D'ya know what i am patting myself on the back

This is rather a strange post and doesnt mention bags at all. TOday i completed a run of just over three miles. Not a huge distance i grant you especially when you take into consideration i have got a ten mile run at the end of october for charity. SO i have to treble my distance in a short space of time

Anyway the reason that i am giving myself a big pat on the back is that 14 months ago i had a baby, Martha Rose. When she was 2 1/2 weeks i became incredibly ill with a uterine infection and a very rare condition called cavitating pneomonia which basically means a hole in the lung full of crap. Poorly is the understatement

I was rushed into hospital in agonising pain (believe me i know i gave birth to martha in 3 hours with no pain relief - this was worse) although my husband was convinced i had a pulled muscle from coughing. The scary stuff started to happen then, coughing up blood, quarantined, havng my baby taken off me as they thought ihad TB. Expressing milk inthe hope that i would get better soon so needed to keep up my milk supply. Having to tip the milk away down the sink in my room in tears alone each night. In the end i was on drugs so long there was no hope of continuing breast feeding - a fact which still makes me cry as it had been going so well and it could have helped her eczema

I was discharged just two days later even though i was still coughing up blood with lots of antibiotics. I made it to my brothers wedding with only one lung working (didnt know this at the time) and then nearly collapsed the next day. When i took myself back into hospital i was told by an out of ours doctor that i should drink more water and appreciate my baby rather than winging on about being ill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thankfully i saw a consultant next who whisked me upstairs to a room of my own and there i stayed for 10 days.

So had to give up breastfeeding, was away from my baby, too ill to really want to see my children and spent a day thinking i had lung cancer as noone had given me a deifinitive diagnosis.

I got better, i got home, i was shaky physically and mentally for a while and was told that it would take a year to get fully better.

BUT

in the past tweve months

i have got better - hole in lung all gone (consultant was superb, local GPs super heros)

Been on holiday twice

Coped with Martha being very poorly in hospital

Set up handbag business (already getting orders for christmas)

Ran three miles

AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT?

I wanted to give myself a pat on the back because it struck me today that running like i do after what i have been through is bloody marvellous.

I am lucky to live in a fantastic village with a proper community who support each other

I am blessed with a fantastic family

I have unbelievable friends

Local doctors are supportive

And God bless the NHS

Rant over. Normal handbaggy life continues - although i am like an eco grocery bag factory at the minute.