Male friendships!

This past few months have been testing for me rheumatoid has been bad and I've struggled along had bad news regarding my health but I kept on fighting through mainly from my own spirit but also because of my male mates, my female friends u know I love you all! But the lads just I dunno humour me with sport lol. I don't know where to really start but some times you sit back and go wow look at my mates my rocks my ears my football sanity! They support many teams even villa and man city haha!! Southampton man united WBA Birmingham but they all have a cheeky convo and I have to admit many say I'm the only man united fan they can tolerate haha you know who you are (yes reading and Southampton fans!!) I could sit here and name you all and tell you how fantastic you are but to be honest Im abit lazy today I, dreaming of title number 20 and helping villa get I'm trouble .. I mean hoping a fella midlands club can get out of trouble HAHAHA who am I kidding!! You guys have kept me going through some times if it be a laugh a joke sharing sweets or just telling me it's going to be ok. Or even volunteering to run 10k (hehe) you have made the last few months bearable, you are my best friends my rocks my energy. .... Added this bit Big love to you guys cuz u know its vicky!!!! Xxx

CHD auction

As you are all aware this week is CHD awareness week and CHD UK are holding a 5 day auction for a one of canvas that was made for them. It's a great cause so I thought I'd do my bit and show my readers the auction and hope we can help raise some funds to carry on the great work they do. Please find the link below: I'm hoping that works as I've not tried to do a link on my iPad! If not ill paste the link again so you can copy paste it into your browsers. http://pinterest.com/pin/238550111484498262/

Tetralogy of fallot

I have never really opened up about my condition but this is some basic information about it I'm sharing to it being CHD awareness week so please feel free to share this. In 1888 a French doctor, etienne Louis Arthur fallot which is where the name comes from it was mentioned by other doctors previous to this. It occurs more in men than women. It is a complex condition as it had four different heart abnormalities although they may not all be present each child with TOF is different. These are, pulmonary stenosis this is the narrowing of the ventrical. Ventrical septal defect (VSD) hole in the heart. Over riding aorta and thick right ventrical which means the heart is working harder due to narrowing. A baby with TOF can have tet spells which is when a baby is blue. A TOF baby is Likely to have a BT shunt which improves the blood supply to the lungs and later has a major repair which the babies heart will be stopped and put on a heart and lung machine to keep blood flowing. The surgon will then stitch a patch of the hole and repair other abnormalities. After the repair it is important to know that the heart will never be normal it will simply be repaired. An adult TOF will continue to have cardiac appointments all there life's and this is very important. An adult TOF often develops a leaky valve which may require further surgery. They may also get pulmonary regurgitation which is when the ventrical has to work harder which causes the heart to enlarge over time which may lead to a valve replacement. I myself have this currently at a mild level. Risks to adults are heart failour and sudden cardiac death. Thank you for reading x

CHD

So today marks the start of CHD awareness week 7 February to the 14th February is week is about raising much needed awareness on CHD congenital heart disease! As many of you know I was born with a heart condition TOF my mum new I was a poorly baby. I was born in a normal community hospital in the town I lived in then I was taken to Birmingham children's hospital for more specialist care. I wasn't I'm great shape I was given a BT shunt which helps sick TOf kids live until yes have there major repair now back in the 80s they didn't automatically do this so early on like they do now in days of being born for the very sick. so my Bt shunt was to help me until I had my repair later. I spent many many weeks in hospital! I was christened in hospital because they didn't think I would live. I was lucky enough to go home and my family and town folk were raising funds for me to have my hear operation as soon as possible they raised a lot of money I was on TV and I cried! The time eventually came one November day in 1989 when I was to have my life saving heart operation now I don't know how long I was in theatre for as my mum never told me but I'm assuming it was a long time I bet it was scary for her and my family. I eventually came through the operation with a repaired heart thanks to my surgeon and consultant who I will forever be grateful to. I started school I'm 1990 with every other child and enjoyed it I had a lot of time off because I was a sick child. In 1991 I had my arteries widened via a ballon procedure. That was the last surgery I've had I've been lucky. Over the past 28 years I have had stress tests running in a treadmill to make sure my hearts ok, echocardiograms much like an ultrasound on the heart and E.C.Gs I've been poked and proded by hundreds of doctors but I don't mind because they gave me the gift the greatest gift of all life. I'm still under cardiac care I always will be my heart is not cured it just repaired in the future it's likely ill need another open heart surgery when that time comes ill face it when the time comes. Special thanks to my heart hospital I'm London for continued support. To the staff and specialists who saved me at the children's hospital Birmingham. Also those who I have met a long the way from young at heart as we grew up together and we still keep in touch today. Xx

Untitled

I was lay on the sofa earlier with rheumatoid giving me a lot of pain in my back and hips and I thought you know what I'm a survivor I live every day in constant pain but you don't hear me moaning! I also have a heart condition which I talk about when needed. I have fort from day 1 and now as I approach my 28th birthday I want to say thank you THANK YOU to all my friends past and present my family and my long suffering medical team .. Why? Because you help me get through every day your belief in me keeps me going through the tough days and your willingness to allow me to be me even in pain makes me realise how special you all are to. With out the support of my GUCH team I'd be in a lot worse place I'm thankful every day that I can call you up and talk about what's on my mind and ask for advice. My rheumatoid team it's quite a new team as I changed team but you came through for me when it got tough you told me it was OK to be scared you told me it was OK to say I'm in pain but most of all you showed me my inner strength to get through the tough days. Xxx

