Stress coped with

What a stressful week that was.

On the same day that my supervisor gave me back the final comments for my thesis at one o'clock, I went to hospital for the results of the x-rays, ultra-sound and biopsy.

"Unfortunately, ..."

started the doctor as she told me that the lump is cancerous, just a tiny 7 millimetre crab-like lump, creeping round my breast, a silent uninvited invader despite my excellent diet, and exercise regime. I spent the next three days desperately writing the final parts of my thesis, getting up at four in the morning to write because I couldn't sleep for thinking of my thesis and my cancer, and

I have to rewrite that bit, but I've got cancer so now what do I do?

The thesis is in. I win.

PhD work

I've submitted my PhD thesis, here, and that's taken some stress off me. Of course, life comes up and hits you with other things, but I've written the thesis and am strong enough to cope with the rest of life, even when it's out of control.

I'm going to do lots of tae kwon do over the next three weeks and get really fit. I'm going on my first black belt patterns tae kwo do session on Sunday, and kinda looking forward to it. The hesitation is because if we spar, I don't like getting hit! I'm going to relax a bit for a few weeks even if I still also have to

• catch up assignment marking
• write a paper for a conference
• follow an electronic seminar on tutoring with elluminate
• work through a Higher Education teaching skills workshop
• and oh yes! Prepare for the viva
  

Life again

Son facebooks me to ask why I'm not blogging, but I've still been writing, writing my PhD thesis. I've just given my supervisors a full draft, all 80,000 words of it, which is the size of a book. Who knows? I may yet submit the final thing, and face the viva next spring and get through with only minor corrections! And get to be a doctor by summer!

Here's hoping.