This will be a very short blog post, as I’m currently travelling in Copenhagen and Helsingborg, Sweden. I thought it would be useful just to touch base, though, in case you are eagerly anticipating my usual weekly blog post. I wouldn’t want to let you down!
So, how has this week been? Well, mostly I’ve been trying to get way ahead with life admin because I know that once we get back to the UK in a week’s time, I’ll hit the ground running.
Some of the things I’ve been trying to sort out this week include arranging cover for the live-in carer who supports my mum while her usual carer takes some breaks at the end of the month and over Christmas, organising who is going to feed our cats and our fox while we’re away, and putting together an itinerary for a friend from Australia who is visiting next month and spending ten days in London.
We’re planning to get together with her while she’s here, and, as well as helping with hotel reservations, I’ve been sorting out tickets for a London theatre show – Matilda the Musical.
She was also extremely excited when we spoke last week to share news that Leo Sayer is doing a UK tour while she’s here. She must be his number one fan and has attended every single one of his tours in recent years. I’m not sure how many that is, as I’m not a huge fan myself, but she always seems to end up meeting the man himself!
Naturally, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see him while she’s in the UK. The closest he’s getting to us is Basingstoke, which is quite handy, as Reading is roughly halfway between London and Basingstoke. It also means she’ll have the opportunity to drop in and visit my home in Reading.
I should probably mention that this friend is also a thalidomider, and I can’t help being impressed by the fact that she is travelling halfway around the world. She has very shortened arms and feet where her legs would normally be, and is a full-time wheelchair user, but remains incredibly independent and active. Goodness knows how she manages that huge long-haul flight. It isn’t something I would particularly want to do!
She’s stopping off in London on her way to the big international thalidomide congress taking place in the Netherlands in October.
I can’t remember whether I’ve mentioned the event before, but I’ve chosen not to go. I think I would find it rather overwhelming being among so many people, and I think I made the right call. The latest numbers, I believe, are around 480 people attending, although that will, of course, include carers, family members and others.
These days, I prefer doing things in smaller groups, where there’s more opportunity for in-depth, meaningful conversations. However, I completely understand why thalidomiders who don’t have many opportunities to meet others are making the trip. There are people travelling from America, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Japan and Australia – which gives you some idea of the scale of the event.
I’m quite happy to take a back seat on this one. I was instrumental in planning international events in 1992 and 1995, when I was much younger and had considerably more energy!
Mounjaro update. I do feel that, at long last, I’m starting to experience some appetite suppression and a reduction in food noise from my current dose of Mounjaro. A 10mg pen should be delivered within a few days of my return.
I’m not bothering to take my medication with me this time. As we’re staying in different hotels, it just feels like too much hassle, and I’d worry about leaving the pen somewhere. Instead, I’m taking my usual Friday dose one day later, on Saturday, and will then take my next dose on the Sunday after we return. Hopefully that will see me through the week and limit the damage when it comes to food! I’m certainly not planning to spend my holiday worrying about every mouthful, but I will remain mindful as I don’t want to undo all the hard work I’ve put into maintaining my weight.
Anyway, that’s my quick update from Scandinavia. I’ll share some of the details of my trip on my return – assuming, of course, that I survive the life-admin avalanche waiting for me!
(PS. In my eagerness to be super-organised, I realised today I’d scheduled the blog post for the wrong date! So here it is anyway 5 days later than planned!)
In the meantime, here’s my weight report…
Weight this week: 55kg (8 stone 9¼lbs)
Weight last week: 55.60kg (8 stone 10½)
Weekly loss/gain: -0.5kg (-1lb)
100% – 6 months 26 days in weight maintenance range (54 – 57kg or 8st 7lb – 8st 13lbs)
I’m really pleased with that loss ahead of my time away, and I’m also liking the downward trajectory of my weight graph, back towards the middle of my maintenance range.
