11/06/2026
🚨 SH!TBAG CONFESSION 🚨
If you’ve noticed I’ve been a bit quieter lately, there’s a reason.
The last few weeks have contained some beautiful moments, some emotional moments and a gentle reminder that recovering from major surgery isn’t always a straight line from “nearly dead” to “living your best life.”
One hospital appointment in particular knocked me sideways.
Nothing catastrophic.
Nothing definite.
Just one of those appointments where they explain all the things that might happen one day and your brain immediately decides they are all happening tomorrow.
You know the type. 😂
I left the hospital, found the nearest pub, bought myself a beer and had a little cry in the garden whilst messaging people I love.
Very glamorous.
Very inspirational.
10/10 life coaching content. 👌
The interesting thing is what happened afterwards.
I didn’t completely fall apart.
But I did notice myself slipping into a few old habits.
Avoiding things.
Procrastinating.
Putting things off until “later.”
Including updating this page.
Including updating my subscription.
Including several other things that Future Rox keeps politely asking Present Rox to sort out.
The thing I’ve realised is that uncertainty affects us in sneaky ways.
Not just physically.
Emotionally.
Mentally.
Energetically.
Sometimes we don’t consciously decide to hide.
We just quietly stop showing up in the places we normally would.
And when I looked underneath it all, I realised something:
It wasn’t really about the appointment.
It wasn’t really about the business.
It wasn’t even really about the stoma.
It was about feeling safe.
Because when life feels uncertain, we often reach for what’s familiar.
Some people overwork.
Some people scroll.
Some people eat.
Some people smoke.
Some people hide.
Some people convince themselves they’ll start again on Monday. 😂
Healing isn’t just about scars closing.
It’s about learning how to navigate the moments that wobble you without abandoning yourself.
Anyway…
I’m still here.
Still slightly chaotic.
Still occasionally crying in pub gardens.
Still deeply grateful to be alive.
Still determined to squeeze every drop out of this weird and wonderful second chance at life.
And yes…
Paloma the stoma is still running the household with an iron fist.
👑💩
If you’d like the full story, the emotional wobble, the pub garden revelation and the lesson that smacked me round the head afterwards, I’ve shared it over in The Hidden Path.
Tickets to my slightly chaotic corner of the internet are still only 99p a month.
Less than a pint.
Less than a packet of crisps.
Considerably less than therapy. 😂✨
