A busy and worrying week

As you know from last weeks blog my mum was taken into hospital on Saturday evening. On Monday she had a CT scan and they discovered she had a perforated gall bladder which had allowed a 2 x 3cm stone to become lodged in her small intestine. She was taken down for emergency surgery on Monday evening which resulted in a bowel resection to remove the blockage. She was finally released from the High Dependency Unit on Thursday and was settled onto a ward. Her condition improved rapidly thereafter and she even managed to walk the corridor on a couple of occasions. Last night however she started vomiting again and they have taken out the bottom 3 clips of the wound to see what was going on. She now has a bag attached to it as there is leakage/infection. The Doctors also think that the vomiting may be due to the fact that she isn't moving around enough yet for everything to 'work it's way down'.

The last time one of my parents went down to theatre he never came out so you can imagine our concern. We had a dreadfully worrying time. I've already lost my Dad and I'm certainly not ready to loose my Mum too!! It still amazes me how susceptible I am to falling apart. Memories of what we went through with Dad just flooded back and I was a wreck once again. I'm sorry if I spoilt your birthday on Monday Tam ... I really tried and thank you once again Ray for being by my side and helping me get through it.

On Wednesday evening I went to the local leisure centre with my cousin to do step and box. Basically its a full hour of intense cardio work. Thanks Elly you managed to make me laugh (1, 2, 3 duck!) and push my boundaries a little, I actually enjoyed it although I couldn't feel my thighs on Friday!!!!!

With Mum being in hospital I've had little time to do much walking this week but I have been using the stairs at the hospital. I didn't mind so much when she was on the 3rd floor but she is now on the 6th, it hurts!!

On Friday however, Benjamin had his own sponsored walk with school and we accompanied him. We were so proud of him. 3 years old and he walked 3.5 miles and walked most of them too! When we put him on Ray's shoulders he proclaimed 'Daddy, its windy up here!'. His sponsoring skills are coming into play too and he managed to raise £38.00 for the school. Well done Benji xxx

On Saturday we went to our friends 70th birthday, catching up with friends and dancing the night away. The highlight though was taking Benjamin to see his Grandma in hospital on the way there as he had his tuxedo on, bless him. It was a lovely surprise for her and he melted a few hearts on the way.

Sunday, weigh in...............................

Yippee, I've reached my 2 stone mark! I've lost 4lb which brings my total weight loss so far to 2 stone 2lbs. I didn't expect my 2stone until the end of April so I'm absolutely delighted. I am over 4 weeks ahead of my target, all I can say is thank you very much if you sponsored me per pound. I think you're going to owe me a lot of money!!!! Benjamin's walk was along a public footpath to the next village, so to celebrate my 2 stone loss, the 3 of us walked to the pub there for Sunday lunch (only we took the buggy for Benjamin this time!)

Until next Sunday

With love

Ellie

xxx

Mothers Day

Well another silly busy week this week chasing my tail and seemingly getting nowhere!

I'm also finding it extremely hard to blog this evening as my mum has been taken into hospital this weekend but I'll carry on and apologise now for my frame of mind but I really can't help it.

The week started off well with a trip over to Harrogate to have a walk with Caz. We did a VERY hilly 6.2 miles round the area which was really nice. We laughed and chatted most of the way round about our upcoming 40th birthdays. It amazed me how frightened Caz was of reaching her 40th and in complete contrast how blase I was about my own.

My cousin and Uncle came over from Ireland on Thursday for a few days and we arranged for it to be a surprise for Mum. I'd arranged for her and my Aunt to come down for lunch (which we do regularly so no surprise there!) but the look of complete shock on her face when Ray walked into the kitchen with tour guests was second to none! We certainly surprised her and it was nice to see her cry with happiness for a change.

When she arrived home that evening however she started vomiting and hasn't stopped since so she was taken into our local hospital late last night for investigative care. (I would hasten to add at this point that it was not my cooking!!)

