I haven't written a blog since Christmas because 2021 has so far been horrendous. January and February were two of the worst months of my life but now as we move into Spring the green shoots of recovery have started. I will tell the tale of Covid first and then I promise this blog becomes all about cycling again!
Better times...Sydney 2014
This is the first time I have been fully public about this, many people have found out but I haven't broadcast the situation on social media.
On the 30th of December 15 years old Sam tested positive for covid. Lee, Níamh and I got a test on the 31st where Níamh also tested positive. Lee, on the shielding list due to chronic asthma, was our big concern. We had protected her all year but now the virus was in our house. Lee got symptoms and tested positive on the 4th of January. I had nothing, not a sniffle. I worked from home the first week in January and ran 5k in the garden every day (the garden path is 0.02 miles long 155 lengths is 5k!) On the 9th of January I had served my isolation and was allowed out. It was with utter joy that I took the dogs for a long walk.
When I got back Lee was suddenly a lot worse and following a call to 111 we called an ambulance. Lee went to hospital but was discharged from A&E after responding to treatment. The next day I took the dogs out again and then got the medication prescribed in A&E. Sunday night felt wrong and on Monday morning I called 111 again and another ambulance attended. Lee was taken to hospital and that's where she has been ever since.
The first week was a roller coaster with days that looked better and then much worse. You cannot visit. The wards are rammed and they don't really have time to communicate. We could take stuff in and collect washing but they don't really have time for this either. Lee was on oxygen therapy, which is noisy and it made talking to her difficult.
On the 14th of January I developed symptoms! I tested positive on the 15th...I could have been back at work for four days! My illness was brief, 4 days were bad, a nasty cough, no energy, fever and a loss of taste. I stopped enjoying tea and beer!
As I started to get better Lee got much worse. On the 19th she was moved to intensive care, sedated and put on a ventilator. Two days later Níamh was 18! Ten days of worry and slow progress in ITU. Lee needed a lot of oxygen and as they found through the pandemic she responded well to proning (laying on her front.)
On the 29th Lee was moved from Kettering to Boston due to a lack of ITU beds. KGH ITU had been fantastic, I had clear communication everyday. During this time I had a growing list of people to keep updated. Close family first, then friends and colleagues. The love and support we received was overwhelming. Work also told me to get signed off and take as long as I needed. Everybody wanted to know what they could do but there was nothing, the kids were well and out of isolation whilst I was ill, so the shops were covered. Lee was ordering Tesco deliveries right up to the point she was sedated! It was pretty inadequate for people who wanted to help but we really only needed me to be off work.
The move to Boston worried me until a good friend, Charlie at KGH, told me that Boston only had 3 patients in intensive care. They were great too, really nice people, great communication. A well meaning but clumsy doctor rang me because she thought it was important to tell me Lee could die. I didn't need that, I knew how serious it was, I had actually prepared myself for "what if Lee dies!"
Slowly but surely things got better. They started to bring Lee round. We were able to talk to her but she was not able to talk back. We facetimed on the 12th of February, on the 18th of February Lee could speak. I hadn't heard her voice for a month! The first few conversations were difficult.
Last week things moved really rapidly, one day Lee was taken off the ventilator, she was then progressively moved down the levels of oxygen therapy until she was just breathing air on her own. On Saturday the 20th of February Lee was discharged from intensive care. She's in one of those videos where they clap the patient off the ward.
Now she is in a normal ward, still at Boston. She is still very weak and has very little mobility. Lee however would like to run before she can walk...right now she can't even sit. There are months of recovery and hard work ahead of us but she has beaten Covid19. As the doctors have told her this week they were unsure if she was going to survive. That's a sobering thought isn't it! Others families have been far less fortunate and I often think of those whose loved ones won't come home.
I'm returning to work on Monday with the agreement that when Lee comes home I will take more time off to care for her. I truly appreciate that. The NHS has saved my wife's life. The NHS has also given me the time I needed and will give me more...that's the story for now. Let's talk about bikes!
On the 26th of January snow was everywhere. I walked the dogs then couldn't resist a spin on my MTB. I didn't enjoy it much because I discovered covid still had my fitness! 3.5 miles and I was knackered! I did notice some play in my crank though so I decided to do some research and replace my bottom bracket. I'd always had this done at a shop before so I was stepping out of my comfort zone. However I watched a video relating specifically to my race face cranks, got the right tools and amazingly it took me about ten minutes! No play, smooth as silk! It’s been ridden and nothing fell off so I’m happy.
