Blue Monday?

Firstly. I have recently done a little article about blogging. I come at it form an angle you may not expect...

CLICK ON ME PLEASE!

Well then. So what has happened. A recent long weekend in Surrey/London/Ascot kind of refreshed my batteries, and kind of made me wish for more time off!

It as good to catch up with old and new friends. But as ever the five-and-half hour drive gave me too much thinking time (and chance to listen to that EMF double album - better than I expected btw)

I am so far sticking by my pledge to keep my energy levels up. I am trying to go to the gym every alternate day - if only for 40 minutes.

I have been fitted with a 24/7 blood sugar monitor. I saw fitted. it should be more like 'third time lucky, I was fitted with...' - Repeat early morning trips to Liverpool.. Not the best.

As I have a diabetes related to CF and not type 1 of 2... My levels seem to go up and down for less than  obvious reasons... A huge doughnut did not effect then, a crumpet (eaten dry) did!

They keep changing the insulin doses and types.. But two years from when they first went mad they are still no nearer getting them under control.

I first contracted in while living in Korea - And despite their faults, they did control it there...

With the CF, transplant rejection and this, the medication side effects like gout, kidney problems and skin issues.. one has to be positive, or  turn to the bottle..

This Monday was meant to be 'Blue Monday' but for me it was ok.. Mum and the cats stayed for the weekend, I went to Anfield with friends to see my team Aston Villa and met up with a friend at Cheshire Oaks..

Nobody told me there was more than one Costa there however and we kept missing each other while Costa hopping, it was like Terry and June (comedy gold, if you are asking.)

Well, was an a seminar after work and it is time to put one's legs up...  For entertainment value here is a pic of me in in The Lamb in Surbiton, Surrey...

A bientôt

Jess Ennis, Mo Farrah and me!

Hello Blogettes,

Well it has been busy (would you expect anything else?) - I have been to London for two weekends to see Olympic stuff - I had amazing tickets to see Jessica Ennis, Mo Farrah and Greg Rutherford on super Saturday - just seven rows from the front.

The previous weekend I saw some amazing table tennis and inbetween saw some mediocre football...

And this week I get to find out where and when I carry the Paralympic torch - which I am even more excited about.. Unfortunately for friends and family it will be in London and probably late at night!

More news as I get it - hopefully later this week...

In other news. My tests in Liverpool showed my lung capacity rose to 26 per cent and everything else going well.. Physio on my knee with the lovely Kelsey tomorrow....

All these tests mean am doing extra hours at work to make up the time... Oh the joy (I don't actually mind - my job is fun!)

This was my view at the Olympic Stadium.... wow wow wow

Different Strokes

Hello,

Well it was a fine old start to the new year. I went for my regular check-up at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.. And got ill, my lung capacity went down to 17 per cent and I was admitted.

Apparently it was a virius.....

I was put on IVs, nebulisers and (in theory) a high protein diet and physio and soon started to improve - after 10 boring, very boring, very very boring days I got out...

At least I missed all that snow - and was nice and warm. Especially as my radiotors were on the blink at home!

I got out in time for the Halton's Got Talent 2 Showcase on the Friday and Sarah coming up to stay. Chillaxing weekend in Widnes, Cheshire Oaks and Chester....

I found when I started back at the gym I did 2 hours (more than an hour on teh bike) and feel my lung capacity must have rised past the 22 per cent it was when I left hospital..

My blood sugar levels which has gone mad after an increase in my steroids have levelled out - and I can acutally go a whole lenght of the pool without stopping again...

Things are slowly but slowly getting back to normal...

I went to see Rob and Sarah at the weelend and we watched b-movies, drank wine and walked to the local pub - we didn't eat much, because we forgot - but it was cool..

I retuned to find the information for the European Transplant Games in Vaxjo, Sweden - something to aim for.. I will be representing the UK... in June.....

- Now sitting in front of Midsomer Murders with mulled wine.. hmmm xx

Xmas and NYE pt 1

Hiya Blogettes,

Well its been a long time and for that you should be grateful - a while six weeks without having to read my rubbish....

