Skip to content

Swimming the world after breast cancer

Swimming in Circles

  • Blog
  • Photos
    • Swimsuits
    • Swimming
    • What does a uni look like? (clothed)
    • Running
  • About
  • Contact
  • Resources

Category: Unilateral mastectomy

It’s on!

June 22, 2020 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Mental health, Recovery, Swimming, Unilateral mastectomy

It’s on! Oh my god. It’s on. Fark. It’s on. Not panicking at all. Just fucking with you, I’m totally panicking. For those of you following at home, you’ll know that the purpose of all of this is to record my recovery through swimming. Regular swims over a year to recover from surgery and embrace … Continue reading It’s on!

1 Comment

Flat is where it’s at

June 5, 2020 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Mental health, Recovery, Swimming, Travel, Unilateral mastectomy

For something a little different, here's an interview I did with Stephanie Astalos-Jones on her podcast "Flat is where it's at" back at the end of March. We're talking about breast cancer, being a uni and life after... https://flatiswhereitsat.libsyn.com/hangin-with-jessica-cooke

Leave a comment

Starkbierfest

March 20, 2020March 20, 2020 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Mental health, Travel, Unilateral mastectomy

I laced the bodice of my Dirndl tightly, bringing my breasts to a state of perfection as they all but burst from my dress. I hadn’t worn my traditional Oktoberfest dress for months and I pondered how insane I was as I covered my delectable breasts with my coat and stepped out into the snow. … Continue reading Starkbierfest

Leave a comment

Return to work

March 13, 2020 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Recovery, Unilateral mastectomy

After closure comes the new start. For me this was going back to work. In Luxembourg, they have a progressive return to work program. It means that while you’re still on sick leave, you go back to work part time and build up at your own pace until you’re ready for full time work. I … Continue reading Return to work

1 Comment

12 months of cancer

December 31, 2019 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Mental health, Recovery, Unilateral mastectomy

It’s been a while since I’ve written because I knew what was coming and I’m not sure that I’ve got the courage for it. It’s time to talk about her but it’s difficult. I look at photos of her and it still makes me weep. It breaks my heart to see her, to remember her. … Continue reading 12 months of cancer

1 Comment

A weighty issue

November 4, 2019 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Recovery, Unilateral mastectomy

A month in Turkey left me glowing. Revitalised. So much stronger, fitter, healthier and happier than I’ve been in months. My skin glowed, my cheekbones were visible, my eyes bright, my stomach flatter. I walked straighter, I smiled and radiated health. My cravings had disappeared, I wasn’t being ruled by food, happily making good food … Continue reading A weighty issue

Leave a comment

It was fate

October 30, 2019 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Mental health, Recovery, Swimming, Travel, Unilateral mastectomy

I swam around an island! I am amazing! If that weren’t incredible enough, it was called Shark Island! And for something spectacular, I did it from a boat! Knowing of my crippling shark phobia and my debilitating motion sickness may make this more impressive. I swam around an islandI'm on a boat When I decided … Continue reading It was fate

3 Comments

Pulse Check

October 4, 2019 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Mental health, Recovery, Swimsuits, Unilateral mastectomy

It’s coming to three months since I finished active treatment and as I’m about to change things up radically, I thought I should do a check in of where I am right now. My personality is coming back and is both the blessing and the curse it has always been. Obsessive, diligent planning is assisting … Continue reading Pulse Check

Leave a comment

Jessican

September 11, 2019September 11, 2019 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Recovery, Swimming, Unilateral mastectomy

I am changing my name to Jessican. During treatment I enthusiastically signed up for a swim holiday in October. Reading the fine print after, I realised that I’ll be swimming 25km in that week and, as a minimum, I should be able to swim 2.2km in an hour before I go. Pre-surgery this would not … Continue reading Jessican

1 Comment

Obsession

September 1, 2019 by Jessica, posted in Breast cancer, Mental health, Recovery, Unilateral mastectomy

Three tears slid down my right cheek to pool on my chin before continuing down my throat to where my breast used to be. I held one hand on my heart and the other on my stomach as my yoga instructor told us our stomach is our core and knows the truth. What is it … Continue reading Obsession

Leave a comment

Posts navigation

Older posts

Recent posts

  • It’s on! June 22, 2020
  • Life in the time of Coronavirus June 7, 2020
  • Flat is where it’s at June 5, 2020
  • Starkbierfest March 20, 2020
  • Return to work March 13, 2020
  • Closure February 26, 2020
  • 12 months of cancer December 31, 2019
  • Anniversaries, scanxiety and colonic irrigation November 20, 2019
  • A weighty issue November 4, 2019
  • Fethiye Flashbacks November 2, 2019

Archives

  • June 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019

Topics

Blog at WordPress.com.
Cancel