Happy New Year! I hope you have had a magnificent start to 2022, I know our team has had a wonderful break and are excited to be opening again after a crazy 2021. I love the optimism and ‘open book’ feel of the new year period, and I’m hopeful that this year will be much better than the last two have been.
Usually, I would be brimming with goals and vision boards for the year ahead, so it’s a sign of the times that my single key intention for this year is to ‘go with the flow’! I’m actually quite excited about it, as I’m so used to having a full and structured life, that letting go a little may actually allow some more new unplanned opportunities to blossom.
I’ve recovered much more easily than I expected from the mastectomy and breast reconstruction in November. While I was told that it usually takes 2-3 months to recover, it’s been just over 8 weeks, and I’ve been feeling good in the last couple of weeks – possibly because this time I have properly rested to recuperate, as well as asking for help and allowing myself to be supported. Huge gratitude to everyone who has supported me in this journey 🙏💗
My next step is starting Tamoxifen, the hormone suppressing medication which gave me significant side effects when I tried it last time: including intense fatigue; loss of joy; brain fog… and rage – which are the complete opposite to the person I usually am. I am meant to take it for 5 years and last time I managed just over 2 months before the symptoms became unbearable. My medical team is hoping that by taking work stress/pressure off me as I start the medication, I will be able to tolerate it with fewer side effects, and then slowly increase my workload as my body adjusts to it. This means I’m not sure when, or in what capacity, I’ll be back injecting, but I’m hoping I’ll be back in some capacity in about 3-6 months, with a second reconstructive surgery currently planned for May.
The TFP team have been doing a wonderful job of covering for me – they are very used to me going away travelling for 3-6 months a year, so I have every confidence that you’ll receive the same friendly, high-quality service that has been our trademark for years! I’m excited to see what new ideas and innovations they come up with ‘while the Cat’s away’ 😹
Dee has recovered well from her breast reconstruction ‘tidy up’ surgery in December and is eager to step further into the acting CEO role.
Christmas feels like it was a looong time ago now, and it was poignant as I took my dad Geoff down to Ashburton for Christmas with my brother Jamie and his family. We hadn’t expected to have dad with us this Christmas when he was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer in October 2020, so it was a blessing to have his presence. He has deteriorated physically in the last few months but still has the same sharp brain and quick wit he’s always had. We’ve had a shared experience of intense fatigue over the last 16 months, and it seems like his symptoms are worsening again after a period of being held at bay by regular chemo. I headed up to Russell to spend time with him again just after New Year – trying to make the most of the time we do have. It could be months or years that he is still with us, but lockdowns have been a wonderful reminder of the importance of spending time with the people you love.
With the potential Omicron threat in Auckland, New Year’s Eve was a relatively quiet affair, although we had a glorious day out sailing with friends on New Year’s Eve day! We only had one person (out of six) on the boat who was an experienced sailor. Fortunately, he is a great delegator and very cool and calm – especially as we had a few ‘adventures’ with the genoa rope getting stuck, and unexpected 30-knot gusts! Fortunately, we got safely back to the berth and enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the boat, with a few champagnes, to see out the last day of 2021. New Year’s Day was a picnic in the park outside my house, with friends who are family – and then a climb up Rangitoto the following day – was the perfect way to welcome in 2022.
So far it’s been a summer of picnics, and I’ve been loving the luxe picnic sets I’ve hired from Little White Table, as well as the stunning picnic basket where the lid doubles as a board to put your food on (beautiful AND practical – a perfect combo!)
In this newsletter, we finally get to profile our lovely new Marketing Team Leader, Yvette, who started with us during the lockdown. It’s a sign of the times that we recruited, interviewed, offered the job, signed her contract and onboarded her all during lockdown! Our CMO, Mikayla, was headhunted for an incredible new role, and I’m super proud of her – she joined our team 6 years ago as a 21-year-old marketing intern and grew to be an exceptional young leader in the team. Mikayla has an incredibly bright future ahead of her, and I feel honoured to have been part of her journey.
We are in the process of finalising lab coats (to be worn by our clinicians) that feature antiviral and antibacterial technology – just one of the many ongoing safety measures we are taking to keep our clients and team as safe as possible. See me in action modelling said lab coat below!
Finally, what the last two years seem to confirm for me is that old adage that ‘change is the only constant’. We’ve definitely seen a lot of change – on a global and national level as well as in our own business and lives – over the last couple of years. However, with change comes the opportunity for growth. We can fight the change to try and stay in one place, and become stagnant, or we can choose to ‘go with the flow’ of life and allow change to show us what incredible gifts and opportunities it can open up for us. The hardest times of my life so far have given me the greatest growth, and then bloomed into magnificent opportunities. Whatever your experience has been over the madness of the last few years, I wish you growth, ease and opportunity for 2022.
With so much love,
Dr Cat 😻
