My Journey - Warts and All

Well I lost 5lbs this week!!! I'm delighted so vital statistics below: Week 1 - 17st 1lb Week 2 - 16st 6lbs Week 3 - 16st 1lb TOTAL LOSS THIS WEEK: 5lbs I've lost 5st 13lbs in total now. Woop woop!! I never ever plan to get it back again. Next week I hope to break the next stone barrier and get over 6st lost. I've got my wee jars of peebles representing pounds and it's almost half and half now. I've also posted a picture of me this morning as I realised my clothes are way too big for me lol. So to treat myself I'm going to get my hair cut tomorrow :-) Its so long that it should be another few pounds off lol

Well tomorrow I'll have been in Manchester for 50 days and they have flown by. I can't believe it's been so long so quickly. Some days have been a lot harder than others but all in all it's a great place and I'm finding my way about a bit more. Even though Matt and I don't do Valentine's day, I missed him :-( but not long until I see him again. It's also weigh in day tomorrow so fingers crossed I've managed to lose more weight. I'm moving into a wee house at the beginning of March with another nurse and I'm really looking forward to it. I've met some lovely girls staying in halls but I need more space than a room. I miss having a house to potter around in. I'm also hoping to go back to the gym next week. I know I said in a previous post that I didn't think my hip would be up to it, I've been feeling a lot better lately. Getting the weight off will do that though and I've always known that. So thinking back on the m...

Well it was my first weigh in today after being back on it properly. I should have weighed in yesterday but was working all day. Initial weigh in: 17st 1lb Weigh in 1 - 16st 6lbs LOSS: 9lbs!!!! Woo hoo!! I know it's all water weight but I don't really care lol. 9lbs is 9lbs. So to reward myself I went to the library. I've got 3 days off so I'll get through a few of them. If a book really gets me, I can get through it in less than 24 hours. I can read a James Patterson in a few hours. Another source of inspiration is the fact that my best friend gets married in October and she's asked me to be one of her bridesmaids. I don't want be up in her wedding photos as the blob on the end so this weight is coming off!!!

So as l promised last night, here's my first week weigh in. On a plus side, it's the same weight I was when I stopped Commando Training back in Sept/Oct. Got 7st 1lb to go until goal weight. No bother. The healthy way to lose weight is 2lbs a week so that will all be gone by this time next year and that's on the assumption that I go down to this weight.

So I was going to go back to the gym this week. Not going to happen. I downloaded an app for my phone that was just a wee workout thing, no more than 30 mins. By the end of it my hip was killing me and the day after, oh ya boy, I was back on my naproxen and just willing my shift to finish. It's not a good sign at all. I'm going to get the weight off first and then try back at the gym. I'm also going to have to get my new doctor to refer me to a physio :-( I haven't been eating properly since I moved down here. I eat roughly once a day and that's not good for me at all. If a patient was telling me this, I'd tell them that they should be eating more often. I'm a terrible patient lol. I'm going onto a diet that makes me eat 3 times a day so I'll be taking my metformin again and that will hopefully help the weight to come off. Once the weight is off, I know my hip will get better. For the moment, I'm going to have to listen to my previous physio an...

I had an amazing week this week. I actually felt that I was 'getting' the job and then to top it all off Matt came down to Manchester this weekend.  It was a fantastic weekend. We went into Manchester and had a look round the shops, then went for dinner and to the cinema to see our first 3D film. I wasn't that impressed with the 3D bit but maybe that was just the film. I expected things to be flying out of the screen lol. Then on the Sunday we went to the Trafford Centre, had lunch and then went to the pub to watch the football. It was like a month of dates rolled into one weekend!! I worked yesterday morning but last night, we drove home. So I'm home for a couple of days. When we got back the village that we stay in the snow is terrible! My best friend was supposed to be coming through today but the streets aren't safe enough. I'm also meant to be meeting friends in Edinburgh tonight, it should be ok to get through later on. It's just started snowing...

I'm almost at the end of my first full week in my new job and apart from the odd thing here and there is going ok. The only thing with this week is that I'm ssssssoooo homesick! I'm missing my family and my friends. I'm lonely and that's the worst bit of it. I'm hoping that when I get paid and get my gym membership started again I'll feel better but I wasn't expecting the homesickness to last for so long. I'm seeing Matt this weekend and I'm not sure if that's making it worse because I'm so looking forward to it that I just can't wait for the next 2 shifts to be over. Anyway I'm sure it will pass..... My sister got me one of these digital photo frames got Christmas and she loaded it with loads of pictures from our wedding, hen nights, 30th's and all the old photos. I love it. Every picture makes me smile and miss home just a little bit less. I know it will get easier, i just wish it would hurry up :-) On a positive note,...