Pre-Xmas was frantic - and included going to see Villa beat Man U at Man U (back of the net!)

I was working Xmas Eve and drove back to Cannock Wood for a reunion of the Holly Hill Road posse - Stew, James, Rich (+ Marta) and myself.. Windnill then Park Gate followed.

Xmas Eve is always good at The Gate as I bump into people I havem't seen for yonks - and sometimes longer...

As usual the good, bad, ungly and downright beautiful were there..

On Xmas Day the neighbours all came round Xmas Day and it was the family do in Brum on Boxing Day - the rest of the week was spent catching up with old friends....

NYE was strange - one of those nights people couldn't decide what to do so I ended up at The Gagte again - dressed as James Bond - it was a 007 theme night...

Again it was great to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones.. But it was all cut short at about 1.30am by some chavs fighting the the police sent everyone home..

We walked back, despite it being -4c (God bless beer jackets)

My cold hasn't been given the boot yet, but I have a check-up in Liverpool tomorrow so we will see what they say....

Sorry this is quick - but off back to Cheshire now... I will put some pics of my new house on later this week! x

Escape!

Hello Bloggettes, Well I am home. I got back to Widnes about an hour ago!

They couldn't pin down what the nasty virus was - just that it has a rating of 97 (??!!) when I went in and was less than 1 by the last blood test - which means the IVs did their job...

The effect of not being in the outside world and feeling institutionised was worse than I thought - I went upstairs to start to unpack and ended up just laid out on the bed exhausted.

I will be able to eat normal food and not have to ask nurses every time I want toast (a healthy evening snack apart from toast is unheard of in there)..

The cafe shuts at 4.20pm and the hospital has no bank machine...The nurses asked EVERY DAY why I wasn't taking a certain medication - which the docs had stopped two days after I arrived.

I was onkly taken for walks by physios twice in two weeks - good job I had my own motivation.

SO at least now I am not a slave to IV antibiotics and will slowly get back to normal. It is going to be a busy few days with all the people to catch up with and pressies to give out etc..

At least I won't awake to the sound of people carrying their piss pots to the loo to empty them or being stabbed for blood in the early hours....

Oh the festival joy. Whiskey o clock xx

Linkin Park and Widnes wanderings

Hello thee,

Well. Last weekend was a fun one.

I went to Cannock Wood on Saturday for some drinks at the Park Gate with the usual Saturday suspects... Then it was time to hit Milton Keynes...(which I did, with a hangover..)

Parked in the disabled parking, which meant it was a nice short walk to the bowl.... It was a great day. The Bravery, NERD, Pendulum, Jay-Z, Linkin Park.... What a line up eh?

I frizzled in the heat though... I went red, then brown then started peeling...

I went to a first check-up in Liverpool (I am changing the CF appointments from B'ham) - It seemed very professional there....

My breathing tests showed my lung capacity is still not back to its levels of last summer, but it does seem to be going back up again...good thing... We shall see..

I am finding the gym and swimming slightly better. But this week I have only been swimming twice, three times I didn't get up in time after a bad night and opted for the gym twice..

When I did go swimming I swallowed too much water one day and felt rotten one morning... But I am persevering...

On Friday was a leaving do from work. Sad to say I stayed out til 3am - first time I have done that in a long time.. With I had the energy to dance more though...

Well next weekend is the H208 youth festival and the final of Halton's Got Talent (on which I am a judge) so... the world comes to Widnes and Widnes awaits....

Luv'n'hugs

x

Berlin banter and k9

Hello Bloggettes,

Thanks for all the emails from people who saw me on Sky TV and in the Lichfield Mercury, Widnes World, Widnes and Runcorn Weekly News, Wire FM etc following the awards... all appreciated..

Well it has been a busty time in Markville.. I flew out to Germany on Friday 13th (I know, I know) through the farce that is EasyJet (long walks with hand luggage at Liverpool Airport, no moving stairways!)

I found my way (more through luck than judgement) to Alexplatz.... where I met up with Katrin. Spent a great long weekend there- the first time I had been there for a while..

We had food cooked by her on the first night and wandered through the Eastern part of Berlin - It is hard these days to tell where is where...

