Half Marathon - the Long Way Round

I have never been sporty!

I was in the cross country team in primary school but hated the runs, especially on a Saturday morning in a cold, wet park. To be honest, anybody could be in the team. The school were never going to say you couldn't join in.

In secondary school, I was not allowed to join the cross country team!

Every now and then I would join my dad on a 1.5 mile run round the park on a weekend morning but only to keep him company and it usually ended with me fainting at the end. So dad stopped letting me run.

And that's about the only exercise I ever had!

Last February, one of my best friends lost her daughter to cancer. She had battled for 4 years with Myeloma. She was my age. She discovered it when she broke her leg and the x-rays came back showing big shadows on the bones. The news that she had Myeloma came as a crushing blow, particularly when it was discovered that it was incurable.

Pat knocked at my door and cried her eyes out.

The family found it very hard when Nicola made the decision to skip chemo and rediation therapy, opting instead to have a complete change in diet and lifestyle. She did heaps of research, was flown out to Holland and the US, found an amazing doctor and a fantastic homoeopath, and through following a strict organic diet with no sugar and with dreadful raw vegetable smoothie drinks it looked hopeful that she was beating the cancer. Her protein levels returned to normal.

Nicola was so delighted with her results that she decided that she wanted to have a baby with her long-term partner. She knew that one day the cancer would get the better of her but she was on top of it for now and wanted to leave her partner with a part of her.

She conceived very quickly and had a good pregnancy.

Towards the end of the pregnancy she started suffering with back aches and pains in her ribs but knew that she couldn't hope to have no ill effects at all. However, in giving birth, she lost a lot of blood and when tested, it showed very high protein levels signalling that her cancer had indeed returned. Scans showed that her lower rib had been totally crushed and that several of her vertebrae had disintegrated. She had lost several inches in height. There were also shadows on her pelvis and her brain.

Unable to even really hold her daughter Harriet properly and wishing for a long, happy future with her, Nicola decided that she had to bite the bullet and not only follow a course of chemotherapy treatment but to also undergo a host stem cell transplant. She had done lots of research into this and when she had been at her peak before pregnancy had harvested her own stem cells. However, she knew that using her own stem cells, although safer, would only put off the cancer for a short while, whilst using host cells would be riskier but carried more long-term benefits. She was told that she was a good candidate and she proceeded.

Nicola kissed goodbye to Harriet and went to hospital, knowing that she would be unable to see her again until it was all over. As her immune system was going to be non-existent, there was no way she could risk contracting a cold or other childhood virus from her baby.

Following the transplant, Nicola made an amazing recovery. The treatment was working. Nicola was discharged from hospital way earlier than expected and was out and about very soon.

I remember her coming over to our house and showing us all her photos from hospital when she had had water retention and had blown up beyond recognition almost, and lost all her hair. She was very candid and laughed as she talked us through it, remembering her hallucinations and feeling drunk the whole time, her mouth ulcers, the unbearable itchiness of her skin.

It was a massive shock when Pat rang me at 8am and told me "Bev, we've lost her. We've lost Nicola...."

"No you haven't Pat," was all I could say in disbelief, "No you haven't."

Nicola had started fitting in the night whilst in bed next to her newly married husband. She was taken to hospital in an ambulance where they tried to resuscitate for an hour and a half with her family present. She died.

It hit me like a brick. I just could not believe it. And I feel awful saying that because, imagine how the family all feel. But it's true. I will never get over it.

The funeral was amazing. It was beautiful and awful all at once. With hundreds and hundreds turning up, from all ages, the tiny village of Rostherne was turned into a carpark. The stunning church was packed.

We walked past the family on the way in, not knowing at all what to say, only able to share tears and hand holding. The organ began, striking a massive pang in my chest. And the modest, simple but strikingly appropriate wicker coffin was brought in and laid at the front of the church.

I didn't hear most of the service as I struggled to fight back the tears and the massive lump in my throat, knowing that everyone else there was so much more justified than me to grieve. We left the church from the back entrance where we were struck by the magnificent mere lying underneath us. We hadn't known that it even existed but there it was, down the steep bank from the church, with a dewey mist lying peacefully on top.

The wake wasn't full of humour and wasn't an opportunity to catch up with family and friends. It was filled with tears and crying. I felt out of place and quite ridiculous for being there like it was none of my business. I showed my support to my amazing friend Pat and her family and then left, crying the whole way home, silently, with the kids in the back of the car, oblivious.

It didn't take long for me to work out that I needed to do something to make some kind of positivity come out of all of this. Nicola had spent her last few years raising money for Myeloma UK, despite herself. I realised that I needed to do the same. Even then, I feel ridiculous like it's not my place to do that, but I have to do something. I decided to set up a charity committee called 'Just Keep Walking' and started to tell people about it. Several people said they would join me and we decided to look for walking events. Next minute, we had enrolled for a 10km run!!!

