Yesterday, I spent my first day as a volunteer at the Orpheus Centre. The sharp-of-memory among you will remember that this is where our daughter works as a community fundraiser and that it is a charity which encourages young people with disabilities to use their talents in the performing and other arts as a gateway to independent living. Since I am not yet back at work (and won't be working full-time in any case), I wanted to put some structure around my days and also do something in the community, so this seems like a good opportunity to get involved in something new and be more outward-looking.
Reader, I loved it! I was working with a group of students (they are all aged between 18 and 24) in a Futures workshop, where the students are preparing for, doing and then writing up their work experience activities. I worked with a young woman who has Downs, helping her produce a record of her work at a Day Centre, where she lays tables, serves food to elderly people and clears away. We had a lovely day (well, I did, at any rate! you'd have to ask P whether she did as well) and by the end of it, she had produced her worksheet of photos and comments. It is such a lovely environment to work in - so positive and supportive. Everyone was really friendly to me - I got several hugs from students and one young man walked me to the classroom, holding my hand and miming bagpipes because he knew I am Scottish - he has limited speech, so I am going to try to learn some Makaton so that I can communicate a bit with him. I recognised one other volunteer - the chap who led the drumming workshop at my church a few weeks ago ( I blogged about it). I hadn't realised he volunteered there, so we had a quick catch-up and it always helps when you see a face you recognise, doesn't it?
I found the day quite exhilerating, but very tiring. I was there from 9.30 till 2.30, so was home well before three o'clock and was fit for nothing but stretching out on the sofa for a couple of hours (lightweight!). I had Pilates at six o'clock, which I managed to stay awake for, although it was tough at times....
Today, I was at my Institute's South East Spring Conference and AGM. I was fortunate enough to be given a slot on the programme to ask for sponsorship for the London Marathon from the delegates and, although I found it hard to stand up and talk in front of a room full of people (some of whom I knew, many of whom I didn't). I knew there was the potential to get upset, not necessarily because I had to talk about what had happened to me, but because I was thinking that the reason I had missed this Conference last year was because I was just starting down the path of medical examination to find out what was wrong with me - and also because standing up and inviting people to look at my face still makes me squirm a bit inside. As often happens at these potentially emotional times, I used humour as my shield and got a couple of laughs out of them - and about £150, with the promise of more to come! So it was well worth the squirminess to get some more money for Macmillan.
By three o'clock, I was visibly wilting - two days in a row of different activity had taken its toll, so I went home early and have been relaxing on the squishy sofa. I'm glad I've had two busy days, as it helps me gauge my stamina (not quite as good as I thought it was, but then again, I've still got the remnants of this rotten cold) and it keeps me outward-looking, which I need to be.
I have had a positive week so far - I think I am really going to enjoy working at Orpheus and am looking forward to next week's session. Today was a great opportunity to hear some superb speakers and to catch up with old friends (I saw about four people I taught when they were studying for their accountancy qualification!) and to do some networking. I have had a very exciting invitation to an event from a lovely friend (won't give any details till nearer the time, just to keep you all reading this blog!!) and a positive chat about some potential work later in the year, so for once, I feel things are going my way.
I've just been talking to Neil on the phone, telling him about my good day today, and I said that I have had such a brilliant day that I am almost waiting for my bubble to burst. I think this is a reaction to having had such a shocker of a year last year and getting to the stage where I think that I am always going to get bad news (ever the pessimist, eh?) - I should just be happy and enjoy the moment. And I am happy and I am most definitely enjoying the moment - in fact, I am sitting here with a face-splitting grin :-D))).
Life is good and I am enjoying mine.
Showing posts with label marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marathon. Show all posts
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Breaking news - I am getting better at this running malarkey :-) Those of you who know me through Runners' World, and others who know me well, will know that returning to running has been a really important part of my recovery, marking quite a milestone. Apart from the psychological benefits of exercise, it's the return to normal that it represents which is so meaningful. I've been doing a little running on the treadmill at the gym this week; managed 20 minutes on Wednesday morning and 30 minutes on Friday morning. Today, it was such a beautiful wintry morning, sunny and cold, that after church I decided to go for an outside plod - my first proper attempt at running, my first time out on my own (apart from running around the block a few weeks ago) any my first run outside.
