Dear Readers,
Happy New Year! I can’t quite believe we’re in 2026 already, and January is flying by. This will be a short update as the year has only just begun.
We had a wonderfully relaxed Christmas. My mum came to stay and we enjoyed spending some festive time together. We didn’t do very much at all, which was exactly what we needed. Having two weeks off work gave us the chance to properly rest and recharge. One highlight was a trip to the pantomime at Cliffs Pavilion. We saw Cinderella, starring Rylan Clark. I’m a big fan of Rylan and he was brilliant this year, just as he was last year. The whole cast were absolutely fabulous and we laughed throughout. It was excellent.
On New Year’s Eve, we spent the evening with our dear friends Vincent and Mike. As always, Vincent had cooked and prepared the most amazing food. We had a fantastic night filled with laughter, drinks, and a really good catch-up.
The year has also started well for my business. I’ve met with new clients and continue to support my existing ones. It’s growing steadily, with some exciting projects and group work in the pipeline, and I can’t wait to work with even more incredible people. I’m really proud of my small business, especially while managing PH. It works well for me and allows me to look after my health while still earning an income.
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I recently had a cardiology appointment with my local consultant. Everything remains stable with my PH, which matches what the Brompton confirmed back in November. I mentioned that I’ve been battling colds and coughs and have already needed two courses of antibiotics this winter. After listening to my chest, he sent me for an urgent X-ray, which showed fluid on my lung. Obviously, this is serious, especially with only having one lung, but I’ve been prescribed some very strong antibiotics which should clear it. To be honest, I’ve been feeling mostly okay, aside from being quite breathless, which I had put down to the cold weather. It has been so cold here! Still no snow where we live… yet!
I wanted to mention my amazingly strong friend, Sarah, who is now PH-free after receiving the gift of life - a double lung transplant. Her husband is just as amazing as he is currently taking on the Montane Spine Race Britain's most brutal endurance challenge. 268 miles non-stop across the mountains of the Pennine Way from Derbyshire to Scotland. He will be raising money for the Royal Papworth Hospital Charity, where Sarah had her life changing surgery. You can support his great cause, here.
I really feel that this year is going to be a special and exciting one for us. We have a lot planned and, with my health carefully considered, I’m confident we’ll make it a great year. Of course, there will be hurdles, as there are every year, but it’s how we deal with them that matters. Whatever comes our way, we’ll make sure we enjoy life and make the very best of it.
Thanks for reading!