My sister, Katie with my daughter Betty, Faye, my mum, me and Jack, Sefton Park

My sister, my friend Faye and I completed our first 10k run in July at an impressive 1hr 7mins and my mum walked it in 1hr 30mins. It was dreadful - I hated it. It was so hard and I walked most of it. But the atmosphere was incredible and we went home buzzing. Pat was at home with Harriet and Nicola's husband when we got back and she asked us to come in. We all exchanged hugs and tears and gave little Harriet our Race For Life Gerberas.

My mum, Faye, Pat & Harriet, me, Katie and Jack, Tatton Park

That night, we signed up for another. We completed the next 10k in 1hr 2mins non-stop this time, Pat and my mum walked it. We signed up that night for a 5k - the only remaining event that year. We were so looking forward to it, knowing it would be a synch compared to the difficult 10k runs we had completed.
I ran it with my sister and my friend, Debbie. Behind us walking were my mum and my awesome 6 year-old nephew, Jack.

The 5k was the hardest thing I have ever done, faced with gale force winds and horizontal rain! I kept it in my head the whole way round that I would be safe and sound in only half an hour, and I had to keep reminding myself of the struggle that Nicola had had, and the struggle that now Tina, my friend's mum was having with her breast cancer. If they could face their battles (and with a big smile on their faces usually) then so could I, most definitely.

My mum, me, my sister, Katie and Jack, Liverpool 5k

At the end, we were soaked and weather-beaten and exhausted. But the next night, we all joked about doing another. Up until then we had participated in Race For Life, women's only events but we were keen to enlist the boys to join us.

Sunday morning, I found myself watching a half-marathon on TV and finding myself interestingly inspired by it.... Monday morning I sent around a Facebook link to a half-marathon and after some deliberation, some banter and some joking, 4 of us signed up for the Liverpool half-marathon next March. Who the heck do I think I am????!!!!

I would love people to support us on the day by turning up and cheering us on. It's the crowds that get you round with their enthusiasm and their knowledge of what you are doing it for.

And if you wanted to also sponsor and give a donation to Myeloma UK, that would be appreciated too, no matter what the amount. One of the most touching donations I received was for £2.50, everything the donor could spare.

Thank you x

http://www.justgiving.com/BeverleyDPeterson

Myeloma is a rare form of cancer. There is little known about it and Myeloma UK is the only charity that wholly funds research into Myeloma. Myeloma sufferers are more and more looking forward to a brighter future but still, the statistics can be improved.

Race For Life

I have brilliant neighbours, and amongst them is a beautiful lady next door called Pat. Since she moved in there, just a few months after we moved into our house 5 years ago, she became a really good friend. We help each other out, we lend things to each other, we see each other socially.
Pat is a bit older than me and her children are roughly my age.
Nearly 5 years ago she turned up at my door in floods of tears. Her middle daughter, Nicola, had been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer called Myeloma. The prognosis was not good at all with not a great survival rate, and to add to the anxiety, Nicola was refusing the conventional methods of treatment.
In place of going through chemotherapy, Nicola was researching how to follow a strictly organic diet with lots of anoemas, vegetable blends  and supplements - I don't know all the ins and outs.
The family were in pieces. They just wanted her to get treatment as quickly as possible, knowing no different.
However, everyone accepted that Nicola should be given the choice and they all supported her.
Nicola flew between America and Holland regularly to see special doctors and the family sacrificed so much to support her.
And in the end, the cancer stopped growing and it looked like Nicola was going to be on top of it. Everyone knew that it would never go away but they also knew that for now, Nicola was controlling it.
So much so, that Nicola fell pregnant and happily carried her baby full-term.
However, when Nicola gave birth to little Harriet, it was clear that the cancer had come back and when she had her scans done, it showed that the cancer had returned more aggressively that ever before. She had shadows on her vertebrae and brain, as well as in her abdomen. One of her vertebrae has disintegrated and two of her ribs had been crushed. She lost 2 inches in height.
Poor Nicola was forced to follow a route of chemotherapy, and was too poorly to properly enjoy Harriet, unable to hold her properly and without the strength to pick her up.
The family all pulled together to help her husband out and to make sure that Nicola was well looked after.
It was decided eventually that Nicola would have stem cell treatment which, if successful, would add another 10 years to her life. She kissed goodbye to Harriet and was admitted into hospital, unable to touch her baby until the risk of infection was over.
And Nicola did brilliantly. Despite all the awful side effects she went though - weight gain, water retention, hair loss, ulcers, peeling skin, sickness, hallucinations, itchiness - she kept her sense of humour and skyped with Harriet and the family daily.
Nicola was eventually discharged from the hospital, earlier than anticipated, to look after herself at home.
Several days later, Nicola didn't feel right. She went to bed feeling poorly and not well.
Through the night she started to fit, was rushed into hospital in an ambulance, and despite an hour of CPR, passed away in the early hours of the morning.
Nicola's death came as a massive shock to everybody.
Everybody knew that Myeloma would eventually get the better of her, but Nicola was doing so well in fighting it that we all thought that she had seen it off for now. Nobody could believe it.
Nicola's funeral was beautiful. 400 people turned up to pay respects. She had chosen a simple wicker coffin. Nicola had written to all of her family. She had made requests of how they would bring up her daughter Harriet and she had thanked them for their support and for their patience and love.
Nicola touched so many people.
In Nicola's last few years, she raised so much awareness of Myeloma and of Myeloma Uk charity. It's a little-known cancer but needs so much funding and so much research.

