People who have been kind enough to read my blog in the past will know I take breaks then write a comeback blog, often with the intention getting back to writing regularly. I think this is the longest break ever and I have multiple theories on this. The biggest of those is I just didn't feel like it. You will be relieved to hear I have absolutely no intention of documenting the last 8 months in detail. This will just be a succinct summary following the usual format of the family update, especially Lee's continued recovery and a bit of cycling.
Lee
Family life has been full of ups and downs since May. We're still adjusting to life without Lee's Dad, it feels weird at times and Lee has really focussed on spending time with her Mum. Nanny Lellie as the kids call her or Nanny Biscuits to the dogs is one of the nicest people on the planet. She deserves life to treat her a bit better!
Joe & Amy
Much of the focus this year is preparation for Joe and Amy's wedding in June. It will be a big family celebration. Amy became a big part of our lives around the time Lee was in hospital. If you cast your mind back it was an impossible time to start and maintain relationships but those two managed it!
Niamh and Nanny Lellie
Niamh turned 21 just last week. She is an amazing young lady for who life just hasn't quite worked out yet. Like the boys Niamh has ADHD but unlike them she doesn't tolerate the medication that makes their lives easier. She hasn't found her 'thing,' yet but is actually really good at working in the pub where she is often in charge. I wish she would realise that she is beautiful, creative, caring and funny...attributes that will take anyone a long way.
Sam near his accommodation in London
All 3 of the "kids," struggled at school at times and all 3 turned it around. None more so than Sam who got his head down at our families lowest point and worked hard for good GCSE's followed by phenomenal A levels. All of that resulted in him gaining a place at Kings College London on one of the most prestigious history courses in the country. He's in a very central location and the view out of his window rivals the one from the nearby Shard. To say we're proud is a massive understatement.
One of the reasons I didn't feel like blogging was because of Lee...her progress was slow for much of last year. She's really struggled with fatigue, pain and life events have taken their toll. We had a lovely break with James, Ged and Sean down in Plymouth but it was also staring me in the face how hard things were. The photo above looks like a lovely romantic scene...the truth was that this was me supporting Lee on an arduous short walk up from a beach because even a slight slope was too much. During this time Lee ran out of energy and had to take some more time off work...the light at the end of the tunnel was that the heart operation she needed was getting closer!
On the day we dropped Sam off in London we got the news that Lee's operation had been postponed due to the junior doctors strike. That brought mixed feelings because as much as this was frustrating we support the efforts of NHS professionals to highlight the need for fair pay and better conditions. A few weeks later, Lee had her ablation. It literally blows my mind that they can do such a thing and even better that it's available on the NHS. Lee had an arrhythmia known as SVT and even whilst taking beta blockers, this would cause tachycardia to such an extent her heart rate would go as high as 180bpm sitting still. The ablation is a procedure where they pass electrodes through to the heart via the femoral vein...then they zap it to correct the problem. Post operation the doctor told us: "we found what we expected to find, did what we expected to do and believe that it has worked!" Lee had stopped taking beta blockers in preparation for the the operation and has not needed them since! It has made a massive difference and Lee has been able to return to work. She still gets very tired and experiences a lot of pain but it feels like we are a step closer to her full recovery. It's most noticeable that she can now walk up the hill to our house without needing to stop for a rest! She has a follow up soon and I'm hoping this will confirm that her heart health is much improved - it's a step in the right direction.
I made some big changes last year. The biggest was my career direction. Having left direct clinical work in the NHS for a management role, I left the NHS after 18 years to return to clinical work as an independent therapist. This was a leap of faith based on some extra work I had been enjoying. I think it may be the best career decision I have ever made. In the NHS I was working 60 hours a week for 37.5 hours pay. Working independently I work less than 30 hours a week for more money. However it's about a lot more than that. I'm doing the work I really enjoy and I know I'm making a difference.
My own performance in the races is a little bit better than previous years. When I started racing at the age of 47 my only goal was not to come last! 6 years later I'm still battling the fact that I'm on the larger side, everyone knows I'm 90kg because I bang on about it - however I'm doing a lot better than "not last." My goals have gone up a bit and if I ever stick to a diet or give up beer for a prolonged period I might be a contender!
That cyclocross bike has needed a lot of TLC this year. Poor Craig at Richardsons has been on speed dial...I think I've spent £800 replacing: headset bearings, cables, chain ring and crank, bottom bracket, chain, rear cassette, jockey wheels, followed by an entire new rear mech, wheel bearings and then I replaced the useless SRAM cable rear brake with a Shimano hydraulic one! All that and a mystery creak persists...a chap at the race today suggested I needed a new bottom bracket...oh how I laughed!
The cyclocross season ended today in unfortunate circumstances. With the Leicestershire league cancelled we headed back to the Eastern League with plans of all riding together in the senior race just like our club championships in December. However in an earlier race a rider unfortunately suffered a cardiac arrest. Two ambulances plus a helicopter attended. The rest of the day's racing was cancelled. It was shame to miss the race but a person's life is way more important. I sincerely hope he's alright.
I should mention some other big things in my life. Niamh managed to get to a Saints match with me for the first time in ages. We had a lovely time and need to get back to doing this more often...especially as our team has just won ten in a row winning away matches at Exeter, Saracens, Munster and Glasgow along the way...this has to be our year!
I couldn't leave without giving the furry family members a mention. Salem and Milo the cats are a lot more fun than I expected. I'm still a dog person though and my best friends Bruce and Charity make me smile every day!
So here's how I hope the rest of the year goes. Lee gets stronger and stronger. I'll keep working independently. Sam smashes Uni, Niamh finds her thing and we have a great day at Joe & Amy's wedding!
Happy Pedalling
