Fly Alone

Flying alone - no way!!

My first flight was back in 2003 from Birmingham to Majorca and i wasnt overly keen but accepted that it was something i had todo to enjoy holidays as i have a travel bug. Life kind of took over at this and i didnt use my passport again until 2012!!!

Now ive flown a number of times with other people by my side so you have that comfort.

I wanted to visit my friend Jo at her home in France and going on the Eurostar wasnt an opition and im no good at sea (but thats another story!!) so i had to fly!!

The build up was full of worry and panic would i be ok what about the airport alone!! But at 3am one June morning i took the plunge and made me way to Birmingham airport with my brother, i did have luggage!! Off i went to the terminal checked in and it was time to say goodbye to my brother, i felt really anxious, i actually wanted to take him with me at this point!

I was led through security by an assistant and then left at departures for my gate to be called! I was talking to the guy who was waiting for my gate to be called i was feeling more and more anxious but kept talking LOL

Now it was time to get on the plane, using an ambi i was on the plane seatbelt on, chatted to the airhostess and then it occured to me "OMG IM ON THE PLANE" no turning back now!! You have to remember im in a wheelchair so i need help from people and i was on this plane alone! I counted to 10 as we took off then spelt my name and a friends twice then we was at altertude and i was happy taking pictures and i fell asleep.

Here i am on a Monarch flight to Nice in June 2013 all by my self I DID IT! Despite my fear and the wheelchair!

This is my favourite shot from the plane as we are heading for Nice airport.

So my message is if you PLAN and get the right help and the right airline you can fly too. Believe me i had a fear of flying im now cured and looking forward to my next trip to the sun with my brother :)

Believe in yourself no matter what your disability you can achieve xx

Go To A Football match

Go to a football match 

Id been to football games many times before i was diagnoised with rheumatoid arthrtitis and once diagnoised and subsquently ending up in a wheelchair i believed that id never get back to a live game again .. how very wrong!

I support a power house in football Manchester United and my local club Birmingham City. I contacted Manchester United who told me about the facilities for disabled supporters, it was a relief, i could go back to football!!

So above you can see me looking rather please with myself and wrapped up warm! This was the 2011 charity sheild Manchester United V Manchester City at Wembley Arena, London.

Above you can see me looking tired at a night game at Old Trafford in October 2013. Manchester United v  Bayer

So as you can see ive been on one away day, id like to go to more to experience the facilties at other clubs first hand and then at Old Trafford at a champions league game. I am looking forward to two up coming premier league games again Everton and Newcastle.

Dont let mobility become a barrier to attend football it can be over come!

50 big ones - The challenge begins

So after sitting here ive completed the 50 ... with a little help from my friends who i asked for ideas!!! Ill give a small explanation on each one.

Throw a party for rheumatoid - This may sound a bit strange to people but its changed my life and its lead to some depressing days so i want to change it from a negative to a positive, lets celebrate what rheumatoid gave me, friendships, courage, strentgth.

Go in a racing car - Yeah i know im a girl right! i want to show that regardless of disability i can still do things like others and a bit of extream sport is always fun ... bring it on i say!!!

Visit Nou Camp (Barcelona) - Im mad about football and a lot of stadiums in europe arent wheelchairt friendly but ill visit and darn ill get in!!!

Visit Bernaeu (real madrid) - one of my favourite football players play here and i want to visit again accessability will be tough but ill do it.

Complete the 96 - I am a huge football fan (you may have noticed) and this will be a chllenge as an able bodied person i did some of the clubs but with the wheelchair there are many obsticals but i will achieve it.

Visit Rome - This will be a challange because of flying, accessablity and finding my way around the city.

Visit Venice - This will be a challange because of flying, accessablity and finding my way around the city.

Visit Australia - This is a life long dream and with rheumatoid and my heart condition i question is it possible but i am going to make this happen one day i dream of the opera house! 

Go to a Cricket Game - I lover cricket but its not the easyest thing to get to but i shall, fight for the few wheelchair seats avilable.

Go to Aintree - Id love to see horse racing to show that even though not the best enviroment for a wheelchair anything is possible.

Visit the Eifle Tower - An iconic landmark in Europe and i have been to france and no the difficulites that will be encoutered but i shall overcome these.

Go to silverstone - I have spoken to another wheelchair user about this and they found it difficult as actually seeing the race wasnt the best, but ill go exoperience then tell them how they can improve the experience.

Finish my family tree - A personal one this one but one id like to achieve for future generations.

Meet my second cousins in Canada - Another personal one, flight time, weather and accessability all obsticals but im determind.

New York shopping - A very girlie one for not a typical girlie girl, i have no idea on the challenges ill face but itll be fun finding out.

