Until Next Year...
I haven't written in a while because there hasn't been a lot to say really. I completely forgot to write anything about the fundraiser we had; it went well! Here's a little run down for you!
The exercise test was fine, if a little embarrassing. The amount of things you have attached to you - ecg leads which is attached to a belt, a breathing apparatis and a bunch of other things. Oh, and did I mention you don't wear a bra? No one cycles without a bra, come on.
I was annoyed with myself because my legs gave in, just like last time, so I could have done more but oh well. I had been watching a film called "Freier Fall" which is a German number, the title means 'free fall', and in it one of the character talks about regulating your breathing while running. So I looked it up and, when you run, it's breath in for three steps and in for three - a lot of people online have posted how it has really helped them. And I wondered if there was anything for cycling and you have to belly breathe apparently, just like singing, because when you breathe in and push your stomach out you are relaxing and lowering the diaphragm which allows the lungs more room to expand and then you breath out and push the diaphragm back up which helps to expel the air. I was trying this on the bike, it's hard to concentrate on doing that and keeping the speed at the point the guy tells you to. The guy's talking to me about stuff 'that's it going to get tougher now' etc and the medic just sitting staring at the screen to make sure you're not going to collapse.
The guy was quite funny though, he was telling me he was gutted because he does shifts at different hospitals, so a couple of months at the GJ and then a few at the Western in Glasgow and he started at Glasgow's Western tomorrow. When I asked him why that was bad he said, "Because it's Mexican day tomorrow in the cafeteria!" So I convinced him to get someone to keep him one and drive passed on his way home. Can't have him missing out on fajitas.
The next day we saw Hamish, who I've never met properly before and he spoke about what the tests showed and asked how I was etc. He showed up some of the pictures/video clips from the MRi which we had never seen before so that was surreal to see. He explained a bunch of stuff and shicked my mum. I had asked about the enlarging of the right side of my heart, which we knew about before but I just wondered if that was a major concern - it's only there because my heart has to work harder to get the blood around the body - he said that my heart is used to the pressure of the enlargement because I've always had it a bit. He then said that if someone such as he or my mum suddenly experienced the right side of their heart enlarging - and then my mum butted in (tut-tut) and said "we'd feel it" and he said "no, we'd die!" And he was deadly serious. So he was pointing out that although my condition is a bad thing we have to look at the possitives of it, such as the fact that my heart is so used to working under pressure that it can cope with these changes whereas a otherwise healthy heart would struggle so much that the person would probably die.
So basically, one-nil to me losers. I'm kidding but the point was I have another appointment at the Golden Jubilee in a years time. However, he wants me to have a check up at the Edinburgh Royal in 6 months because both of the doctors who ran the clinic there have retired and there's a new sheriff in town. He's great apparently, although they're not exact going to say he's not, however he specialises in congenital heart conditions (born with) so, two-nil to me. They want me to meet him and just basically let him get acquainted with my story in case anything ends me up in the Royal between appointments at the Golden Jubilee.
That's all the news I have! :)
After Nicole and Mum did all the begging for donations we got down to the other side. (I see 'we' I mean 'they'.)
My mum came up with a design and her pal made it for her.
Which we put on t-shirts.
Which a lot of people wore on the night, I got a different colour so I could be spotted.
We sold raffle tickets.
Janice made amazing decorations.
My mum made place names.
And the hall was dressed.
The night began, despite some initial teething problems.
We had games of 'pitchy'.
And 'hoopla'.
Which I somehow ended up in charge of.
Then we had the auction, hosted by Graham!
We had some amazing lots.
My Auntie Jackie and Uncle Colin bought this for me! Which was designed by two women who used to teach at my primary school and they used the design my mum thought up. Me and Jackie had to walk away from each other because we were both going to cry.
Then everyone got their tickets out for the raffle!
My cousin died unexpectedly just before the event so we raised a glass to him while his song played.
Then we all raided the box of stuff to play about with, had a drink and a dance!
Then we all headed home and slept!
It was a good night and then we got it all sorted out!
Between my sister's just-giving page, the t-shirts, the tickets, pitchy, hoopla, the auction & the raffle we raised just over £5,000!
And then my mum killed us all by announcing this.
So that was Taylor's Fundraiser 1 and number 2 is planned for some time next year. I'm having a breakdown just thinking about it and all I did was turn up!
Just a little FYI: I had a check up the other day through in Dalmuir, which involved a 2 hour full heart MRI and an exercise test. I wasn't aware the MRI would take 2 hours so I was getting a little antsy having to go through to breathing exercises for so long, if I'd known I wouldn't have bothered. When it came to the 5 minute scan where you do nothing and definitely don't move I fell asleep. It's quite comfy in there, even with the board across your chest.
The exercise test was fine, if a little embarrassing. The amount of things you have attached to you - ecg leads which is attached to a belt, a breathing apparatis and a bunch of other things. Oh, and did I mention you don't wear a bra? No one cycles without a bra, come on.
I was annoyed with myself because my legs gave in, just like last time, so I could have done more but oh well. I had been watching a film called "Freier Fall" which is a German number, the title means 'free fall', and in it one of the character talks about regulating your breathing while running. So I looked it up and, when you run, it's breath in for three steps and in for three - a lot of people online have posted how it has really helped them. And I wondered if there was anything for cycling and you have to belly breathe apparently, just like singing, because when you breathe in and push your stomach out you are relaxing and lowering the diaphragm which allows the lungs more room to expand and then you breath out and push the diaphragm back up which helps to expel the air. I was trying this on the bike, it's hard to concentrate on doing that and keeping the speed at the point the guy tells you to. The guy's talking to me about stuff 'that's it going to get tougher now' etc and the medic just sitting staring at the screen to make sure you're not going to collapse.
The guy was quite funny though, he was telling me he was gutted because he does shifts at different hospitals, so a couple of months at the GJ and then a few at the Western in Glasgow and he started at Glasgow's Western tomorrow. When I asked him why that was bad he said, "Because it's Mexican day tomorrow in the cafeteria!" So I convinced him to get someone to keep him one and drive passed on his way home. Can't have him missing out on fajitas.
The next day we saw Hamish, who I've never met properly before and he spoke about what the tests showed and asked how I was etc. He showed up some of the pictures/video clips from the MRi which we had never seen before so that was surreal to see. He explained a bunch of stuff and shicked my mum. I had asked about the enlarging of the right side of my heart, which we knew about before but I just wondered if that was a major concern - it's only there because my heart has to work harder to get the blood around the body - he said that my heart is used to the pressure of the enlargement because I've always had it a bit. He then said that if someone such as he or my mum suddenly experienced the right side of their heart enlarging - and then my mum butted in (tut-tut) and said "we'd feel it" and he said "no, we'd die!" And he was deadly serious. So he was pointing out that although my condition is a bad thing we have to look at the possitives of it, such as the fact that my heart is so used to working under pressure that it can cope with these changes whereas a otherwise healthy heart would struggle so much that the person would probably die.
So basically, one-nil to me losers. I'm kidding but the point was I have another appointment at the Golden Jubilee in a years time. However, he wants me to have a check up at the Edinburgh Royal in 6 months because both of the doctors who ran the clinic there have retired and there's a new sheriff in town. He's great apparently, although they're not exact going to say he's not, however he specialises in congenital heart conditions (born with) so, two-nil to me. They want me to meet him and just basically let him get acquainted with my story in case anything ends me up in the Royal between appointments at the Golden Jubilee.
That's all the news I have! :)
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