There's a process to follow when going for a run - for me, anyway. I'm sure most runners just throw on their running gear, lace up their trainers and head off but oh no, not me. First there is the dilemma of what to wear - layering is key when it's cold, but I don't want to get too hot so I need to think about whether to wear a sleeveless top under a long-sleeved one, or a short-sleeved top under a long-sleeved one, or a short-sleeved one over a long-sleeved one, or a ....well, you get the picture! Then it's whether to wear calf-length leggings or full tracksuit bottoms. Then it's the trainers - should I wear my lovely new ones and spoil their pristine whiteness with some muddy badges of honour, or should I wear some older trainers which have been through mud, horse poo and puddles? (I told you it's a dilemma). In the end, I went for the sleeveless top, long-sleeved top, leggings and older trainers ensemble. The mandatory hi-viz gilet (anywhere else, this would be called a sleeveless jacket, but we're in Oxted, darling) on top, thumbs tucked through the thumbholes of my sleeves, hair screwed back into a tiny pony-tail and phone placed in pocket and off I went.
Well, what a beautiful day to be out running! Clean, clear air, bright sunshine, muddy fields and wildlife - just perfect. I did one of my old running routes; it's about four and a half miles and I ran all of it except for one tiny bit where I walked. I ran all the uphills, though, which I was very pleased with. I had to manoeuvre round a recalcitrant horse, which was firmly placed right by the stile between two fields. No way was it going to move - there was a couple out for a walk, just in front of me, who were trying to persuade this horse to move, but he was having none of it. Another couple on the other side of the stile were also trying to persuade it, but to no avail. I got fed up (impatient? me? Nooooo) with the slightly ineffectual hand-waving and "Here, boy"s that were going on, so eventually I just said I thought I could squeeze between the horse's head and the stile and hopped over. I wasn't going to let a horse stop me doing this blessed run, no way!
Now I know I can run outside, I can do more of it - I know I won't be able to do any long training runs for the VLM, but if I can get up to about 8 or 9 miles over the next 7 weeks (eek!), then at least I will feel I have the ability to run parts of the course, even if I walk most of it. And do you know what? there's no shame in that at all, despite what some running purists say. For me, the important thing is just getting to the end and proving that I have put the past horrendous 12 months to one side.
The rest of the week, since I last blogged, has been busy and good. I met with another friend on Wednesday for a catch-up and to talk about work and she gave me some very helpful advice about developing our new charity. Straight home from meeting her (in London) and met up with my friend Di in Oxted. She had an operation on her feet a few months ago and between her being immobile and me not being 100%, we hadn't had a chance to talk face-to-face for a while, so we had a grand old chat over tea/hot chocolate/latte in Caffe Nero.
On Thursday evening, I ventured back to the Elders' meeting at my church. The Elders basically work with the Minister to run the church, and are elected by church members. I hadn't been along to the monthly meetings since I got ill, so this is another step towards normality. I timed my return well, because it was our church secretary's birthday and there was cake! It did feel good to be back and getting involved, especially as we have had so much support from people there.
We had a guest for the weekend - my friend Dave, who lives in Derbyshire. It was just too difficult for me to entertain the idea of entertaining (!) overnight guests all through last summer so, because it's a long way to come just for a couple of hours, we arranged for him to visit now, when I am so much better. He came down on Friday and left on Saturday afternoon, so we had ample opportunity for a good catch-up, putting the world to rights, reflecting on being middle-aged gimmers, etc.! He even had the opportunity to come with Neil and me to a meeting of the Head and Neck Cancer Support Group at Medway Hospital (it moves around between Medway, Maidstone and East Grinstead Hospitals). You might remember that Neil and I went to our first meeting of this group in December and we won the quiz. Guess what? Yes, we won it again!I do like quizzes and my competitive streak comes out big-time. We won a bottle of red wine and then won a bottle of white in the raffle, so those two bottles have joined the serried ranks of bottles in the dining-room, none of which I can yet drink, since all wine still smells like vinegar to me!
I think that's me up-to-date now. It's been a good week, catching up with friends, and I deeply appreciate them making the effort to see me, especially when it involves travelling some distance. Neil, Amy and Adam are all fine - spoke to Adam on the phone this afternoon, Amy has been working hard over the weekend looking after one of her favourite charges so his parents could go away overnight and is now in bed, shattered, and Neil has spent today working at ExCel, where his company was exhibiting. It's good to have him back home, relaxing on the sofa and perusing the Sunday papers. As for me, once I finish this blog, I shall settle back on the sofa, cup of tea in hand, and luxuriate in the Sunday night televisual delight that is Call the Midwife - perfect easy, but well-made, viewing.
