Last Saturday was my birthday. There was no celebration because, much more importantly, this was the first anniversary of my wife's death. She had only been ill for two-and-a-half months. Julie was diagnosed with an appendix tumour and she died in a hospice at the age of 39.
Almost immediately I contacted Macmillan through the office at Lincoln County Hospital where Julie had three spells. They put me in touch with St Barnabas Hospice and I joined their weekly bereavement support sessions - the first one was before the funeral, the second week was the day after the funeral.
I've also had independent one-to-one counselling sessions since the autumn. I went back to work full-time for six months but went on sick leave at the end of January and officially left at the end of March when the world went into lockdown!
On the first anniversary, I published a book titled Letting Go And Living On. It tells our story and reflects on how I've coped through bereavement support, counselling and friendship.
Now I'm considering the next chapter in life. My journalism career is over and I'm looking to get back to work soon.
Thank you
