Gorgeous anyway. This has become a family Christmas tradition. By chopping your own tree and taking out as many of the others as you can you bag yourself an original tree and do a great job helping remove the invasive pines from the natural heathland and help restore it for the local wildlife..it's a beautiful spot. I also spotted some reindeer moss and little red pixie cup lichen #pullapineatarne #christmastree