This weekend I completed my 2nd 10k run with Race For Life, raising money for Myeloma UK. I am doing another 5k race in October. I am just doing what Nicola would have done if she were still here and able.

If you would like to sponsor, I would just be so grateful and I would be so thrilled to be able to tell Pat and her family.

Thank you

www.justgiving.co.uk/beverley-peterson

Who Needs Birthdays?

So Lady B has just had her birthday only a week ago and as usual with our kids, was spoilt by everyone we know. She and Sunny D ran rampage round our house with a lawnmower, a shopping trolley, a tent, a makeup counter and all sorts of weird and wonderful things.
However, a week later, what do you think the kids are playing with the most?.....

So, what's going on these days....

So I have taken a quick break from Sage and my monthly bookkeeping to refresh myself on here and take stock of what I've been up to and where I left things. I've got my husband making me a brew in the kitchen and a massive Whoopie cake in front of me from the local deli. Feels like a good set-up for blog writing. So an update: we are now a 4 person family (plus bunny). Dylan is 3 1/2 and I ca'nt believe I haven't been back to write about him on here before. He is beautiful! He was born November 2009. As you know it took a long time for Dilb to make an appearance after years of trying and years of fertility tests and years of being told 'no'. A few hundred pounds of pregnancy tests later, I was armed with a bag of Clomid and told to wait 'til day 2 of my cycle to start taking it. When day 2 never arrived for weeks and weeks and I was done with convincing myself that I was just putting the pressure on myself, I did a final pregnancy test and there was the tiniest, greyest, faintest line that I thought I was imagining. I showed Al who said he thought he could possibly see a tiny little line too but not to get my hopes up. We ran to the chemist and bought a double pack of proper tests which were inconclusive. We then had a night out planned so we bought a digital test on the way, and it was in the grotty toilets of the Jacaranda on Slater Street in Liverpool at 8pm that I was told that I was 2 weeks pregnant!! After a text-book pregnancy, albeit with no symptoms at all,I went into labour with Dylan on his due date and he was born 4 days later. I was so exhausted after 15 hours of final stage labour that I had a ventouse delivery, and up til now, that's the most trouble he has been really! What an amazing baby. I just adored him from the off-set. Only two weeks ago, at the ripe old age of 3 1/2, did he stick a lego piece up his nose whilst I had the kids on my own for a weekend and I had to bundle him in the car and drive him to A&E, but other than that, he's a gem! Betty is a bit of another story. We started trying for Betty when Dyl was nine months old. We had one miscarriage New Years Eve 2010/11 and then fell pregnant September 2011, to give birth to Betty June 2012. She was thirteen days late and had to be induced. She was a bit of a shock as, from the offset, she bellowed for whatever she wanted!! We were always keen with Dyl to never take things from him but to persuade him to give things back to us. And it worked. But with Betty, if she gets hold of something, you literally have to prise each individual finger off until she lets go. She is a monkey!! On the whole, another fantastic baby and would smile for England and be held by anybody. She is beautiful. But she comes with an attitude. An attitude which, ideally, we would like to nip right in the bud as soon as possible! Little Sunny D and Lady B adore each other though and we just look forward to their lives so much, watching them grow up together. They already fight, as all good siblings should, but they have a fondness for each other which is just amazing to look at. So, as I was saying in my previous post - my life really does seem to be exactly what I want it to be right now and the future is looking pretty wonderful too. I am rejoicing every minute of it and hope to share a little teeny weeny bit of it on here!

It's Been Ages!!!

Oh my goodness, so several years later, here I am - a mother of two gorgeous gorgeous unbelievable little kids - Dylan and Betty; an Office Manager for my husbands' web design company Pixel Air, and quite a few wrinkles older!!! I have never felt so great!!! Life is amazing - I am so very lucky. I have all I have ever wanted. I can't believe how lucky I truly am and I going to dedicate this blog to that - an amazingly lucky and wonderful life. Watch this space for updates!!!!