The Final Countdown

Hi everyone,
This has been a 'bleurgh' week if I'm totally honest. I have been sapped of energy from Sunday up until today (Thursday) for no real reason I can think of. Maybe its just that all of the extra exercise I have been doing is finally catching up with me. Sleep has been elusive and a trip to the GP showed that my blood pressure was higher than I have ever known it. That was a bit of a shocker as I assumed that losing weight and more exercise would be good for me and my physical health. Of course, the pressure that I put on myself when I take on these challenges is probably not very good for me. I always feel it's determination that gets me through but maybe it's bloody mindedness and stupidity.
This week should have been a wind down week mileage-wise anyway so it's not the end of the world but all I have managed thus far is a 3 mile walk with the dog this afternoon.This is in the wake of a migraine (yes, again) that came on on Monday evening and debilitated me for most of Tuesday. I had a wonderful massage on Monday afternoon and I really felt that lots of tension was eased in my neck  and shoulders but I suspect that it may have contributed to the headache.
Due to the ferocity of the migraine, and the continual headaches that I have been getting, I took myself to the doctor (where I had my blood pressure checked as mentioned above) and was told that the headaches are rebound headaches due to the increasing number of pills I've been taking to try to get rid of the pain. I was shocked initially but then I realised that I have been taking more and more pain relief (probably twice a day) without even thinking about it. So I am going 'cold turkey' and not allowed to take any pain relief for a week at least which should put me back on an even keel. I've been taking pills for my headaches but also for my shoulder, knee and hip! The lesson here for me is to only take painkillers if I absolutely have too. It's a trap that I have fallen into very easily without realising.
On a lighter note, this morning's post brought Jack and I our race day information and our numbers etc. It has made the whole thing very real. I have had a look at the course which is basically 3 laps of  the Silverstone race circuit with each lap varying slightly. The information also states that they start to put things away after 3 and a half hours so I need to make sure that I'm done before then. My target is 3 and a quarter hours so I should just about do it. I really hope I don't finish last.

Well, it's now Saturday and the lethargy continues. I feel flat and tired and generally knackered. I was supposed to get so much done during this half term break but I really haven't achieved very much at all.
I've just come back from a 2 and a bit mile walk with the dog which was a bit of a chore even though the weather was glorious.
 I have a feeling I may have peaked too soon. Either that or the new medication I am on has left me feeling
this way. But, whatever happens, next Sunday will see me alongside Charlotte and Jack, wearing our White Lodge red vests and preparing to do those wonderful boys proud.

Sunday, blog posting day. I have been having serious problems with my just giving page. I can't add Jack to my team, one of my team members has disappeared completely and the link I have been posting no longer works. Grrrrrr.......frustration! I have made several phone calls to justgiving and I have almost sorted out the issues but I'm not quite there yet.
The upshot of all this is that if you want to sponsor me my online sponsorship page is:

www.justgiving.com/nannyfish

Hopefully this will take you to the right place and you can go from there.

Thank you to my sister for ringing me so quickly to let me know that the original link wasn't working. I had just printed off 10 x 2 page flyers to deliver to the neighbours and if I had done that with the wrong info on it I would have felt very stupid indeed!

I would also like to remind everyone that Charlotte, Jack, Charlotte's cousin Charles and I are all raising money for the same cause even though we may all have different sponsorship pages. Our target between the four of us is £500. I have tried to set up a team page but, as previously mentioned, it's been problematic so please, if you want to sponsor any of us, rest assured that all the money raised will be going to the same place....White Lodge.

Finally, as I think this will be the last blog before the big day, may I remind you of the reasons that we have taken on this challenge....reason 1: Jonathan
                                      reason 2: Nick

.....2 brothers who loved each other, who lost their fight for life due to Marinesco Sjogren syndrome. 2 brothers who were loved and cared for by their family, supported by White lodge and other similar agencies. 2 brothers who were uncles, brothers and sons. I never met Nick but I knew Jonathan very well. I know how much I miss him so I cannot begin to comprehend the loss to the family.
Thank you so very much to everyone who has supported me thus far either by donating or listening to me whinge about my aches and pains or by just being there and I apologise if these updates have been driving you mad every week!

This time next week we will be at Silverstone and about to set off (it's a noon start) and I, for one, will be walking my walk for Jonathan and for Nick.

Thanks for reading this and putting up with me!

A xxxx