Thursday 31 May 2012

Owe An Update! And What An Update It Is!

I knew May would be busy but WOW it has been crazy :oD

Firstly, London with Chris was absolutely amazing from start to finish. We were blessed to be able to go down there and do the things we did! Including eating rabbit which was SO nice but not for everyone I guess :op Thank you to the Willow Foundation for organising the trip and making it special.

Then I had my birthday which didn't really go to plan as I ended up going into hospital. Worst part of it was not seeing the kids but due to my training and focus I begged to get home and was home after just 2 nights in there. Lung function was pants but they gave me some new inhaler and tablet to try. Over a week later my lung function went up to 69% which made the hard work worthwhile!

My training had been going well regardless of ending up in hospital so when it came to doing the 9km walk to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust I was quite confident. The only issue I had was the fact we had a heat wave which we were not expecting at all!! We raised an amazing £1600 in just over a month which was mind blowing! It felt good for me raise money for the CFT as not done anything to raise money since I was very young. A huge thanks go to Mum for asking the golf club she is a member of to help out which resulted in raising £453!! My father in law for making sure I had everything organised with military precision which helped loads, Aimee who has CF also and is a very good friend and Jemma for doing the walk together and motivating me on the way around when it got a bit difficult! And offering physio when I was coughing my lungs up lol ;o) , my hubby and children for motivating me, my family who turned up to cheer me on, everyone who sponsored and believed in us! We smashed the walk to pieces and completed it in 1 hour and 20 minutes :oD Well done us! Think the best bit was Livvy running up to me as we were finishing and giving me a huge cuddle and walking over the line holding her hand. Really did make the finish perfect :o)

A quick mention to a certain midwife I know who has a son that has CF and I finally got to meet him which really choked me up. It's taken a while but loved meeting little Ethan he is fab! And one of my close friend's (who passed away) family who do the walk every year in memory of DanStar, you guys made the day so special seeing his little face on your t-shirts and chatting about him afterwards.

All in all I am so proud of me and Aimee for doing that walk. We were both unwell but we were never ever going to let ourselves fail as it is not in our nature. Another quick message to Caroline, you did AMAZING! She finished the walk on oxygen but she never gave up :oD xx

Completely changing the subject I want to say a huge thank you to Kelly my cousin for really pampering and treating me by taking me to a spa thingy then for lunch! I had my first ever facial which was soooo good! Still couldn't shut up talking when they were doing that hehe ooops :o) Going back there soon to have a massage and I can't bloody wait! Love you smelly xx

I have noticed such a huge difference in my body due to my training. I haven't felt this strong in a long time. I am still waiting for my lungs to catch up as they are still really giving me grief but the doctors have said to keep going as I will start noticing a difference. I just want to stay out of hospital longer and I will be happy. Me and Chris took the kids swimming yesterday and I haven't managed that since Livvy was 1 year old so that is priceless to me. Both my children are fearless in the water and I was so so proud of them both and made me realise how quickly they are growing up! Scary!

I will shut up now but one last thing to mention is that me and Aimee along with my sister and Jemma are going to do the Bupa Great Birmingham Run at the end of october. We are raising money for the ward we go to which is Ward 26, Heartlands Hospital. Yes we are slightly crazy but we are determined enough to make this happen just like we did with the 5 miles we just did, only this time its 13 miles! EEEEEEKKKK!! Will put up the link to our sponsorship page once its set up and would greatly appreciate any support people reading this can give us. We are going to need it!

Pics to follow and thanks for reading xxx

Sunday 6 May 2012

Training For My Life!!

From my last big update which was when I was in hospital alot has been happening. I went through a very very tough time when I got home from spending 3 weeks in hospital. It was a big shock to the system when I struggled so much to walk up the stairs and doing anything with the children was near impossible. People dont realise how much adjusting is takes when you get back home. Everyone probably thinks its great and all hunky dory but it really isnt. It is a big hit of reality of how weak I have gotten, how my muscles have wasted away and how my lungs have deteriorated.

I needed something to help turn things around for me and a few things kind of slipped into place. I was dreading my birthday which is coming up on the 15th of May. I have dreaded all my birthdays from about the age of 25 due to pure fear of watching many close friends with CF pass away around the ages of 25-30 mostly. Some younger and some slightly older but when you have seen your friends die it is scary realising you are getting to that age. Yes I am still here and YES I have no intention of going anywhere for a very long time but having a birthday just smacks it in your face that your a year older.

