The rollercoaster that is 2009 continues!

2009 has been one heck of a year so far. Just when I think I'm getting the hang of things, there's another curve-ball coming right at me.

On a personal level, 2009 is shaping up to be a pretty good year. I've had my promotion at work and on top of that, I've just been accepted into the NHS Clinical Scientist training programme. It's come as a bit of a surprise as I didn't expect that they would take someone who had been out of the lab for so long. However, it seems that it may have actually helped me to show that I had really thought about what I wanted to be doing. So, in October I will beginning to train as a Clinical Scientist in Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics. I am so excited about being in the lab again and actually doing something that matters! I can't wait to get stuck into the science too.

I'm also really happy in myself and my life at the moment. I honestly think beginning ATS again was a major factor, as I now have something fresh to learn and goals to focus on. My class and teachers are wonderful and because you have to dance together, it's easier to get to know people. I'm also managing to attend a lot of workshops and try loads of new things. I'm even beginning to see the benefit of living in London (shock, horror).

In addition to this, G has just passed his "part 3" examination, meaning that he is finally an architect. I'm so proud of him. It's a fantastic achievement and he deserves it after all his hard work. It's a huge weight off both our minds that he doesn't have to go through it all again.

However, it's not all perfect. There's some family stuff going on that's worrying, mainly in terms of my Mum's health. She was diagnosed with lung cancer a little while back, and there's been a long period of "not knowing". Thankfully, she has been very lucky and the tumour has been caught at an early stage. This weekend she goes in for surgery to remove the tumour and part of her lung, so we're keeping everything crossed for a good outcome.