Keep on going Deborah

My sense of achievement knows no bounds today. Why are my spirits soaring? Because I went on a walk and carried on going for a whole 45mins.

I now know how Forrest Gump felt like in the film of the same title, when he started running and didn't stop. It was fab, like I was breaking for freedom or that my life depended on it!
Well actually that is pretty close to the truth, as I have to get fitter than I have ever been to get through this transplant. Hannah told me that the survivor from Maldon, was ultra fit before his transplant and I want to be the same.
Ok, I had started off as nervous as hell, pushing myself to walk round to my friends in the next road for a cuppa, she didn't know I was even coming so that is how it all started.
I guessed as long as I had a full tank of oxygen and I had my trusty 'go faster' trolley, then I could do it and if I needed to sit down, well I would do on the grass verge.

When I got to Jeanette's house, she was out so I carried on going and thought as I felt ok, then I'd go round the block and back to mine.
But when I got to the cross roads... a real crossroads not one in my head...I thought that I could do this for a bit longer. I knew where every bench was in the village, so if I tired or got into problems I could recuperate and I had my mobile if I needed rescuing on route. So I made the decision to cross over that road and then went off down another street instead.

I wasn't being as reckless as this first sounds, as I could always cut across the playing field which leads out right near my bungalow and I would have still would have achieved more than I have done in years.
But I got to the next corner and could see the next bench at the end of that road and I just carried on going and going, to the stage where I had reached the shops from the long way round!
I felt as if I had won an Olympic Gold medal.
It was then that I did have a slight wobble, as I really had to go to the toilet... the Slimming World curse!
Thankfully for me the village hall was open, so I just slipped past some officials and inside to their toilets.
When I started off again I don't know whether it's the thought that you are nearly there or what I don't know, but I did start getting pains in my neck where all my muscles were working overtime and a tad panicky, but my goal was in sight.

As soon as I got home, I texted both my sons, Reni and Julie straight away to tell them what I had done and then promptly fell asleep in the armchair for 15mins with a smile on my face.
Not bad for someone whose oxygen stats were only 83% this morning. They actually rose to 90% when I checked them again.
If I can do that a couple of times a week, not only will it help my fitness levels, but it should help me lose weight too. Not long ago I used to have the most gorgeous firm and shapely legs that my friends used to comment on and with a little bit of exercise they will come back.
I need to get some weights too now, to help with my upper body strength. At the moment, I'm using unopened baked bean cans!
This doctor from Papworth has ignited something in me, long may it last!

Lots of love Debbie x