Tag: Great North Swim

Sheffield here I come!

Last weekend, Matt Stevens took on the challenge of swimming a mile of Lake Windermere.  Matt is a keen swimmer and a member of Droylesdon Sub Aqua Club.

Here is Matt’s account of his day …

“As you’re all aware, I was swimming the Great North Swim this year for a very very worthy cause … I was helping raise funds for Vicky Swan (Niamh and Connor’s mum) for her MS treatments.

We arrived at Windermere on Friday night, in the pouring rain.  The wind was howling and quite honestly I didn’t want to do the swim, the organisers had talked about cancelling the event on Saturday due to the weather, so we all had a few drinks for a little courage.

On the Saturday morning we got to the swim site and were met with horrible weather.  Cold water, strong winds and driving rain made the organisers cut the swim short this year … down from a mile to about a kilometre.

The below picture does not do the waves, caused by the wind, justice …

For the first half of the race, we were swimming directly into the wind and waves.  I tried to swim crawl but ended up swallowing too much water (I thought that the ferries would be beached If I continued) so I was forced to swim breaststroke for the first half.  Ducking through waves as they came at me.  When we turned the corner after the second buoy the wind started assist, so I switched back to crawl … a bit easier and a bit less water was swallowed.  I was able to make a bit of time.

I made it back!!!

I’d like to thank all of my sponsors, without you very kind and generous people, I probably would have bottled out this time.  Talking of sponsors, I am now collecting money.  So if you were kind enough to sponsor me for this … I’m coming to get ya J LOL

See you soon and thanks again xxxx”

Well done Matt! Fantastic achievement and you have inspired Sophie and Niamh to think about doing it next year!

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A few weeks ago, I mentioned in a blog post that I was planning to make a determined plan to lose some weight.  There are lots of reasons for this – I want to be healthier and fitter and I want to look better and feel more comfortable in my clothes.  Perhaps the most important reason of all , is that when I receive the chemotherapy element of my HSCT treatment, the dosage will be calculated on body weight.  Chemotherapy can be very challenging on the body, particularly on the liver and kidneys, so getting the dose to as low as it can be, is definitely a good idea.

Anyway, I am pleased to report that in 6 weeks I have lost 21lbs and 5 inches from my waist!

The internet is full of useless information!

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I also have another exciting piece of news to share with you …

A while ago, I mentioned that I had discovered that there is soon to be a UK trial, comparing HSCT and Lemtrada (a high efficacy DMT). See blog post “Decisions, decisions” dated 4th May, for more. 

To cut a long story short, I have an appointment this week with Professor Sharrack (Neurologist) and Professor Snowden (Haematologist) at the Sheffield Hallamshire Hospital.  Most exciting of all, the appointment letter says this is an “HSCT Clinic”!

I have known about this for a few weeks now and although it’s a huge step towards accessing treatment here in the UK, I am trying very hard not to get too carried away just yet.  Hopefully there will be more to report soon.

In the meantime, I have been busy gathering all my medical letters, obtaining scan reports and producing a timeline of my disease history so I can arrive looking as if I know what I’m talking about!

So, please cross your fingers and toes and wish me luck. If you’re the praying kind, please do that too. I don’t think I’ve ever been so anxious for a medical appointment as I am for this one.

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You can find out more about Droylesdon Sub Aqua Club by visiting their website here

If you would like to sponsor Matt, please click on the link below and mention him in your comment…

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‘People like you …’

Today Matt bravely weathered freezing conditions to swim a mile of beautiful Lake Windermere. 

I don’t know anything more about Matt’s experience, other than he is now recovering in a local pub!  Matt has been gathering sponsorship from his family and friends and has raised over £400 …thank you so much Matt and hope you’ve managed to get warm again!

If anyone else would like to sponsor Matt, please click on the link below and mention him in your comment.

Getting around with my walking stick has mostly been a very positive experience so far.  Generally people are kind and helpful, allowing me space and time to get where I need to go.  I’ve had people help get my suitcase onto a plane, open doors for me, put my shopping in the car, help me off trains and offer help everywhere and my lovely friends and family are happy to let me link arms with them when I’m walking with them (I’m much quicker that way). Occasionally, I have encountered the odd person who is less than helpful, but on the whole, the great British public are good people.

A couple of weeks ago, I was returning to my car, which was parked at the side of the road.  I waited for a gap in passing traffic before opening the car door and began the slightly complicated process of getting myself, my bags and my stick into the car, without poking my eye out or trapping something in the door!   Suddenly a speeding car whizzed by, with a cross looking man at the wheel, beeping his horn at the dreadful inconvenience I was causing him! 

Quick as a flash and without giving it a moment’s thought, I waved my stick in the air and shouted “f*ck off!!”.  Even I was shocked!  

So, i think I have found out that when I’m elderly, I’m not going to be a sweet old lady but one of those cantankerous old biddies who is always having a go at someone!  

More recently, I was in a busy supermarket on a Saturday afternoon, something I generally avoid (busy shops have always been my idea of hell!).  In one very busy aisle, a woman pushed past me, huffing and puffing and muttering to herself.  When she noticed my stick, she turned and apologised to me (fair enough, perhaps she was just in a bad mood because she feels the same way about shopping as  I do?). She went to walk away then turned back again and said “perhaps people like you should do your shopping on a week day, while the rest of us are at work!”.

I was gobsmacked!  So much so, that I just stood there and said nothing (where was my stick waving, f off shouting attitude when I needed it?!).  Before I had time to articulate a reply, she had rushed off again.  Perhaps she had run out of coffee or wine (or hard liquor) at her house and was feeling stressed?!

What I wanted to say to her was …

  • People with disability also work …I work!
  • People with disability shouldn’t need to hide away in case they get in the way of those more fortunate.
  • People with disability don’t need advice from those more fortunate.
  • The whole world is set up for the benefit of those without disability, without people with disability also having to adapt to YOUR needs too.

I don’t know where to start on the phrase “people like you”!!

Those that know me, will know that I am a bit of a socialist and have always fought for women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, the rights of minority ethnic groups etc and challenged inequality in general.  I realise now, how ignorant I was of the discrimination people with disability often face.  It will definitely be remaining on my list of injustices to speak out about in future.  

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