What's the scariest thing you've done recently? For me it was walking into a gym for the very first time!
This happened last Friday evening. (yes guys, a Friday evening!), I've been talking about going since January, but you know life happens and chocolate biscuits and Hollyoaks have seemed to have slightly more appeal than getting hot, sweaty and out of breath (-y).

But here I find myself, meeting my friend B (who used to be a gym bunny) outside our local Gym. We log ourselves in to the computers in the foyer, get our emails and pin codes for the doors/pods (If you have ever been to The Gym Group, you know what I mean). And then I was in. And Terrified.

There they are all the glamourous people just jogging away on a treadmill and on the other side the people all hot a sweaty holding weights above their heads while making weird, not sure if that's okay to make in public kinda grunty noises. All who probably fill there Instagram with quotes like '' and gym selfies. (Soz to stereotype, but if the new Nike trainer fits...)

Then there's me, in a vest top, unsuitable bra, ill fitting hoody and 3/4 trackies that are slightly misshapen because the last time I wore them was years ago when I was doing Jujitsu classes. Totally intimidated by the machines, a little worried about my legs falling off, majorly worried about my heart giving up.



Luckily for me B knows the gym, what does what to what muscles, how to use the equipment safely and made it really easy and fun. We started with on cross trainers (which are super fun) did some rowing machines, small weights and other various resistance and cardio equipment.

I was really worried that a) I wasn't going to be able to do a lot and B) everyone could tell, but pretty quickly I stopped worrying abut everyone else. (I actually made sure that my scar was visible, so that f anyone did notice me being a light weight they might be understanding or take some pity on me). Actually I was so focused on what we were doing I didn't really notice anyone else, and I'm pretty sure no one took much notice of me.

The time flew by, I didn't die in fact I didn't feel ill at all. getting into the gym was worse then being in the gym.

After an hour and a half we left, and I was expecting to have to crawl out and ring for a taxi home, but then this wonderful thing happened.. I felt amazing! like I could take over the world! confidently I got on the bus home (still in my trackies).

Admittedly I did feel a little bit achy when I got indoors and very achy the next morning, but nothing as bad as I had expected, but most importantly still like I could take over the world (albeit slowly).

So what have we learnt....
1. The gym is scary.
2. It is not full of gym dickheads taking selfies.
3. Everyone is so focused on themselves to worry about what you look like.
4. Tracksuit trousers are not as horrific as I first thought.
5. I Bloody love the gym!



- 1st September Update! I actually joined the gym! Like I signed up and pay monthly!

It's crazy to think that it was one year ago today that I was hurrying off (probably not hurrying tbh) to London to meet my surgeon and sign the papers that would allow him to cut open my chest and play with my heart (that's not the technical term, but the emo within me).

Two days ago I went back to hospital for a check up, and it's all pretty gosh darn good. YAY!!! So obviously I celebrated in the best way, by going for a country walk in the April sunshine/snow!

We did a whole 4.5mile walk from Ditchling, to Streat Church and then to Westmeston and back, that ended up being a bit longer because we got lost, twice. It did mean some decent pictures though!





2. The first stethoscope was created by René Laennec in 1816, when he had listen to a patients chest. Up until then doctors would have to put their ear onto the patient's chest to listen to their heart and lungs. Laennec though this was a bit inappropriate so tried using a tube of paper, which magnified the sound of his patient's lungs, and voila! The Stethoscope was born and by the 1890's wooden tube stethoscopes had been replaced by plastic ones similar to those used today!



5. The British Heart Foundation was founded in 1961 by a group of medical professionals who wanted to fund extra research into heart and circulatory disease. The 'Heart beat' logo was created in 1971 by one of the charities regional organisers, Sheila Harrison.



http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/wilson-greatbatch-inventor-of-the-implantable-cardiac-pacemaker-2363206.html
http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/dr-chris-barnard-performs-worlds-first-human-heart-transplant
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/3/newsid_4294000/4294423.stm

Today I'm sharing some easy ways to help you keep warmer during this cold snap.