I've been down in Manchester now for a week and I beginning to feel more settled. There are still things that remind me of home: I saw a taxi advertising Irn Bru and it made me think of home and I've been talking to people about all things Scottish and teaching them Scottish words and phrases. I miss home like crazy and I can't wait to get back for a visit. I think the bit I struggle with the most is eating alone. When I was at home, Matt and I didn't always eat together but I miss not having the option of eating with anyone. Sounds a bit sad really lol. I miss having a bit of company really. I am enjoying it down here though and all my new colleagues are lovely. I forgot how much I like staying in a big city. I've been saying to Matt that I like staying in a wee village but I've really enjoyed being back in a bigger city. I've gotten some lovely cards from home as well, including one from one of my favourite little girls. Looking at the whole situatio...

I've spoken about my PCOS before, it's not a secret. One of my symptoms at 'certain times' is paranoia. When this 'time' is combined with having to travel somewhere I've never been before or having to get somewhere new on time, it leads to me getting my knickers in a right twist. This morning is a prime example of that. I had to travel into central Manchester for induction. New place, new job, you can already imagine the nerves that naturally come with this situation. I've always had a thing about being early. Anyone who has worked with me knows that I'm always really early. Anyway, last night I'd gone to bed early but had then taken 90 mins to actually fall asleep. Then I was awake at 1am, 3am and eventually 5.40am before I gave up sleeping. The lack of sleep was already an indication to me that today was going to be one of those days. So this morning I needed to be in Central Manchester by 8.45am. I had planned out my route, there were 20 m...

I am very aware that my post yesterday was very down in tone and mood. When I started writing this, I promised that I would be honest and that was how I was feeling yesterday. I work up this morning though and was feeling better. I went off and had a productive day. Found the shops, gym, pub and nightclub. I also got all my travel timetables and feel a lot more settled and organised. I'm missing Matt like crazy and as soon as I stopped today, I realised how much I was missing him. But I've spoken to him a few times today and it's made me feel better. I hope it's done the same for him. I'm going to a wifi zone on Sunday and will talk to Matt and my family via FaceTime. I'm also going to go to the pictures in my own next week, something I've never done. Things are looking brighter; we have a provisional date when Matt will come down again, I know my way about and I bought a bottle of Irn Bru today with a Scottish fiver and no questions were asked. Happy ...

Well I'm now officially living in Manchester and what a day it's been. My room is all unpacked and I just need to sort everything out. The room is actually a really decent size. I was expecting a shoebox but if it was a hotel room I'd be more than happy with it. With all my furniture in place, I could put in a single bed. Tomorrow I have a couple of things to do but will spend most of the day walking around and finding out where things are. What I did see today was a drive thru Starbucks (so impressed!!) and a Krispy Kreme. I'm just glad both if these places are a wee bit far to walk and the gym is closer. The worst part of the day without a shadow of a doubt was saying goodbye to Matt. It was BRUTAL!! I'm going to miss him like crazy but I can't thank him enough for doing this for me. His support during however long we end up apart is priceless and I think as a couple, we'll only end up stronger. At the moment I'm sad although I'm sure I'll ...

Well tomorrow is the last day of 2012 and what a year!! This year, I celebrated my 30th birthday and my 5th wedding anniversary. My 30th was a brilliant day and I had a fantastic night out. I actually have a 'song' that reminds me of my birthday lol. I haven't had that since my 18th. My wedding anniversary was lovely too but for different reasons. I think mentally 5 years was a big one for us. We knew that when we got to 5 years married, we would have been together for 10 years and it would also mean that my course was nearly over and we'd made it through to the end of it, together. I am lighter in weight than I have been in a long time. I've put on some weight since I had to stop CPT but that's ok, I'm going back to the gym in Manchester when I get down there. I have just realised though that the dress I wore last night to my leaving do made me look pregnant at certain angles :-( but hey ho, it was a size 18 and I fitted into it. I now have a degree i...

Well the nerves have well and truly kicked in ahead of moving. I've used the last two weeks to catch up with people before I go and it's starting to seem so final. I've got a big night out planned for the end of the month where I'll catch up with everyone who can come properly. There are some friends that when I move away, we'll probably never speak again and that's ok, we're just not in the same place in our lives. My priorities have changed from where they were 3 years ago. It's a fact that makes me a bit sad but that's life. I think what I'm most nervous about is starting this new job, in a new town on my own. My family and my close friends support me more than they probably realise. They allow me to switch off. I get to listen to how their day has been and what's going on with them. That's what I'm going to miss. I'm going to be working and living in the same place and I worry that I won't be able to switch off. I...

Well placement and Uni are now officially over and I have a degree in Nursing and start my job as a staff nurse in a few weeks. I can't believe it. The last 3 years have flown by. Would I do it again? Yeah I would. Would I do differently? There are somethings that I'd change but life is too short for regrets. One of the girls and I organised a graduation night out for the class last night. I couldn't go but I've heard from some girls this morning and they seemed to have a good time. We'll get a proper graduation ceremony in the summertime where we get the gowns and all that jazz. I'll come home for that. I think my granny would kill me if I didn't. So now I have Christmas, New Year and then moving. It's all happened so quickly. I'm so excited now! I've got 3 weeks of catching up with friends and in fact tonight I'm going to my friend Vicky's house to have a Take That party. It's a long standing thing that we do and is exactly...