It was a while before I rode outside again. I was getting plenty of long walks with the dogs and using rollers, mainly due to the weather. My first road ride of 2021 was my standard 17 mile route. It was just great to get out!
Standard gate pic
Snowdrops!
The infrequent rides continued, this the standard route with a bit trimmed off, that detour took me up Harrington Hill so there was still plenty of effort!
The church obsession begins...
I kept going with short rides and started to mix my routes up. I’m taking part in the #NHS1000miles challenge and wanted a good picture for my Sunday update. We all post our mileage at 7pm each Sunday. So I started taking pictures of Northamptonshire’s amazing churches. I’ve mentioned before that I think about these buildings on my ride. Built mostly with old red sandstone, they have a really local look. Also if you think about when they were built they are incredibly impressive structures. I wonder who paid, was there a famous builder, who designed them...that sort of thing. As you ride round the county the first sign of most villages is a tower or spire. I even wonder that...why do some have spires and some have towers?
Draughton
Orton
Loddington
Rothwell
I did this ride on the day Lee was discharged from intensive care. I didn't know then but the week had gone so well as she went from a ventilator breathing for her to needing no help at all. So I ventured out in a positive mood. Still on my winter bike with winter kit on...collecting church pictures etc. This was the first time I felt good on a bike since Covid. I also bumped into my good friend Richard Golding. The world felt a bit nicer!
Churches etc Old, Walgrave and Scaldwell added to the collection
Love a shadow shot
More shadows
Gate shot again
Arthingworth
The end of the week was glorious. I decided to do four days in a row. On my way out of Rothwell I saw Amy Bird on her Giant Propel. Why not I thought...its dry enough for the summer bike. That's when I hatched the plan, 4 days 4 bikes.
Pipewell
Bringhurst
Medbourne
Ashley
Still Ashley
Stoke Albany
Still Stoke Albany
Rushton
Forme Ripley "Sig"
East Carlton Park
East Carlton
Missing bridleway
This is where things got tough. The Bridleways from East Carlton through to Ashley have been ploughed over and the paths have not been trodden in. Worse still where horses have been the hoofprints are deep in the soft mud. I had to walk lots of it but the view at the top of the hill was well worth it!
View over the Welland Valley
Swamp in Ashley
Boneshaker from Ashley to Wilbarston
Mud!
Wilbarston
Haselbech
My excitement on Saturday was ridiculous. I've only ridden my Propel "Whanau," once with the new wheels. The first 'clack,' of the super noisy freewheel tipped me into childish elation. There's no need for a bell, I just stop pedalling and the world turns round to look! Really I've done the cycling equivalent of sticking a wide bore exhaust on a Ford Focus! The comparison doesn't stop there because these wheels can go faster, it's just that the engine needs a bit of work. So if you look at my average you'll think the wheels make no difference. My opinion is I need to get fit enough to get the full benefit! I freewheeled near every other cyclist I saw...they all needed to know about my wheels!
Naseby
Whanau (its Maori for extended family - they all chipped in to buy me the bike)
Cottersbrooke
Brixworth
PPI-thagorus
Today it was time for the final instalment of the fab four. Due to work and walking the dogs I might not get outside for a ride again until next weekend. I'm going to try and do rollers after work to compensate. The bike is my Forme Calver Cyclocross. It's name is PPI-thagorus because it was paid for with a PPI claim! I don't know if everyone else names their bikes, I just like to!
The route was mostly the Brampton Valley Way as I needed to pick my car up from Northampton. It was just nice to be out on another beautiful day. No churches collected this time but still plenty of things to see. There was a lovely atmosphere on the former railway line with many families enjoying some fresh air.
Northampton and Lamport Railway
So that's what I've been up to. I'm not sure what the rest of the year holds. If the roadmap stays on track then group rides are back in April and coaching can start again soon. I've really missed working with the kids at KCC cyclones. My big hope is that I can do the Dartmoor Classic on June the 20th and my biggest hope is that Lee is well enough to come to Devon then. Patience and hard work will definitely be required.
Before I do my traditional ending I want to thank all of my friends, family and colleagues for their support. There hasn't been much for anyone to do but knowing you're there and knowing you care has made a huge difference.
Happy Pedalling