1. Radiators pants!! (and socks, tights, tees, gloves etc..)

2. Warm water/ fruit tea.

You know those 8 glasses of water we should be drinking a day? I find drinking cold water less and less appealing the colder it gets, so I warm them up! Warm water is my number 1 go to when I'm really cold and when I feel sick and when I get a bit bored of water I'll try a new flavour of fruit tea or ginger tea for an extra boost of warmth.

Pomegranate tea, scarf and a good book..

3. Scarves all the time!

I love a scarf and pretty much always wear one during winter. So many choices and always one to go with any outfit, and keeping my neck warm I feel the difference. 
 

4. Hand warmers!!!!!

The best invention ever.

Admittedly they can be a bit of a pain, having to boil them, wrapped in a tea towel but when I activate my hand warmers they stay really hot for ages. obviously you can get the microwaveable ones but I don't find them as effective.
 

 5. Sneaky layering.

Probably my super power.Sneaky layering is really easy. From leggings under jeans and vest top, tee, jumpers then you can go all out and go for sneaky layering when your going out out. Think natural coloured tights under black ones, trainer socks in shoe boots, and a vest top style jersey dress under a nice skater dress or skirt top/combo. I have on many occasion shocked friends with how many layers I'm wearing with them noticing.

I hope you liked my ways to keep warm, and if you have any other tips leave them in the comments!

I decided to go with it, write more about the heart stuff, but like physio, I'm going to take it easy.

So here you we go; A list of 10 things I've learnt since beginning this whole 'going to have a operation' saga.

1. You will cry and sometimes be an emotional wreck. that's ok!
Like sometimes you will by a nice top and be all 'oooh that's going to be so awesome for when I come home' and ten minutes later you change into 'If I ever come home. What If I die? Then at least I can be buried in it!!??? and cry. A lot. In New Look.

2. Some people will not get it.
There will be some people, maybe those you work with, who will know that you're waiting for a phone call to arrange the day a man will cut open your chest, and yet despite knowing this will wonder why you're feeling extra stressed. Other people will not understand why it's such a big deal, and expect you to be back at work in a few weeks.

3. lots of people want to suggest alternative solutions.
Oregano might be the thing that cured you daughters friends gallstones* but I don't think extra herbs and yoga are going to miraculously fix a congenital heart condition, MMK'thanks.

*Not medical advice, but is what someone genuinely told me might make me feel better.

4. Your brain will go to mush.
My memories from hospital are sketchy, hazy and some things I have no recollection of (slightly worrying) and for the first month or so at home I was often in a daze. It's frustrating, can also be hilarious.

5.You wont realise how ill you are, until you're better.
For Real! I didn't realise how tough it was for me to do things. This time last year there is no way I could have walked up the hill to my doctors, but now I can. I walked there and back pretty easily the other day, and while it's only a little thing, those are the sorts of things that make going through the horror of surgery feel worth it.

6.Getting better is hard.
Mentally and physically.

7.Take your meds!!!
They make it easier to get better, so take them. No one gives you medicine for the sake of it!

That's just some of what I came home with!

8.You will meet some awesome people.
I'm not just talking about all the awesome staff you will meet, but the other patients. I met a couple of really awesome ladies when I was on the ward. Some really inspiring, and positive people who made being there no so bad, and together we could help each other on bad days and cause too much noise on good days.

9.The things you haven't even thought about will be the hardest.
Getting in and out of the shower, putting socks on, lifting the kettle. All hard work.

10.You have the best friends and Family.
Something you probably know already. Your family and friends will always be there, despite you being grumpy, a bit gross (I couldn't wash y hair for 11 days) completely out of it, tearful, giggly, or unable to get off your bed, and that is best medicine anyone can ever ask for.




Let me know what you think in the comments...

