It’s been two whole months since my last post, oops! Life has just been kinda happening and I’ve been crazy busy making cakes, dealing with the horses and up until last week I’d still been run, run, running! There’s only so many hours in a day and I’m still the most useless person at organising my time properly … I don’t suppose that will ever change!

Anyway, first things first and I can now officially say I RAN A HALF MARATHON!!! Shouty capitals are totally needed because I felt like shouting it from the roof tops, I mean seriously this non-runner actually did it, and not only that but I was a minute inside my hoped for time at 2hrs 39mins 😀 The day couldn’t have been more perfect, I had all my family and loads of friends there to support me and my long time friend Laura stayed with me for the whole run to ensure I made it to the end ….

The finish line is in sight!

she literally dragged me for the last mile, what a legend! The sun shone, there was no wind and the streets were lined with cheering strangers who made each mile seem that little bit more bearable. I had been feeling progressively worse in myself since the London 10km and I had really begun to worry I may not be able to do the Hasting’s Half, thankfully my stubbornness won and I did it regardless of the level of pain and swelling it caused! That was on the 24h and I haven’t run since, for now running is finished because it’s been gradually making my Lipoedema worse and I need to get myself into better shape for my first liposuction surgery! I posted my accomplishment on a few Facebook groups that I’m a part of for EDS and POTS syndrome in a hope to inspire even one person into following their dreams, the response was amazing and I hope that a few can take something from me and push themselves to achieve a longed for goal. Some say I’m ignorant to my conditions but it’s not that, I chose a long time ago to carry on with my life as I want too and not for a second let my ‘illnesses’ stop me reaching my goals. Every doctor and consultant I have seen in life have advised that I don’t do this or don’t do that, not because it could be dangerous to my health but because that’s what they’re told to suggest. Take it easy, listen to your body, blah blah blah! The truth is, if I listened to every ache and pain or morning riddled with fatigue I would never achieve anything and that just doesn’t sit well in my world! So long as I’m not putting myself at risk by ignoring symptoms then I will continue to do so and I think sometimes a bit of fight attitude would be better served out by Doctors’s rather than their usual ‘let me sign you off and give you some meds’ jargon! I agree that my back and other joint pain may sometimes be worse due to activities I choose to do but pain doesn’t kill you and once you’ve learnt to decipher between a general grumble and an injury level then I think you’re good to go! Perhaps my attitude will come back to haunt me later in life but it’s a risk I’m willing to take 🙂

As I write this I can tell you my first operation is now only 42 sleeps away and it’s really getting real now! I’ve already booked my second one too, that’s going to be the 6th of August so I have the first two planned and they will hopefully address my main areas of discomfort. I’m excited and petrified and anxious about the entire thing and am trying really hard to not panic or overthink the situation but the closer it gets the more I’m beginning to fret, I’m not good with the unknown and I think that’s what is causing the issue at the moment. What is incredible, and totally overwhelming, has been the generosity of those around me. I set out on this journey in the knowledge that it would financially put me in a bit of a pickle but I was doing it regardless and would just pay off what I could each month, probably for the rest of my life! What has in fact happened is that three separate people have offered to each pay for one operation for me, that has meant that unbelievably I only need to raise the funds for one myself. I therefore set up a gofundme page to raise what I could towards the final surgery, using my half marathon as the main driving point. Again I was totally astounded at people’s kindness,  I never in a million years thought I could deserve such a response and I am forever going to be so grateful to all the wonderful humans who are helping me get my life back. The financial side of these surgeries is what stops so many patients from getting the treatment they so desperately need and I just pray that one day the NHS and health insurance companies will help women get the treatment they need.

The next year is going to be far from easy but it will be so worth it to just be able to walk without discomfort nevermind all the other factors that it will help and I just can’t wait to get things underway. I will be blogging, facebooking (page yet to be made!) and instagramming (@mylipoedemalife) my journey so feel free to give me a follow if you want the picture version! While researching for these operations I found the most help came from the ladies who had been through the surgeries already and so I want to provide the same for others.

My oven is calling as I have yet more cakes to make this week so I shall love you and leave you for now … til next time!! Xx