An April Review and My Goals for May

Inspired by Leonie’s monthly review posts I want to try something similar.

Looking back at April of course the biggest and best thing this month was that I had my last session of chemotherapy on the 13th of April!! I’ve been feeling so much better since then because I know I don’t have to go back for another one.

There are still some side effects and it’s going to take a while to feel “normal” again (whatever that means) but at least I can fully focus on healing now. Nourishing my body and processing all the things that have happened over the last six months. Phew.

painted yellow suns in a a sketchbook brush and small water colour set

I’m happy that some of my energy has come back and I’m in the mood for some plans and goals again. Just a few nice and easy ones with the first and most important ones being all about self care.

Before I write about plans, however, I want to first look back at this month and remember some of the good stuff.

These are a few of my favourite things…

I have to say it again: No More Chemotherapy!!! Whee!
Whenever I did have energy I enjoyed to get going with lots of plants in our Polytunnel and Garden
My daughter (13) and I went to town twice looking at second hand shops for clothes and fabric, visited book stores and art supply shops, which was so lovely. It felt great to be out in the world again (but it was also wonderful to come back to my safe bubble here after all those impressions and people)
I started Pilates and Counselling at a Cancer Support House which felt very good.
I’ve been enjoying Painting so much. During Chemo that was often the only thing that helped me to switch off and feel good. The best thing was that I had no expectations of myself to create anything good because it was the process of painting that helped me to chill out. The act of dipping a wet brush into paint and moving it around paper. Like a meditation. Here I drew some doodle shapes for myself to colour in.

black pent doodle drawings in sketchbook

My son (7) joined me for some of the painting sessions.

child painting sketchbook and water colours

Now onto the goals…

My Goals for May 2023

My biggest goal for this month (and forever) is focusing on good Self Care. Everything else is second.

But compared to the last few months I do have the energy and lot of motivation to work on a few extra goals. So here they are:

Self Care

lots of healthy food to build my tired body back up again
go for a walk every day (I’ve been doing that for a while because I get a drug that affects my heart and I need to keep it strong and healthy, walks are also great for my mental health)
go to Pilates and try the Yoga class I saw last week
keep going to therapy
join a cancer survivor support group
buy myself a new swimsuit for the summer
take naps whenever needed

Art

spontaneous projects (painting, sewing, drawing, making things)
read more Natalie Goldberg “Writing Down the Bones”

Work

write 4 more Blog posts
start an Instagram Account for The Wild Cherry Farm
watch Leonie’s Money Course and get organized with money again

Travel/Adventure

go with on a 3 day trip to Pisa with my 11 year old son!
have a 30 day streak of learning Italian with Duolingo (I’m 10 days in but I used to speak a bit of Italian so I don’t need to start from scratch)
go away for our first Camper van weekend

Family

our youngest son will turn 8 and his wish was another birthday garden party like last year (with bonfire, treasure hunt and lots of friends), so we will try to make that happen
He also just started a weekly nature play group on Wednesday which a dear friend of mine runs. It’s a bit of a drive for us but he loves it so much and he has been cooped up at home for long enough over the last few months. There are three more sessions for him in May.
I want to go to town and get some clothes for Pisa and the summer in general and maybe another girlie trip to town with my daughter some day.