Anyway I told Chris I wanted to have a busy birthday and my wish came true! I have the craziest month I have had in who knows how long! Firstly the Willow Foundation who grant special days for seriously ill young adults have organised something for me and Chris. We are going to London, all expenses paid, put up in a beautiful hotel over looking the London Eye. They have got us tickets for Wicked the musical and London Eye the next day. It is well known that I love my food and love cooking and it was a dream to go somewhere really nice for food and we had a few recommendations for the OXO Tower so Chris is treating me for my birthday to a posh meal :o) SOOOO excited! My good friend Kimberley has just come back from there and she had an amazing time which her and her hubby completely deserved after a tough time so thanks go to the Willow Foundation for going so far out of their way for people like us and giving us an amazing break that will take out minds off all the rubbish.

On my actual birthday I just want a relaxing day with Chris and the kiddies. Maybe go to the safari park as I know Livvy will absolutely love that now! Wednesday I think we are seeing our good friends Miss Bayliss and Jamie. Thursday I want to go on a shopping spree and treat myself to some new clothes. Saturday 19th we are having a girls night out YAY!! It's not going to be a crazy night just a few drinks and a curry after maybe. If the weather is ok Mum is doing me a birthday BBQ on the sunday. On 22nd my beautiful cousin Kelly is treating me to something I have never experienced before.... A pamper session! Getting a massage and a couple of other things then going for lunch which I cant wait for :oD

So as if that wasn't a busy enough time to keep me occupied my other good friend who also has Cystic Fibrosis asked me if I fancied doing a sponsored walk/run which is 5 miles 9km's for the CF Trust. It is on the 27th May which gave us little over a month to train and like I said i could barely walk up th stairs let alone walk that far which was the PERFECT focus I needed. Me and Aimee decided we would do this. I would like to say now that we are doing it for a few reasons..... We have lost many friends with CF and this will be in memory of them and to make them proud of us. We are doing our bit to raise money and awareness for CF which is much needed. We are doing this to improve our health and achieve something that for people like us is extremely hard!!!

We are now entered.... Our target was originally £200 between us and I am amazed to say that at this moment in time we have reached £859!!!! We are so completely blown away by the amount of people that believe in us and are supporting us. We have been choked up on a number of occasions just out of the pure generosity of our friends and families. I know I have said it alot but THANK YOU each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. You have all given me the biggest boost to stick to training even when I have felt terrible.

And then to add another date to my diary my Mum came up with an amazing idea and has fixed something up to help raise more money. My Mum and Dad are members of Raven Meadow Golf Club in Worcester and they have agreed to put on a charity golf day on the 23rd May just before our run. It's £5 to enter so any of my friends who like golf please go down and check it out. All the proceeds are going to mine and Aimee's Just Giving Page for this race and will be going to the CF Trust once we have completed our huge task. Thank you Mum for sorting that out :o) xx

Me and Aimee are both suffering with chest infections and as well as that both of us have 2 children to look after while we are trying to focus and train for our charity walk/run. Aimee has incredible strength and is a very very special girl that always keeps a smile on her face and is positive even when she is annoyed at the crap hand she has been dealt with her health. Her 2 children are beautiful and an absolute credit to her. I couldn't think of anyone better to do this challenge with and we will do our lost friends so proud hun! :o) Hopefully alot of friends and family will be coming down to see us finish which makes me well up just thinking about it. Chris, Livvy and Jayden being at the end will get me through this I know they will! I want to show them that their Mommy can be strong and no matter what I will always fight!

Finally I will just add a couple of pictures of my new t-shirt that I am wearing to the gym so that I can raise even more awareness and maybe another sponsor or 2.....






To those that know me and reading this that haven't sponsored us yet please consider donating even a small amount as every little bit really does count. You can sponsor us by clicking http://www.justgiving.com/AimeeandKim or you can text a donation to VNGS83 £5 TO 70070 or you can change the amount to as little or as much as you want to.

So last thing I will say is that I have an amazing few weeks to look forward to and I am so focused to staying fitter now I feel stronger than I have in months and months. Chest is going to have to give in and keep up with me cos I refuse to let it stop me! ONWARDS AND UPWARDS BABY!!!!! xxxxx