Rheumatoid the truth

I've had rheumatoid since I was 23 years old and I'm now approaching my 28th birthday. When first got rheumatoid I knew things would change, the doctors told me it would but I never expected it to change to the extend that it did. I don't want to sugar coat rheumatoid for my readers so this is probably the hardest post I've wrote. I was 23 years old loving life then my mum passed away in the August next thing I knew I was getting joint pain and I was really confused by it I eventually got diagnosed with rheumatoid and that is when my life changed. Pain - This is the one thing that no one can fully understand unless they to suffer with this condition. You are in pain from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep and often while you are asleep you feel the pain of your joints. Every minute every second of the day you can feel pain in your joints. Which means you have to take painkillers to allow yourself to live with less pain. Insomnia - This happens because your in such pain you can not sleep your physically tired but you just can not fall asleep. Depression - This hits most people with chronic illness at some point. We are in pain we can not sleep then our brain starts to over think things. Loneliness - We spend a lot of time on our own because of pain so we end up becoming lonely. Fatigue - If we aren't suffering with insomnia we often suffer with fatigue and then we are sleeping all day and half the night 12-14 hours a day if not more we just crash because our bodies are flaring so they are fighting us which makes us tired. Isolation - People tend not to make plans with you because you have to cancel some times because of pain or fatigue so people start not inviting you places so then you become isolated and lonely. Other conditions - The thing about rheumatoid is once you have it you know you could get other things such as fibromyalgia because of the way our body works also if we get a bug we often have them longer than most so getting sick is normal. Shame - This may surprise you but when your a grown adult and you have trouble getting dressed some days and have to ask others to do it for you it hurts a lot. You try and make jokes about the things that upset you but it hurts more than you'll ever know even if we laugh about it. Medication - This is scary because its not just the painkillers it's the many other medication you have to take such as methotrexate which is a type of chemotherapy or the biologicals or other Medication. Yes we take them even though they make us sick tired headache bad stomachs why because its a chance to feel better but then the disappointment kicks in when it doesn't work. If it does work it's in the back of your mind will it stop working as it does happen then what? Doctors and specialists - You often see them more than your friends and family! They become a part of your life and not just them but their nurses. The rest of the team they have from occupational therapist, physiotherapist, dietician, surgeons and other such people. Pharmacist - This person knows you by your name and knows your medical condition because you see them so much they are like your friend! They know what medication you take and ensure you don't have antibiotics you can not have with your rheumatoid medication. Family - Your family try and help you when they can but they don't really understand what your going through. They try and support you but it's hard for them because they don't really understand how ill you are. Family often stick by you and you become a stronger unit. Friends - You often loose friends when you have rheumatoid for many reasons they can not cope or they don't like being told you crnt do some thing and get fed up of it. On the other hand though you find out who your true friends and they stay with you through the good an bad times of rheumatoid. So you see rheumatoid isn't just about the pain of the condition there are many other aspects both mentally and physically it's not easy living with rheumatoid for any suffer. My own rheumatoid nurse said to me recently "people with rheumatoid are some of the strongest people I know" we have to be because of what we have to go through every single day. I dedicate this post to my fellow rheumatoid suffers and people who live I'm chronic pain every day.

Centre Parc's

Well i didnt write about my trip away with my family so i thought i'd do it now! So we booked our trip in May and it felt like forever til the day came to leave i was so excited about my trip! We took three cars! Me and my cousin in mine and we did some bunny hopping down the road ... it was so funny!! My aunty and Uncle and the girls in the second car and finally matt in the third car! We took a de-tour on the way to a shopping outlet i mean it would be rude not to! We started the trip off with hot chocolates for us all and a bit of shopping and a few treats for my self! When we arrived me and my cousin were very excited at the fake snow at the entrance! But then we saw Santa at check in and we were even more excited the girls were not as pleased! We eventually found our lodge after some driving and a bit of a hill walk with the bags! The lodge was fantastic we was all impressed! After unpacking we were off bowling and every one had a great time i think my uncle won closely followed by the oldest girl! We had none alcoholic cocktails with the girls which was great! Finished off with a take away for all and an early night! Saturday morning Matt joined us. We was up bright and early well for me it was! We went to see the reindeers they were so lovely! Then we waited for the pony ride ... but after about 5-6 minutes of waiting i looked at the sign and it said "pony ride from santa" OMG we were in the wrong place and late! My cousin asked a guy and he told us were to go and made sure we didnt miss the pony ride! Did we run, it was quite funny! The pony ride was lovely and i think she enjoyed it! We then qued to see Santa himself .. it was all going great, lovely workshop had a chat with a couple of elfs! Then the big man was ready for two little girls! LOL lets say the sisters are united in anti-santa! A few tears and screams, but santa read our letters out and wished us all a merry christmas so that was nice oh and the girls got a gift a reindeer and an elf and they loved them! That night we talked watched TV as a family and ate some yummy food! Sunday we got up early again! This time my Aunty and Uncle went off shopping while me carolyn, matt and the girls went off to pain baulbals! I have to say i enjoyed watching the girls paint them while the youngest painted her self a fetching shade of purple! We then left them to be fired we had to pick them up tomorrow! We then went for a walk around the lake and found the country club so we could all have some yumy food and it was very good i enjoyed the turkey! Later we walked back and went to soft play :) and the eldest got to make her self a teddy bear she called it sparkles and dressed it in bridal wear! I had a little nap before we went back out to watch the fireworks which were fantastic although the youngest was a bit scared! Monday we came home after feeding the ducks and picking up the baulbals that im told are now on the tree at my cousins We had a fantastic time, new memories and a great family break oh and how could i forget the brillant log fires!! I love my family so much thanks for a great weekend xx