Many weeks ago, not long after I had come out of hospital I wrote about some of the little things that were helping me feel better, both physically and in general.
So we are now 25* weeks on from my operation. That's right, 25 weeks ago I was sitting in St Thomas' Hospital watching the filming of James Bond from my window, listening to Young Guns praying I wasn't going to die in a few hours.

I am (obviously) so much better since then, but some days things are still hard and frustrating, like my legs wounds still hurting when the cat sits on them, or the fact that I sometimes struggle to remember things or multi-task when my brain decides to have and off day (this is normal for the amount of drugs I've had, apparently).

So here are 5 more little things that have changed, and are making me smile now;

1, Walking up hills!!!
So anyone that has read some of my past post from ages ago might have noticed that I complained about not being able to walk up hills. I could do, but I would really really struggle and often feel awful afterwards, quite problematic when you consider I live in a really hilly part of Brighton, in the middle of a big hill. But recently (like that last 6 weeks or so) I've been tackling hills like its no ones business!! I've been making a effort to walk up the hill from the bus stop at least once a week, and not avoiding hills in general!
It's still very exciting for me, I'm not feeling nearly as bad during or after walking up hill!
This means night buses can be a thing for me once again! woohoo!!
I also walked down to Pooh Bridge, in Ashdown Forest earlier today and the walk back up took me ages last time, BUT NOT TODAY. TODAY I AM THE QUEEN OF THAT HILL!!!




  2, Putting my jeans on!
Okay let me explain; as part of my surgery the doctor cut open the tops of my legs, in-case he needed to get any veins out to use in my heart, luckily he didn't need any veins, but I did leave me with two very swollen and gross scars right at the tops of my legs, then one of the stiches didn't dissolve and the whole thing got a bit grim to be honest. what was really infuriating for me was that my legs were too swollen and painful for and denim shorts or jeans. So now (thankfully) my legs are almost back to normal and my jeans fit and aren't painful!



Museum visit - IN MY JEANS!

Just a little note about the last couple of weeks...



It's been 10 weeks since my Fontan conversion. It's been a weird 10 weeks.
Some of it I can't remember, most of it I've been super positive and some of it I've felt down and teary.

Normally I don't bother keeping track of how much exercise I get. 


I'm pretty good at knowing how my body works and 
making sure I stay as fit and healthy, but now is not 'normally' and I'm trying to build up my strength and I've been looking for some kind of device or app to help, without having to spend loads of money, after trying a couple of other apps I discovered Google Fit.


Using your phones location services or GPS  it can track the distance you walk, cycle or run, you can also add plenty of other activities.

This time two weeks ago I was still in theatre. 

The time since I went to sleep at 11am two weeks ago has pretty much been a blur. 

Today I am walking around on my own unaided, have had all the wires pulled from out of my chest and able to go get myself a cup of tea. The only thing that makes today better is the view.

So this week has been relatively stress free, I've managed to get away for a few days, visiting my little sister in her uni town of Sheffield. Sometimes it's just a change of scenery and something to look forward too that makes a massive difference to your headspace. I've also made sure that I got to see some old friends at the weekend, (you went to Wildlife, I went to Davelife). These may only be small things to do but surrounding yourself with people that make you feel like you can take on the world, is so important, at anytime but even more when you have a major stress going on. I don't know where this is going, but my point is a nice change and new focus is good (?). And I'll make this post more coherent in the morning.

So a couple of weeks ago I had an MRI scan as as part of this 'updating my records' malarky. Now I was terrified. mainly because the letter telling you about the scan seems to read 'DANGER!!!!! DANGER!!!' and pretty much makes it sound like you're going to spend hours in a dark tunnel, in a very dangerous machine, while your ears are going to be blown off with the noise. After talking to another couple of ladies in the waiting room it wasn't just me that read the letter like that.

From a few weeks ago in London. Even though I was there for a rubbish reason, views like this make it ok. #London #Towerbridge

A photo posted by Lisa (@lisathepirate) on Feb 2, 2015 at 3:40am PST