After much investigation and serious academic research, conducted under carefully controlled conditions, I have identified an important addition to the suite of nail products that must be procured. The new holy nail-grail comes in the form of a graffiti-esque spray can, which apparently enables you to spray your whole hand in exactly the sort of completely unaccomplished way that I generally tend to paint my nails, and somehow to be left at the end of the process with a perfectly professional, coloured-inside-the-lines style of manicure. Nails inc, I’m on my way.

The level of anticipation and excitement surrounding a new discovery, or anything I’m looking forward to really, is quite often the bit I enjoy most. That’s not to say I don’t love Christmas Day, just that Christmas Eve is even better. That Friday feeling – even though it’s still a work day – way better than Saturday. Plus you might get a Crunchie. Last week I had the last of six cycles of chemo. Getting those out of the way was obviously something to look forward to. Except even that turned out to be a bit different. Ticking off another phase in the treatment, really great. No longer having a regular appointment with the friendly faces of staff and patients whose company I’ve enjoyed over the past few months, something I’ll really miss. Which makes me realise how much I have enjoyed the past few months, and the company of all the people I’ve spent time with, rather than simply counting down the days to the next milestone. On reflection, I think I might have acheived ‘being in the moment’. And I think that’s an achievement that requires instant reward of the spray-on nail varnish variety. And who knows, maybe a Crunchie too for good measure.