I'm wondering if good luck comes in 3's? 1. I got my confirmed date for the my new job 2. I got my degree 3. .......... My third piece of good news came yesterday. The final part of our degree was an essay on a topic that we are passionate about and is current in nursing. So I did mine on nursing attitudes to obese patients. It's something that I've experienced from both sides of the fence. I enjoyed writing the essay (when I eventually got into it) and when I got my grade back for it, I was shocked. When we got our initial talk about the degree essay the lecturer told us about the possibility of getting our final work published so I went to speak to him yesterday about it. Anyway, by the end of the conversation, we had decided that we were going to undertake brand new research into the topic and not just publish my degree work!! I'm so excited. The lecturer at uni is going to help me look at grants, publishing etc etc. We haven't worked out all the deta...

Today I got some amazing news. I passed my final essay at Uni and now have a degree in Adult Nursing!! I can't believe it. I was hoping for a pass but I would never have guessed that I would have managed to get the mark that I did. I got an A2. I was speechless when I read it lol. I had to read it a few times o make sure it was right. So all there's left to do is pass my placement and I'll be Staff Nurse Chambers!! Aaaarrrrrgggghhh, that's a scary thought. The last 3 years have flown by. I owe a big thanks to the staff who have welcomed me into their workplace and the ones who wanted to give me all their knowledge. I couldn't have done it without the support of my family and closest friends. I owe them a huge thank you for accepting that I'm a hermit when I'm on placement and taking me out for a drink after an exam or essay. Thank you for the text messages asking how I am just when I need to speak to someone. Thanks for living with the tears when I c...

Well I have my start date confirmed for my new job. I'll be starting in Monday 7th January 2013. I'm really excited and nervous all at the same time. I'm excited to finally start my career and I'm nervous about going down on my own. I'm gutted that Matt isn't coming but we'll make it work. My family are already planning their visits down to see me and have been working out the logistics of it all ie hotels, hiring cars that will take all of them etc. With only 3 weeks to go until I qualify and 7 or 8 weeks until I start working, it got me thinking back to January 2010 when this all started. The nerves that I got before I started my first lecture, meeting new people and that first time I set foot in a ward as a worker rather than a visitor. I have had some amazing experiences and I have had some not so good. But I'm coming out of the last 3 years with some of the brilliant friends, people who'll continue to be in my life even with the distance s...

Things are starting to move along nicely. I have a provisional start date for my new job (depending on my security check coming through in time). They have my references so that's all I'm waiting for. They'll start me as a band lower than staff nurse and when all my nurses paperwork come through, I'll move up. I have my accommodation sorted, all my packing is done (except for the stuff I use on a daily basis) and most importantly my leaving party is organised!!! So for my leaving party, the date and time are set, the pub is booked and the dress is bought.  On the dress front, I tried it on in a size 16 and it fitted!! Woop woop! It wasn't quite right so went up a size but I could have worn it. I love the dress. It's the first time I've been able to get something out of Debenhams. The only thing that I have left to do it trying to organise transport from Fife to Edinburgh and back again. We were going to stay at my mum's but she's replaced some ...

I finally organised somewhere to stay in Manchester. It's in the nurses accommodation and is really reasonable in the price of it. There are a few things that I forgot or didn't think to ask on the phone yesterday but the other bonus is that they only take your first rent when you get your salary and it comes straight out your salary.  The other positive is that they are completely flexible on a move in date. They understand the uncertainty about professional registration and security checks. I don't think I'll have any problems with either, its just the amount of time it takes for them to come through, there is no hard and fast rule.  I'm starting to get really nervous as well lol. When I think that I've got a job and somewhere to stay, it makes it real. In about 10 weeks, I'm going to leave my family behind and start this brand new job in a brand new city. It's pathetic really, I'm a 30 year old woman who has lived on her own before albeit not ...

My plans are all starting to come together. :-) So I got the job (conditionally) and now I've seen a house that works perfectly. It's partially furnished and is available from January. I've put a note of interest in the house but I've never rented before   so I'm really not sure how it works. The poor agent that I spoke to this morning had a load of questions thrown at him lol. The house is right behind the hospital and only a short walk from everything, the gym, the train station, the centre of the wee suburb. I went down yesterday to Manchester to do all the security paperwork that was needed. They've also sent out my references so I'm hoping it won't be long until I have a start date. So pending my security stuff (which I'm not worried about at all, my previous jobs have required high security clearance) and passing this placement, I should be in Manchester working in the first part of the new year. I've started to try and get stuff orga...