Reaching a peak (flow)

Hello Blogg-ettes,

Well Christmas was spent mostly in Cannock Wood, enjoying catching up with friends old and new, watching Villa lose at Villa Park and seeing relatives...

The infection I caught in Tenerife eventually went. It was a slow process. Us transplantees have an artificially reduced immune system so our bodies don't reject our organs.. I had to to get some magic drugs from the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital - and take things easy..

Strangely my lung capacity stayed at 23 per cent - even when I was feeling grotty. That's the weird and wonderful world of peak flow for you!

SO I guess the break came at the right time...

New Year was fun in Lancaster. Thai food (see pic) then a Champagne do at a friend's.. But it all seems such a long time ago now..

I found out a job I had missed the application date for in Stafford, may have been still open. So I spent a frantic two days doing the forms, CV and meeting the people spec, but turns out it was closed.

But it made me update my details and get back into applying for stuff. The bad news is for the people of Cheshire and Merseyside, you have got me living and working up here for a while yet.

I have other irons in the fire...

Since recovering from the infection I have been going to the gym every other day. It made the first table tennis session of the year less painful.

It is less than six months until I compete in the Europeans in Lithuania.  Wish me luck..

Until next time..

Ciao

Mark

It's been a while. I have been expecting me!

Hello Blog-ettes...

From the start of 2005 I started writing this blog...

This was before Twitter and Facebook and I wanted to start an on-line diary of my life struggling, while waiting for a double lung transplant.

At that time, blogs were fairly new. My blog got me on TV, radio and the local press. I sold articles on blogging to the regional press and more importantly, it got awareness of what waiting for a double lung transplant could be like...

The ups and the downs, pre and post false alarms. the operation and the rejection; the transplant games ups and downs and the normal loves, lives, limits and longings of your average 30 something (now 40 something!)

It was my refuge... A way to express myself to an unseen audience. I could be narrating on a stage where the audience may be packed with people interacting and opinion forming - or it could just be a cleaner and a ticket seller.. does it matter?

For me the first part of the blog depended on audience. I wanted to express to people how my life was coming to an end and needed their help (by signing to be organ donors) to survive...

But the rest was an outlet... The way a lot of people outpour on Twitter or Facebook (sometimes too much!)

I know I haven't updated this much (because of Twitter and FB, people know what I am doing) - But I will strive to do more.

In the last year or so have done a 170k sponsored cycle, won a silver at the GB Transplant Games, (to follow my European gold/silver) had no days of work sick, been to Malta, Ireland, Tenerife, Finland, Sweden (about to go to Tunisia and Tenerife again)...

I have been increasing the use of social media at work. And been mentioned in The Guardian for doing so... Currently very busy with the USA Tomahawks Rugby League Team

So I won't go over any of that again... You can always follow me on Twitter  (yes, @Widneschappy is me) But I have missed the updates on here and looking at other people's blogs..

With the cold winter nights I will mostly be in the house and will have more time.. (in theory)

Tally Ho and RIP Lou Reed

Dream Street

Hello - Well it has been a busy few weeks... A chest  infection and gout has meant I have only just started to light exercise... Off to Ireland and Tenerife in next weeks and need to be ok...

I managed to escape being admitted to hospital by the skin of my teeth.. Grateful for small mercies.

I have taken the Paralympic Torch to Walsall Fashion Week and Bridgetown Primary School and have survived a purge of marketing and communications...

I have applied for a different job, which I didn't get - but found out my own is safe. I have had fun at birthdays and events and lots of social stuff.

Soul searching.  Soul searching...

Malta, Tweddle and the PCC

Hello, Well I'm back in Cheshire after a roller-coaster (roller-Cola?) couple of weeks. Malta was gorgeous - It was lovely to get away from everyone and everything. I met some characters there too.

The temperature was 22-26c in the day and 18-20c in the evening (about 20c warmed than here in the UK - and just over 3 hours by plane)...

I came back and had to go almost straight up to Newcastle. All the results I have so far are good this time. And Prof Corris said I was an 'inspiration...

Talking of which, while I was away I won a Trinity Mirror/Scottish Power 'Sporting Champions' award - pipped for the top prize by Olympians Beth Tweddle and Jade Jones.

I wish I could have gone to the event as Denis Taylor and host of celebs were there...

It was straight into the PCC elections. I was blogging with CoverItLive direct from the count in Chester - and it proved very successful...

And after going to watch Aston Villa at Manchester City yesterday - today has involved a light gym session, a shop round ASDA (or 'The' Asda as they say here) and now - about to enter a long, hot bath.

I will add some pics of Malta in the next few days...

Remember to follow me @Widneschappy on Twitter or say 'hi' on Facebook...

Hugs x