I found an afiinity with the old GDR flashing light men on traffic signals (they had been replaced by the West German ones) - I bought a t-shirt and badge... Bring the old ones back..

We had an all day breakfast and met up with Juli, (at Houdini's All You Can Eat) and had dinner with Stefan in the evening which included sourkraute (yes they did get the joke!)

When I got back home. I had to unpack and pack again to go to Newcastle for my check-up and prodding and poking by the medics up north...

I was feeling lethargic and tired and my lung function showed a 10 per cent down turn - They think it is just the endless colds I have got since working in this office and the travelling...

The x-rays showed no further damage (good thing) So I must just keep doing the right stuff, gyming, swimming and looking after myself...

My weight is down toi 73kg - the lowest it has been since 2002... A recent printout at the gym said I am now the perfect weight and muscle mass for my height... So I am doing everything right my end,.

It is just frustrating that all the work and my lung capacity is still a fraction of what it should be... Damn the rejection...

Busy week at work but tomorrow should be relaxing - I am going to see Frank Sidebottom on an open bus tour, then a gig, then a night in a hotel... Bring it on!

Been enjoying our MSM chats K9 by the way - Bring on our vodka fest - She always makes me feel more human...

MUSIC: Gabriella, BWO, Nick Cave, Moby

Only a week to go before Jay-Z, Pendulum and Linkin Park!

Me, Natalie Imbruglia and Phil Tufnell

Hello folks! As you can see I had an amazing time mixing with the celebs in London for the Breathing Life Awards...... Sarah, Mum and I met in a cafe near Edgware Road tube station and we went to the Hilton Metropole, where we were staying...

We started with champagne in our rooms and so many gifts from the sponsors before we were shown to our tables - Sarah and I nipped out to see the celebs arrive..

Gail Porter, mountaineer Alan Kinkes OBE and Tiffany (a gorgeous showbiz reporter) were on our table... Natalie Imbruglia was on the next one. Phil Tufnell, Biggins, JK and Joel, Janet Ellis, Carol Smilie, Ben Shephard etc were all nearby...

The event was films by Sky and was very glitzy - The wine flowed and flowed...

I came runner-up but who cared? My film was shown live and Gail Porter gave me a mention on stage (bless her, and how lovely?)

Natalie Imruglia came over to chat - I know her big sister - and we were comparing pics on our phones and laughing in no time...

Phil Tufnell was a star and had a word with me. Actually called ME and inspiration! How strange does that feel? Very strange!

I went over to talk to Bill Bryson because I am a fan and have read most of his books....

After the show there was chance to mingle further at a cocktail reception thing afterwards - the wine kept flowing....

By the next day I was glad Sarah and I ordered breakfast in our rooms... Walking around Oxford Street and Regent Street the next day was a bit of a blur..and hot.

It was a couple of days I wouldn't forgot.... In fact a week not to forget as on the Tuesday before I went I was a judge on Halton's Got Talent and the Saturday after I came back was Julia's b'day BBQ..... Mark is not drinking for a few days...honest

I will love you and leave you now......detox time! xxx

Goodison lark!

Hello People,

Busy week in Mark-ville...Although a lot of it escaped me probably.

Last weekend went back to Staffs for a friend's birthday and it took me four hours to get 80 miles.... Utter nightmare....

Of course by the time I got there I was playing catch-up - hence the two days of feeling crap afterwards!

On Sunday I went to the Everton v Villa game at Goodison - Amazing to hear so many Villa fans chanting 'we pay your benefits' to the Scousers - always amusing.

We were so wet and cold the away fans let me and my friend Rob into the Everton Supporters Club for a drink beforehand.

I was parked SO FAR away from the ground - I was knackered as well by the time I got back to the car - which was still there!

Been in the Widnes Weekly News CLICK and The World CLICK ON ME this week. Media whoring eh?

Been starting to feel a little bit better after my blip - But got to re-start my new nebs this week - so thing may go downhill...

Been swimming/walking a couple of times but back to my old times - very depressing. But am going ot the gym tonight again before the election count...

L8r shakers - much pixie love to one and all! xx