All through BI recovery I have been very lucky in just about every way. Lucky to have even survived then lucky to recover as quickly as I did. My main issue being balance which meant I needed a few weeks of physio to get walking again. Short term memory was effected a bit forgetting to lock doors and turn oven off but got through. The main problem for me has been feeling lonely. Having my nan pass away in 2013 the year after my BI left me with just my mum and a younger cousin in family. I joined headway but all the things I signed up for got cancelled due to not enough interest. Me and my mum moved areas in 2016 as my mums mate who was the main person we saw and spoke to had moved months earlier.
So in new place Bridlington from Rotherham. My mum thought there may be more for me to do or some group to join to get to know people. Tried a few free courses at local library which wasn’t much good as never got to know anyone as they were only a few week courses. No headway near by. Then one night my mums mate told us about a new BI group she had seen advertised. A man who had BI in 2012 had set one up. I went for an appointment to find out what it was like and see what it could offer. Had one to one with a woman who has a brother who had BI 15 years ago. It was decided that I didn’t need one to one meetings but wanted to meet others in same situation so started going each week to social times and an allotment. Along with occasional days out.
Now I’ve been going to the group since May. I am now getting involved with exercise and health. They have got a few people including me in a Fitbit group. This is a thing you wear like a watch to count how many steps you do a day. We can set up challenges and compete with each other. I am more a go along with others person. A man in the group has said he wants to run a marathon so that has got woman who’s brother has BI to encourage rest of us to do running. We are doing a 5km walk/run next month. I have never been bothered over running, but somehow ended up starting tiny bits of running. Then one week few week ago the man who set group up heard the man who wants to run marathon talking to me about running. So he said he would set a time up to give me some training. He hardly ever has time for anything and the woman didn’t think he would go through with it. This week has been the week he said we would start. Today we have spoken and gone through few things my fitness, daily exercise etc. I’ve got to keep food dairy this week as I’ve admitted my weak point is food, I like anything and everything that is sweet. Buns, cakes, donuts, cream, so obviously need to cut down on that. Only starting off doing like 20min run and walk to start with but I think I will be wanting more as it will be more enjoyable with someone. Trouble is I live like 45 min train ride away so going to struggle fitting it in apart from days I go to the group which is Tuesday and Wednesday and he would prefer when I’m ready for 2 days it not be 2 days together or he feels it could be too much. Think I will have to talk to him in few week. The woman took me home today and she said she is surprised at the man making time to help me as he’s never done it with anyone before and there are a few others who he could work with so I’m determined to keep at this and improve myself and after seeing how easy I’ve had recovering from BI at side of others I’m ready for this even though it will be toughest battle especially the food part.
