March has been a month of re-entering the world around me.

At the end of February, I finished a week of radiotherapy, signally the end treatment for a breast cancer diagnosis I got in October last year.

Since I got that diagnosis, it felt like I was in a protective bubble. Time contracted and expanded, rather like those lockdown bubbles from 2020, and looking back it probably was the perfect time of year to be hunkered down, living in sweatpants and baggy sweaters, spending my hours on the sofa in recovery.

Treatment was fast which meant no hanging around for weeks for results from various biopsies, but it also meant there was little time to process each stage of the treatment plan.

Lumpectomy and partial breast reconstruction in November, a grotty January recovering from a second unplanned op after Christmas, two courses of antibiotics, scans, more biopsies, including a sentinel lymph node surgery, followed by the final week of radiotherapy in February.

It’s been a lot, but also wierdly not.

Almost like I’ve been playing a character in a play.

But writing this is cathartic; not wanting to dramatise but also not belittling what I’ve been through by ‘only’ having surgery and ‘only’ 5 days of radiotherapy. Comparisionistic is a horrible habit, especially when it comes to cancer treatment!

So when March began, it felt good to know that I was moving forwards into my next phase of my health journey. Which almost meant that I could (slowly!) come back to my Reiki and sound healing work again.

Reflecting on these last few weeks, I am amazed by the resilience of my body. Not to be able to bounce back (such a horrid phrase that puts way too much pressure on ourselves!), but to be able to slowly but surely feel fitter and stronger each day.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been back at the gym, surprising myself by how little strength I had lost despite my initial shyness at being back.

And I’ve been choosing the right networking groups to visit and which friends to hang out with again.

My energy compared to January feels off the charts, and yet when I visit an acupuncturist, I am warned that my Ying is still very much depleted. Not surprisingly after what I’ve been through, but when my Yang energy burns too brightly, I’m in danger of burning out before I even get going again.

My body is adjusting to Letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor used as a follow-on drug for hormone-sensitive breast cancer in postmenopausal women by lowering oestrogen levels, and I’m experiencing arthritic-like pain in my fingers and ankles. Too much gardening or gym work and the inflammation can be quite sore within hours. Plus my hot flushes, although manageable during the day, are waking me up at night.

So although I always knew my re-entry this month was going to be slow, I am now even more mindful that my slow needs to be even slower.

What I’ve learnt from this past month

Rest is still very much needed.

I may have recovered from my surgical stiches and radiotherapy skin reactions, but I’m still needing restorative care of my body if I am to avoid long term fatigue.

I need to take managing my energy seriously.

Physical jobs such as cleaning to be done in small sprints rather than deep cleaning afternoons.

And deciding who I hang out with and how often to manage my social battery.

Lay down flat for 10 to 20 minutes every day between 1pm and 3pm.

Almost every other country seems to have a post-lunch rest embedded into their culture, but here in the UK, an afternoon nap is only for the elderly!

I learnt from my acupuncturist this week, laying down flat, rather than sitting in a chair, will support my body as Yang energy starts to ebb. Not only will this helps avoid the 3pm slump which often means reaching for the chocolate biscuits, it’s essential time to help restore my much needed Yin energy.

This is now a new daily ritual.

My work is making recovery easy.

Being back at work, seeing clients at my clinic in Surrey as well as online, has been joyfully easy. As someone who has been addicted to working hard over the decades, I am very grateful for the work that I do now!

I’ll write more about this on another day, as I can see why Reiki came into my life when it did.

Finally …

I’ll leave you today with this image of a painting that my beautifully talented friend, Nicola Bird, gifted to me when I completed my radiotherapy in February. She’s called Re-Entry, a fitting name for my onward health journey.

Until next time, thanks for reading.