Regular readers will know that my PhD Dreams have been an important part of my life for a few years now. And excitedly, my PhD Dreams will…
I am in Ljubljana, Slovenia at the moment for an academic conference, and I am falling in love! Why? Because much like my visit to (and subsequent love affair with)…
That’s my final thesis submitted and all of the paperwork completed for my PhD graduation on the 4th of July. Are you as excited as I…
Wow! It has now been two years since I started taking tolvaptan, a drug that is meant to slow the progression of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). I…
On my way home from visiting my late husband’s grave, I stopped off in Berwick-Upon-Tweed for some adventuring. I thought that it would be a good way to…
Today marks ten years of widowhood; ten years since my darling husband died so unexpectedly in the middle of the night. These past ten years have…
I am very pleased and extremely relieved to be able to (finally!) announce that I have passed my PhD viva – and with only minor…
Today is Thursday, 21 February. I was born on Thursday, 21 February. And on this very Thursday, 21 February, I am 21 in Scrabble tiles.…
As 2018 winds to a close, I find myself reflecting on the year and how I’ve fared over the last 12 months. And, as always,…
Remember when I talked about the frustrations of the chronically ill? Well, my failed plans for an active November are a part of that frustration! Yes,…
I have been thinking about illness a lot lately. Especially about the frustrations of being chronically ill. Even more about the frustrations of being chronically…
Wow! It is the 1st of July already. And that means that my PhD thesis is due in just four months. Yikes! Of course, that means that…
It was nearly five years ago that I first felt a lump in my breast and panicked about the possibility of cancer. At that time, a quick…
Today, I became a Godmother. Again. This time, to my wee nephew, Cameron. And whilst all of my Godchildren – and indeed, all of my nieces and…
I am in The Homeland for my summer holidays. Two weeks of family, friends, and fun. And, hopefully, a bit of nice weather! The big…
This past weekend marked one year since I started taking tolvaptan. In that year, I have learned quite a bit about how to manage the medication…
I submitted my first post-PhD life job application today, which I am counting as a milestone moment (hence the celebratory bubbles illustrating this post). The…
March is PKD Awareness month, so I thought I would take the time to talk about how PKD affects my liver. (Oh, yes, polycystic kidney…
Last weekend, I attended the ADPKD Information & Support Conference in Edinburgh. The event was hosted by Professor Neil Turner and the PKD Charity UK, supported…
A new year means a new resolution. And this year, I have just one resolution*: To finish my PhD. Yes, that’s it: My 2018 New Year resolution is…