Could I Be Maturing??

What I've discovered over the past year and a half, is that it is vitally important that you don't purely focus on the setbacks in life.

Now, in the grand scheme of things, my Scuba Diving being cancelled last weekend due to changeable weather is clearly not a huge problem, but it wasn't the best news that I've had. In the last couple of months I have mentioned in this blog that the prospect of diving for the first time in almost two years is something that I have been really looking forward to. It had become a symbol for me of restored normality in my life and in truth, had possibly represented pre-cancer Will. When I got the call that the whole trip had been cancelled, I was bitterly disappointed, but I soon realised that I had let this one activity evolve into something more significant than it actually was. I took some time to reflect on other achievements that prove how over the past few months I have rebuilt myself (with huge help from all the people closest to me of course) after my biggest setback, being diagnosed with cancer. For instance, on Friday I finished the last of my five AS and A2 exams of this year, a feat that a year ago seemed desperately unlikely.

Arguably, one of my biggest faults before my diagnosis was that I lacked the ability to put things in perspective. I used to blow everything out of proportion and trivial problems appeared far more important than they actually were. While not being able to Scuba Dive last weekend was disappointing and initially I couldn't see the bigger picture, my reaction to the news has shown me that since I was diagnosed, (there is a small chance that) maybe I have grown up, to the point where I no longer only focus on disappointments, but can also reflect on good things to pick myself back up.

Obviously, everyone deals with issues and difficulties in their own way and I cannot stress enough that in my mind, there is absolutely NO right or wrong way to approach any given situation that causes stress or upset no matter how big or small in each individual's eyes. However, the point of my blogging is primarily to help people who are in a similar situation to me and so if I could give any advice about tackling any kind of setback at all, it would be to try and focus on the good as well as the bad. Things do get better and focusing on a problem, invariably doesn't make it go away.

Revision Can't Always Be Fun!

Sorry about the lack of blog post last week, I have been focusing hard on my final exam which I'm taking this Friday and for the same reason, I'm afraid that this weeks update will also be brief. My doctors very kindly went out of their way to bring my Vincristine treatment, as well as my five days of steroids, forward to Friday instead of Monday. This should mean that the aching limbs/insatiable hunger/violent mood swings/uncontrollable spitting/lack of focus will be less prevalent come the time of my exam. However, this does mean that I am experiencing those effects of my treatment now, which is making revision all that more fun, mind you, it was hardly a barrel of laughs when I was feeling fine... Still, I'm staying upbeat and determined thanks to support from my incredibly patient family and a cheeky slice of Dominos pizza from time to time!

I'm sorry that tonight's post is so short but Revision + Steroids = Exhausted Will! Hopefully by next week, once all of my exams are out of the way, I'll be feeling more relaxed and will write a slightly more informative (and possibly more coherent) blog post!