MyWorldMyLife

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Trusting the unseen: Ramadan and healing

The chemo unit wasn’t exactly where I imagined I’d spend the first day of Ramadan. But there I was, back in my chemo chair for my fifth infusion of Zoledronic acid (Zometa), watching the IV drip do its quiet work… while my family and friends were beginning their fast. If you’re not Muslim, Ramadan is about so much more than just fasting from dawn to sunset. And yes, fasting is a big part of it. But it’s also about discipline. Patience. Gratitude. It’s about soft resets and quiet reconnections. It’s about intention. And there’s something really special about day one. There’s this collective energy, knowing millions of us are waking up before sunrise, making the same intention, stepping into the month together. It feels grounding. Like you’re part of something bigger than yourself. So I won’t pretend I wasn’t gutted to miss it. Instead of fasting today, I was hooked up to an IV. The beautiful thing about our faith is that when you’re unwell, you’re not just allowed t...

Strength in struggles

If you scroll through my social media, you’ll see smiles, family milestones, and small moments of joy I’ve intentionally carved out along the way. You’ll see birthday cakes, sunny days, hugs with the people I love. Those snapshots are real and they matter. They remind me, even on the hardest days, that life is still beautiful and absolutely worth celebrating. But photos only ever tell part of the story. What they don’t show are the quiet moments behind the scenes; the fear that creeps in before every scan, the hospital appointments squeezed in between school runs and “normal” working day life, the days when simply getting out of bed feels like climbing a mountain. Two and a half years ago, my world suddenly filled with words I never expected to know so well: surgery, chemo, radiation, targeted therapy, hormonal therapy, Lymphedema.. .etc. They became part of my everyday vocabulary overnight. I still remember the night before my first treatment; lying awake, scared, overwhelmed and ...

Turning the page: A new year & another trip around the sun

As the calendar turns and I mark another trip around the sun, I’m doing something that doesn’t always come naturally to me, slowing down. Instead of rushing into resolutions or filling my days with to-do lists, I’m pausing long enough to breathe, reflect, and acknowledge a year that asked me to carry fear and gratitude in the same hands and somehow made room for both. 2025 gave me a gift I will never take lightly; my first truly clear CT scan since my breast cancer diagnosis in 2023. Clear lungs. No shadows. No nodules. Words that still feel surreal when I say them out loud. At first, I held that news quietly, almost protectively, as if celebrating too loudly might somehow tempt fate. But this journey has taught me something important: good bloodwork, clean scans, and moments of relief aren’t meant to be whispered. They are meant to be honored. Every win, no matter how fragile, tentative, or hard-earned, deserves its moment in the light. I’m celebrating the strength it took to live in ...

Cauliflower & chickpea stew with couscous

This Cauliflower & Chickpea Stew with Couscous is one of those recipes that came together on a day when I wanted something comforting, nourishing, and uncomplicated. It’s the kind of meal that fills the kitchen with cozy aromas and reminds me why simple, plant-based cooking can feel so satisfying. I love how cauliflower transforms in a stew…. soft, tender, and perfectly suited to soaking up spices. Paired with chickpeas, it becomes hearty enough to stand on its own, while the couscous adds that fluffy, comforting base that makes the whole dish feel complete. This is the sort of food I make when I want to slow down, sit at the table, and really enjoy my meal. This stew has become a quiet favourite in my kitchen. It’s warming without being heavy, nourishing without trying too hard, and exactly the kind of dish I turn to when I want comfort food that still feels fresh and wholesome. Ingredients: ½ onion 350g cauliflower 2 medium carrots Olive oil ½ teaspoon chili flakes 1 teaspoon gro...

Cancer and faith: A journey of reflection

When I think about my journey with cancer and faith, it’s hard not to feel a deep sense of gratitude and reflection. My recent trip to Mecca, this time with my mum, daughter, and sister, was a powerful experience. It felt different than my first trip there three years ago, before I was diagnosed with cancer. It wasn’t just a trip to a holy place; it was a journey that made me think about how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. Three years ago, when I visited Mecca for the first time, I had no idea what was ahead. I was healthy, full of hopes for the future, and going through life with the kind of certainty that comes with being in good health. It was a beautiful experience, filled with deep spirituality, but there was still a sense of taking life for granted. I was thinking about what I wanted, not necessarily about the fragility of life. This second trip, however, was different. My diagnosis has shifted the way I see life, and in many ways, it made my faith feel stronge...

Ouzi rice

Ouzi is one of those dishes that instantly feels like a celebration. Traditionally, it’s a Middle Eastern rice dish made with fragrant basmati rice, warm spices, mince meat, peas, and a generous topping of toasted nuts. While classic ouzi is often prepared with slow-cooked lamb or ground meat, this version is my plant-based, one-pot take - all the flavour, none of the meat. This recipe is perfect when you want something comforting yet impressive, without spending hours in the kitchen. Using plant-based mince keeps it quick, hearty, and weeknight-friendly, while still honouring the rich spices that make ouzi so special. Ingredients For the Rice & Plant-Based Meat: 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed 1 lb (450g) plant-based mince meat 1 large onion, diced 1½ cups frozen peas 3–4 cups vegetable broth 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp vegan butter or olive oil Spices (or 2 tsp Lebanese 7-Spice blend): 1 tsp ground allspice ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground clove...

If you know, you know: Living with scanziety

If you know, you know. The blood tests, the scans, the quiet moments in the waiting room. The deep breath before the needle or the scan, the forced smile at the technician, the casual small talk that feels anything but casual. The sound of your name being called, the shuffle of papers, the cool touch of the examination table. And then… waiting. Waiting for the call. The email. The portal update. Refreshing the page like it changes anything. Telling yourself not to overthink, but your mind runs through every possibility anyway. Trying to stay busy, but the thoughts sneak in between tasks, creeping in like an uninvited guest. This is scanziety… It’s the fear of the unknown, which keeps building from the moment I get the letter about my annual screening. The what-ifs that stir at 2 AM when the world is quiet but your mind is loud. It’s the mental tug-of-war between optimism and dread, between hoping for good news and preparing for the worst. It’s the exhausting cycle of reminding yourself...