I first met my ‘Girlies’ at university. We each joined the canoe club during Freshers Week, the only four girls from our year group: we were outnumbered. But it wasn’t until a couple of week later, our first weekend away kayaking, that we really bonded. After a day of paddling and swimming down a scary … More The Girlies Who Wouldn’t Let Me Hide
A fortnight ago something monumental happened. After many years of waiting and asking and being told “Not yet”, we eventually got to babysit the nephews overnight! As they’ve never before had bedtime away from their parents, it was a big deal for us all. My sister and Adam had their first date night in six years, Jacob … More The Nephews First Sleepover!
In 2012, my brother-in-law’s father sadly died after a short illness. At the time my eldest nephew Jacob was only 15 months old. His Grandad was a lovely man who clearly adored him, and was a significant part of his life up until that point. But he died when Jacob was young, very young, too … More Will They Remember Me?
We booked our annual holiday with Phil’s family many months ago. Restricted by my need to stay near to Harefield Hospital, and the want of an easy week, we decided to go to Woburn Centre Parcs. My first ever trip to a famous CP! We were charmed by the website- a fabulous swimming pool, acres … More A Family Holiday to Centre Parcs
I’ve had a great start to 2017. Throughout January and February, my health has been stable, so I’ve taken advantage of my plateaued condition by filling the calendar. For me, it’s important to make memories, see people, live life whilst I still can. A catch up, a night away, a day trip, a dinner party. Something … More A Month of Illness
Phil and I are country bumpkins. We live in a beautiful Cotswold village, surrounded by fields and farms and woods and crops. With a population of just 200, we have more sheep and cow neighbours than human ones. We love the country: red kites circling our house, the changing harvest over the year, badgers and … More Country Bumpkins in London
I’m not a fan of interviews. If someone asks me a question, I don’t take a deep breath, I don’t stop and think, I don’t spend two minutes planning my answer. No, I’m a chatterer. I’ll immediately start talking at super fast speed, simultaneous to my brain whirring away, quickly trying to recall my planned … More In A Tizzy Over An Interview
It took eight years for me to get a diagnosis. Eight years of wondering and worrying, speculating and self-diagnosing. From my early twenties, to my dramatic collapse at 32, I knew there was something medically wrong. I had started to walk slower, swim slower, run slower than my peers. Despite moving at half their speed, … More Solving The Puzzle
A game of Monopoly was an adrenaline fuelled activity in my family. With our competitive natures and argumentative streaks, it was never a polite quiet game. My brother would steal money from the bank every time we looked the other way. My sister would cause outrage by going in to cahoots with another player, letting … More Becoming A Gamer
I remember the first time I felt like my throat was closing up. One Friday night, back in 2005, Phil and I were sipping red wine and listening to some Damien Rice songs. Suddenly I felt strange. My throat had closed up. Literally in a second, my throat had sealed shut, and my next normal … More Throat Spasms -Will I Be Kicked Off The List?
We Can Adjust The Sails 