My Uncle Ed stayed with Mum whilst he was here and bless him he ended up playing nursemaid to her, I do hope they managed to chat a little during his visit.

My cousin stayed over at our house and I managed to get her out for a walk on Friday. Another personal best was reached but this time not by me but by Catherine. We walked 5.2 miles which is her longest! Well done hunni I really enjoyed it.

We've also had visitors in and out and staying all weekend which has been lovely but again dampened by the fact that Mum has been ill. I love her so much and I'm worried for her. No matter how old I am I'm her little girl and I want her to be well. Having to wait until visiting time at the hospital to wish her Happy Mothers Day has been so frustrating.

Weigh in was also this morning and no great surprise to me I've stayed the same once again...... PLATEAU REACHED!! I have to think positive 'coz I've lost 26 lbs but today my heart is heavy, I'm worried and I'm low.

Hopefully we'll have a better week next week.

Get well soon Mum, I love you more than you'd know

Ellie

xxx

Good news all round!

The week started at Eden Hall Spa near Newark. If you haven't already been I would highly recommend it!

Ray and I had a fabulous day on Monday. Relaxing, detoxing and being pampered and it was a wonderful feeling after our half marathon the day before but nicer to spend timeout just the two of us chatting and having a good time.


The next couple of days were spent worrying about some tests that Ray had to have on Wednesday (the worry was still there on Monday only we forgot it for a few hours!)



When one of the most important people in your life is not well and starts to worry about their health, you naturally worry with them and this has been a dreadful strain for the last couple of months.



I am however thrilled to announce that he is fit and well and will live to fight another day (and hopefully a lot of years!!!!). I lost my Dad just over 3 months ago I'm certainly not ready to loose my husband as well. We returned home on Wednesday via the supermarket picking up a couple of bottles of our favorite wine, had a beautiful meal and celebrated in style.

With the events of the week, we've not walked as much as usual but this morning I went out for a quick 3 mile walk round the village and I smashed my personal best by walking a pace of 14 minute per miles, I am sooooo pleased I cannot begin to tell you.

Sunday............................ weigh in.............................



Last weeks weight loss was colossal and I was prepared for the plateau that happened this week.



I have maintained, but with the celebrating we did this week and the treat on Monday I half expected it an I really don't mind. The truth is I have lost 1 stone 12 pound in 10 weeks (that's 26lb!!) My 2 stone mark was due to happen at the end of April, it looks like that is going to be another goal I'm going to smash. I'm a happy bunny.



Tomorrow finds me going to Caz's neck of the woods!! I'm looking forward to my walk in Harrogate. Oh I wonder where she'll take me?!?!



God bless,



Ellie
xxx

Achy but elated!!

Training this week has been slightly different. Short sharp miles to help me get my fitness levels up in preparation for my half marathon. I've enjoyed changing it slightly and have been excited although a little apprehensive waiting for our half marathon.

Today was the day and ............ I'VE DONE IT!

Ray and I set of from home this morning at 9:48 am and arrived at mums house 13 miles away 3hours and 37 minutes later - what a buzz! My first ever half marathon and I'm overjoyed and emotional (but happily emotional for a change).

My sponsored slim has so far raised in excess of £1000 for The British Heart Foundation and this week has also seen me booking my charity night. I'm still in the early stages of organisation but hopefully over the next couple of weeks I should have posters and tickets printed. Please book the 29th April in your diary........ more details to follow.

My intention when I started my new eating habits was to lose between 1 and 2 pound a week with an overall weight loss of 4 stone before my 40th birthday at the end of August.

Here I am 9 weeks in - I have lost 19lb in weight, I've entered myself into a walking marathon and the race for life. I've also upped my exercise routine beyond anything I had imagined and what is really wonerful is that I'm enjoying my new healthy lifestyle.

When we've organised nights out I've been very careful to keep within my limits during the week in order to enjoy them and so far its worked for me. I've maintained on a couple of weeks but most weeks I've lost weight.