Toodle pip, y'all
There's a process to follow when going for a run - for me, anyway. I'm sure most runners just throw on their running gear, lace up their trainers and head off but oh no, not me. First there is the dilemma of what to wear - layering is key when it's cold, but I don't want to get too hot so I need to think about whether to wear a sleeveless top under a long-sleeved one, or a short-sleeved top under a long-sleeved one, or a short-sleeved one over a long-sleeved one, or a ....well, you get the picture! Then it's whether to wear calf-length leggings or full tracksuit bottoms. Then it's the trainers - should I wear my lovely new ones and spoil their pristine whiteness with some muddy badges of honour, or should I wear some older trainers which have been through mud, horse poo and puddles? (I told you it's a dilemma). In the end, I went for the sleeveless top, long-sleeved top, leggings and older trainers ensemble. The mandatory hi-viz gilet (anywhere else, this would be called a sleeveless jacket, but we're in Oxted, darling) on top, thumbs tucked through the thumbholes of my sleeves, hair screwed back into a tiny pony-tail and phone placed in pocket and off I went.
Well, what a beautiful day to be out running! Clean, clear air, bright sunshine, muddy fields and wildlife - just perfect. I did one of my old running routes; it's about four and a half miles and I ran all of it except for one tiny bit where I walked. I ran all the uphills, though, which I was very pleased with. I had to manoeuvre round a recalcitrant horse, which was firmly placed right by the stile between two fields. No way was it going to move - there was a couple out for a walk, just in front of me, who were trying to persuade this horse to move, but he was having none of it. Another couple on the other side of the stile were also trying to persuade it, but to no avail. I got fed up (impatient? me? Nooooo) with the slightly ineffectual hand-waving and "Here, boy"s that were going on, so eventually I just said I thought I could squeeze between the horse's head and the stile and hopped over. I wasn't going to let a horse stop me doing this blessed run, no way!
Now I know I can run outside, I can do more of it - I know I won't be able to do any long training runs for the VLM, but if I can get up to about 8 or 9 miles over the next 7 weeks (eek!), then at least I will feel I have the ability to run parts of the course, even if I walk most of it. And do you know what? there's no shame in that at all, despite what some running purists say. For me, the important thing is just getting to the end and proving that I have put the past horrendous 12 months to one side.
The rest of the week, since I last blogged, has been busy and good. I met with another friend on Wednesday for a catch-up and to talk about work and she gave me some very helpful advice about developing our new charity. Straight home from meeting her (in London) and met up with my friend Di in Oxted. She had an operation on her feet a few months ago and between her being immobile and me not being 100%, we hadn't had a chance to talk face-to-face for a while, so we had a grand old chat over tea/hot chocolate/latte in Caffe Nero.
On Thursday evening, I ventured back to the Elders' meeting at my church. The Elders basically work with the Minister to run the church, and are elected by church members. I hadn't been along to the monthly meetings since I got ill, so this is another step towards normality. I timed my return well, because it was our church secretary's birthday and there was cake! It did feel good to be back and getting involved, especially as we have had so much support from people there.
We had a guest for the weekend - my friend Dave, who lives in Derbyshire. It was just too difficult for me to entertain the idea of entertaining (!) overnight guests all through last summer so, because it's a long way to come just for a couple of hours, we arranged for him to visit now, when I am so much better. He came down on Friday and left on Saturday afternoon, so we had ample opportunity for a good catch-up, putting the world to rights, reflecting on being middle-aged gimmers, etc.! He even had the opportunity to come with Neil and me to a meeting of the Head and Neck Cancer Support Group at Medway Hospital (it moves around between Medway, Maidstone and East Grinstead Hospitals). You might remember that Neil and I went to our first meeting of this group in December and we won the quiz. Guess what? Yes, we won it again!I do like quizzes and my competitive streak comes out big-time. We won a bottle of red wine and then won a bottle of white in the raffle, so those two bottles have joined the serried ranks of bottles in the dining-room, none of which I can yet drink, since all wine still smells like vinegar to me!
I think that's me up-to-date now. It's been a good week, catching up with friends, and I deeply appreciate them making the effort to see me, especially when it involves travelling some distance. Neil, Amy and Adam are all fine - spoke to Adam on the phone this afternoon, Amy has been working hard over the weekend looking after one of her favourite charges so his parents could go away overnight and is now in bed, shattered, and Neil has spent today working at ExCel, where his company was exhibiting. It's good to have him back home, relaxing on the sofa and perusing the Sunday papers. As for me, once I finish this blog, I shall settle back on the sofa, cup of tea in hand, and luxuriate in the Sunday night televisual delight that is Call the Midwife - perfect easy, but well-made, viewing.
Toodle pip, y'all
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