Bake a cake - The most simplist of ones but one that would mean the most, i had a passion for cooking so much so i went to catering college, but with the rheumatoid kicking my hands into funny shapes its become near impossible but with my new wheelchair friendsly kitchen im going to give it another try and it will most likely bring the biggest smile to my face :)

Write a book - now this is in progress life with multiple conditions maybe ill include the "vickys 50" challenge :)

Go to the darts - Another big passion of mine, id love to go to the worlds in december, again so little wheelchair seating means they sell out so quick, im ready for you PDC!!!

Go to a health farm - Another girlie thing to do for a sport mad girl!! The point of this is to show that people in wheelchairs can experience everything others can we can experience everything everyone else can we may have to adapt and change things a bit but thats half the fun!

Visit the shopping centre's in the UK - A bit like the stadiums one i use to love shopping pre-ra and i hope this challenge will rekindle my love of shopping!

Visit a stately home - This one is to prove we can visit where we can with a little reseach again we can have to adapt things!

*Go to a football match - Ive done this challenge but when i was confined to the wheelchair i always believed id never go to another game again but i do go when i get tickets (a major moan of mine). I shall do a blog post about this with pictures :)

*Fly Alone - I did this in June 2013 something i never thought would be possible in a wheelchair because of flight companies being stubbon about flying alone. As above a blog and picture to be provided.

*Attend a concert - Now this is another thing i didnt think id do once in the wheelchair but i go to quite a lot these days!

*Go to a music festival - Now this was a challenge but with the help of my friend Katy i achieved it and we had a lot of fun, blog and pics to follow

Visit Cornwall - The only county in the UK ive never visit most likely because its the furtherest away!!!

Go to a European football Match - Yes im crazy so many obsticals, so little wheelchair access out there in europe (two mian clubs dont even have wheelchair seats avilable to buy!) but ill work it out

Attend an England Match - I have never been to an England match i want this to change .. Wembleyyyyyyyyy!!!

Participate in a half marathon - this will involve a few friends .. some training .. determination and a bit of laugher whos got there running shoes and pushing hands ready?!!

Play disabled sport - Id like to try as many sports as possible for the disabled to show other wheelchair users whats out there, have a go and get involved in sport!!

Go to Wimbledon - Im a major tennis fan, you should have seen me hit the ball .. over the fence lol be good to see it done by the pros again, ticketing!!

Hovercraft racing - lets get some adrenalin pumping!!!! lets do it

Attend a rugby game - Somethibg ive yet todo, i expect to have ticking issues england or worcester warriors for me .. although im open to a union game with a northern friend!!!

*Go to the Olympics - This was a major big life time thing for me and i acheieved in 2012 at London in my wheelchair and it was amazing .. blog and pics to follow

Visit Portugal - I just wish to visit im curious of the facilities in portugal!!

Raise money for charity - id like todo this because of all the help ive recieved a long the way from heart and rheumatoid and grief charities in the past 5 years

visit Beligum - i want to try the chocolate ive been told it can be difficukt for wheelchair users, im up the challenge are you?

Afternoon Tea in London - Just to prove us wheelchair folk can do anything we want!!! (even with an eating dosorder abd dislike of hot drinks!!)

Photo shoot - strange one right? no i wanna show you can be sexy in a wheelchair and you look at the person not just the wheelchair!!

Narrow boat day - just to prove ill try anything once im not sure how it will work in a wheelchair though!!

Ryder Cup - I love watching the golf and id love to see it live, could be an experience the greens and avoding flying balls in a wheelchair!!

Go sailing - Yes ill try anything once to prove my point i can do anything you can do!!!

Horse riding - I did it before rheumatoid and eager to do it again with the wheelchair .. is it possible .. to be continued ....

Helicopter ride - Suggested by my friend Mark .. i didnt mention he'd be joining me .. good one mate!!!

White water rafting - Suggested by my friend Victoria .. i hear wales has a centre ... should be fun!!! adenaline will be racing!!!

Play Golf - Suggested by my friend Sue at disabled golf .. i can not wait to meet you and have a go :)

fashion show - just because im in a wheelchair and have arthritis doesnt mean i crnt wear fun clothes like everyone else!

Cocktail making - A fun girlie activity might be difficult with my arthratic hands oh well ill just get covered in alcohol least ill have had fun!!!

Trend on twitter - #vickydidit ... on completion of the 50!!!

Admin - * means ive completed it the reason its on this list is because there things I never thought id do because of the wheelchair and so i felt they deserved there place!!

Right now the good bit - friends family fellow blog writers and readers to want to get involved why not help out and enjoy the 50 challenges with me ... lets do this (oviously not everything but some i need a little help like the half marathon!!!)

Lots of hugs & Love V xxxx

50 big ones!

