I have often said you could not write my life! Now here I am doing exactly that.
My husband and I were living the dream in Abu Dhabi. Life was amazing. Then in 2019 he began to feel unwell with a cough etc. He was admitted to hospital and 4.5 weeks later he had passed away, with a cancer diagnosis. My life changed forever.
And the drama, as I say, just kept coming.
A year after he had passed, I had to move back home, things just weren’t the same in Abu Dhabi without him. I came home in July 2020 and started teaching in a local school in October.
Things were starting to settle for me, but then in January 2021 I had a detached retina and I needed surgery. All I could think was that I was going to be widowed, and blind by the time I turned 50.
I got through the surgery and was recovering well, then in June I got a call to say they had found a bleed – it was the result of a mini stroke! Could things get any worse for me?
Following the recovery of the bleed I had more surgery on my eye. In May 2022 I began to feel unwell, I had been having heart issues and as a result of that I needed 2 stents put in.
How could all of this be happening to me, I had just lost my husband in 2019 – was that not enough?
With all that was going on in my life, I had started to put on weight – it had just been creeping on bit by bit. I hadn’t been looking after myself with everything else going on.
A colleague of mine took a picture of me, and that was the moment I knew I had to do something. I joined Unislim in Newry with Deridre the following day.
Since joining, my life has totally changed. I’m looking more like the ‘old me’ again. I’m able to wear all of my clothes again – I love fashion and getting dressed up and finally I feel like I am able to express myself again.
I love going to my weekly class and it’s important for me to stay for the class talk each week. The members are all on the same journey and can support and learn from each other. When you have a good week, your class needs you and if it’s not been a good week, you need your class. Our Leader Deirdre is amazing and always has little quotes for us to keep us motivated. Our class is fun and it’s a social things for us too – Deirdre is great craic and everyone is a great inspiration to each other.
From losing weight I feel like I’m back in control of my life now. I am a Type 1 Diabetic and my blood glucose management has improved, I’m now using less insulin. I’m so much fitter now too – I was able to walk around the sites of London for days, effortlessly getting my steps in!
My friends can’t believe the difference in me. I attended a colleagues wedding over the summer, it had been a few weeks since some of them had seen me and they were amazed! Their reaction was priceless.
I’m loving life again, and I know my husband would be so proud of me.