We were back at our favorite restaurant last night with our friends Jean and Mike and we had a wonderful night catching up and chatting. I'd been good all week so I was prepared to let my hair down and have our favourite dish of Bone in Rib Eye - as per usual it was beautiful.

Sometimes I wonder whether having weigh in on a Sunday is a good idea??!!??

This week it was........................... I lost a staggering 7lb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have tried extra hard this week because of my meal out last night and have changed my exercise routine. The results are plain to see although I realise that I could quite easily plateau next week but for today I'm crying with happiness.

I have reached a weight that I've not been at for a long long time. I'm fitting into clothes that have been laying dormant in my wardrobe for longer than I care to remember and my larger jeans I can now take off with out undoing them!

Ray and I are going to a Day Spa tomorrow. A Christmas present Mum and Dad got us 2 years ago that we've never yet done. A well deserved relaxation and pamper day is ahead of us and I can't wait!!

I'm leaving you very happy, very emotional and very achy this week.

Until next Sunday

God bless

Ellie

xxx

Week 8. Another marathon........plus a bit!

Mum and Dad first started courting after Mum nursed Grandma Redhead and she played cupid and got them together. They split up for a brief time and mum went back to Ireland to spend some time with her family. Dad followed her to a 'foreign land', found his way to Clones and knocked on the door to ask for her back only to be turned away!! But true love prevailed and they were finally married at 1:15pm on 24th February 1968 at St Charles Church which is the oldest Roman Catholic Church in the City of Hull. They honeymooned in the Lake District before returning to live with my Grandma Redhead in Brough.

They were lucky enough to celebrate their Ruby Wedding last year and spent the day with family. I remember Dad being so ill that day we nearly cancelled but he battled through and we ended up having a really lovely day as he got a little better as the day wore on.

Dad lived his life on a day to day basis for a long time and he often had to cancel visits due to his bad health or if he was well enough he would invite himself round!

This week we've cried many tears but we've cried, talked, and laughed together. On Tuesday the eight of us had a lovely meal at Mums (although I would say that as I cooked it!) and what better present could Dad have left her but the deeds to their house which arrived the very morning of their Anniversary. Every Anniversary will be hard for us and Mum in particular but hopefully not quite as hard as this the first!! xxx

The week started very emotional but I'm quickly learning to channel my energy into my sponsored slim so the rest of the week was spent walking and training. I've had an exceptional week this week and walked 33 miles (day 1 being last Sunday). Only 3 of those miles were done on the treadmill and I seem to have found a new love for the outdoors! I love being out in the fresh air and have quickly come to realise that by going outside, no matter how far out you walk you have to get back one way or the other. Rather than in the gym when you can turn the treadmill off!!!!

Ray also found a new website, walkrunjog.net so I've plotted both my Hessle and Sproatley walks if anyone would like to have a look. Its a fabulous site and works with Google maps so you can see all the public footpaths as well as main roads.

Caz came over yesterday for our first walk together for a gentle 6 mile walk. I decided to take her over the Humber Bridge on the route Ray and I had done last week so I gave her the website to show her where we would be walking - handy for her as she lives in Harrogate!! We ended up doing a 7.5 mile walk and we both felt brilliant for it, our longest walk yet!! I'm planning to go over to Harrogate in a couple of weeks and I can't wait for her to show me the ropes!

So ............................... I've 33 miles under my belt this week and 60 lengths of the pool. I was looking forward to seeing the results of my efforts in my weigh in.

...

...

...

2lb off!! Oh my lord that's 19lb in 8 weeks. I'm ecstatic, I'm loosing weight, certainly getting healthier (this week I ran the length of the garden with Benji, I've NEVER been able to do that!) and I'm enjoying it all to boot.

Next week Ray and I have got walks planned Monday, Wednesday and Friday then on Sunday we have a half marathon planned, YES 13MILES!! I look forward to telling you all about it.

Until then, stay safe and God Bless

Ellie
xxx