So i was sat here last night and i thought what can i do to help build awareness that people in wheelchairs can still have fun and do things they enjoy. What did i come up with a list of 50 things that will show that disabled people can still do despite there disability its a fun list and some personal things. Admitadly there is some of the list that ive already achieved that i will include but ill also write about that experience. I should maybe do a personal one too but its kind of combined so will be fun filled. Im not going to say im going todo it all in a year because with a disability you never know what tomorrow will bring. The last few weeks have been tough on a personal level and i think thats whats lead to this lead. I shall write up my list later on as im 10 short at the moment!I hope that i can achieve them all and people will take positivity from this adventure but also enjoy the journey. v xx

Five years on

This is the hardest blog post ive written, five years on from my journey starting with rheumatoid. As i write this its exactly five years on from the day my mum died. Now if you have ever lost a mum you will understand the pain and grief of loosing that special person in your life that you love unconditionally. I will always think about love and miss my mum unconditionally. The thing is that morning i was crying into my uncles arms telling him i couldnt believe she had gone i never really expected my life to change so much. I mean i knew life would never be the same but i never expected what happened next. Rheumatoid happened next i started getting pain in my joints, i got told it was grief. After a lot of talking to doctors i got a blood test and got told i got rheumatoid arthritis i didnt really understand what it was. 5 years on i certainly do. As i write this im 28 years and 6 months and i have rheumatoid arthritis, fibramalgia, depression, insomnia (hense why all my posts are late at night and an eating doscorder that im battling .. who said the last 5 years havent been eventual. So along with fighting the pain of loosing my mum dealing with the grief ive had many other battles to fight, my heart is a life long fight, but then rheumatoid went from a few pains to not being able to get dressed to not being able to jump out of bed to not being able to walk on bad days to being dependant on a wheelchair. relationships and friendships we have had many highs and lows ive lost a lot of friends and i dear say i will loose more when they read this eye opening post. fibramalgia i wasnt expecting it but its tough, not only do my joints hurt my muscles too the excritating pain of these chronic illnesses should never be taken lightly. depression, well who wouldnt be after the five years ive had. Ive had some dark days where ive sat and cried and asked WHY ME??? insomnia .. well this has been something ive suffered long before my mum died but 5 years on i havnt had a proper night sleep, every time i sleep i just feel guilt why was i asleep when dad came home why wasnt i there for my mum. eating disorder this will shock many as ive never spoken about it, i lost a lot of weight when my mum died to be exact 2 and a half stone .. im just 5 stone 8 now (at my last weigh in 3 weeks ago) its been a tough and long battle but i am trying to beat it but its just not as easy as well just eat. Dont get me wrong the last 5 years ive had lots of fun too in a way my mums death made me stop and start enjoying life to the fullest. Ive made some fantastic friends in the past 5 years who id be lost without. so tonight as you sit reading this remember lifes a battle but u have to keep fighting in loving memoey of my mum sue we all miss you and proud of your fight xx

Health

So i guess ive not updated for a while on my general health so i though id do it now. Ok so i started back on MTX i wont lie its tough on me. im shattered for a few days and have a headache for a about 5 days, infact its like ive been on the drink for a week, not the best when i havnt had the fun as well! I take it once a week and then folic acid 6 dayds a week so its become part of my routine. My fatigue is quite bad recently ive been sleeping more. I have gained weight though which is a definate plus its been a long journey but im getting there. My asthma has been playing up too which isnt helping. Im due to start physio finally later in the month and will update you with that once ive started it! Im having a few issues with hearing things since my recent sinusitis infection so im off back to my doctors this week to get a referal back to audiology as i use to them as a child when i had gromits! Back at heart hospital in September for a check up have to have an echo abd ecg this time as had server regorgitation so im guessing it wont be long before the big open is upon me, i know one day ill need to have open heart surgery but im thankful that my original surgon did such an amazing job that at present its not needed and im 29 in 6 months! I was at the doctors last week with a few issues ive been having ive got to have some blood tests firstly for my mtx as well as some hormone tests they dont really know whats going on with me, it could just be my hormones playing up but they also have to test for cancer and its pretty scary but i am hoping that its nothing and i will be ok but thats just life and what ever the outcome of the tests are ill get through them with my own determination my family and friends by my side xx

Disneyland Paris

Well as you may have guessed i popped over to disneyland this past weekend. With my cousin her husband and there children we had the most amazing time! We left early friday morning i was shattered and didnt hear my alarm lucky enough my cousin came and woke me up! Off we went to the airport! We got on the plane after a short wait and off we went the adults not knowing how the kids would find flying, they loved it!! Disneyland its self was amazing so much to see and do. The disabled facilitites in the park were excellent the toilets were good and the fact you could have a disabled card which meant you didnt have to wait in 1 hour ques for rides really did help with our trip. every one had a fantastic time, long days and short nights! I would love to go back again as it was fantastic only thing i would say is there curbs were HUGE!!! Overall a fantastic weekend with my family, meeting mickey mouse and minnie mouse was a particular favourite of mine! Although seeing the girls with the princesses was great too they enjoy it so much. Im back home now and still feeling fatigued lol but the more i sleep the worse my joints feel!! I wouldnt change the weekend for anything v xx