Will I 'over' share?

Well a few times I have asked myself that question, and in all honesty, the answer is probably YES! I will tweet and Facebook and over share about my dinner, the kids, MrH funnies, music, what I've watched on TV, blah blah blah, the list is pretty much endless.

But in terms of 'my' own experiene of Alzheimers, the answer is a big fat definite NO! 

"That's odd Claire" I can hear you internet people saying, "part of your goal was to raise money and awareness about Alzheimers and surely over sharing would give people an insight into what you experienced". Now here is the key part of that sentence... YOU. It would all be about MY experience.  

Out of respect and love to friends and family who are currently living with loved ones with Alzhiemers or another dementia, I feel it would be disingenuous and uncompassionate of me to share my own personal experience of the disease when each case can vary so much. When you are living with it each day, too much information and other peoples stories could just be too much to handle and deal with. And indeed, each case and situation is individual and unique to their own set of circumstances. 

And to be fair, I think we have all experienced that moment when you share some news with someone and they immediately want to "CAP" it with their story, why do people do that? When in reality all we want is to be listened to, offered friendship, love and support.

And on that note, thank you to all our lovely family and friends who have been there for me and Jon. Without YOUR help, support, donations and encouragement, I dare say we wouldn't have got as far as we have. I've been nervous about the race all weekend but a lot of kind words and support have kept me focussed.

Thank you. Big internet hugs.

Claire xx

  

 

 Me and Grandad


















http://www.givealittle.co.nz/member/ClaireHuxley

Tapering is fun

After a gruelling weekend of both doing our longest training runs, we are now tapering which essentially means cutting down our distances and letting our legs recover a bit before the main event. For me, its also about getting used to what my marathon pace is going to be. Running a handful of kms at the start a bit faster than I should will see me in all sorts of trouble 3 hours later. Respect the distance, have a plan and stick to it; was the wisdom my brother shared with me the other day. We all recall what happened in the Tortoise and the Hare!

It feels great knowing that all I have to do this weekend is run a cheeky little half marathon at marathon pace. Who would have thought it possible that an ex brewery sales manager/retired rugby player/100kg tubby bloke whose fondness for Guinness and rubbish food meant he couldn't ride a bike 10kms without having a breather and/or a pint, would think is such terms? I feel quite proud of myself and I know Claire feels justifiably the same. To have raised over $1300 and counting for Alzheimer's NZ is something we are even more proud of, of course.

I hope I'm not tempting fate as we both still feel a few aches and pains in places, but it looks like we are going to be fit enough make the start line, and therefore hopefully, the finish line. As I write this I am massaging a slightly sore right foot with an empty coffee mug but hopefully that's nothing major. The temperatures are climbing in Auckland now which makes things more enjoyable. Trotting along Tamaki Drive on a lunchtime when it is sunny and 20 degrees with the azure ocean glistening to your left is quite simply the greatest feeling ever. I hope that feeling of euphoria stays with me when I am passing the 39km marker on the same road in 2 weeks time!

Over and out

Mr H


http://www.givealittle.co.nz/member/ClaireHuxley

Why we don't talk about dementia?

It's not all running here! Honest.

Seriously, I do want to share and discuss something which I think is a real social stigma. Why don't we discuss or talk about Alzheimers or any other form of dementia? I don't know all the answers to this question, although I do have a few ideas. Having read this report (link below) it is fair to say it all about the stigma associated with a illness which a lot of people don't understand.

From personal experience, I know that talking it about it was really difficult and often met with an awkward silence. When my Grandad was diagnosed with Alzheimers, even the doctor didn't want to say the words of his illness, he just handed my Nana a leaflet and said call these people (it was for a local Alzheimers society), they might be able to help!!!!!  Now, this is where I could get all ranty and ragey, how come a professional couldn't discuss this professionally? One meeting that my Mum went to with my Nana, we asked the doctor about the prognosis and treatment, he just talked about the condition deteriorating and to be prepared for the very worst. Now, how was that helpful? Of course he was right but I wish they were able to offer counselling, support, respite. Which, of course now they do (funds permitted!!).

“Our biggest fear is that people are struggling with this disease without the care and support they deserve,” says Alzheimers New Zealand executive director, Catherine Hall. And THAT is why I am fundraising for this charity, it's the care and support that all our loved ones need and deserve. Not the just the person with the disease, but the family who are faced with this every single day. My family all suffered when my Grandad was diagnosed, all in different ways and if we had better support we may have been able to cope better with it.

My Nana spent years driving to and from the care home and would do this every day, how she managed it, I will never know. Watching your beloved husband of over 50 years slip away into a child like state, with very little interaction was so distressing. He was an avid reader, debater and loved nothing more than a good row! Honestly, he once changed his political views with some friends once, as nobody represented the other side, and he wanted to be able to argue a point even though it was one he didn't believe in! So you can imagine what kind of character he was.

And one thing that I would like is for some people to change is their attitude to this illness, and not make crass rude jokes about losing your memory, yes people do that and it is really, really, really hurtful. It isn't a disease that only affects the old, there are many cases of people being diagnosed in their 30's and 40's, so please think before you speak!

I told you I was going to get all ranty on you! HA.

Claire :)

http://www.alzheimers.org.nz/information/latest-news/236-world-alzheimers-report-2012-reveals-stigma-and-social-exclusion-are-major-barriers-for-people-with-dementia-and-their-carers



http://www.givealittle.co.nz/member/ClaireHuxley

Let's say no more about it.

Well after my 2 hours and 10 minute training run yesterday, I am pretty tired. Jon has just done a 3 hour and 20 minute run today, with Liam's party tomorrow we are really hitting a peak of running lunacy.

So thought I'd share something that made me laugh... I think I may be turning into Geordie Georgie ;)

Catherine Tate - Geordie Georgie



http://www.givealittle.co.nz/member/ClaireHuxley

You get to eat even more than usual!

Recovering now from the weekend's exertions. A swim and massage on Monday and a fairly gentle bike ride yesterday and most of the soreness has gone. My left knee (the one that's already had 3 operations) is sending a message to me that it would prefer playing Daley Thomson's Decathlon on the Atari as opposed to all this running business. But we've come too far now, there's no turning back!

Food intake is off the scale which is an undoubted perk of all this. I'm needing to eat about every 90-120 minutes at the moment which means snacks need to be at arm's length almost all day. After an All Black's breakfast, the daily office fruit delivery gets a hammering at 10am. A small mountain of chicken or tuna salad will see me up to about 2.30pm when chick peas, nuts and protein shake come out of the drawer. Last night, Claire's delicious Toad in th'ole, carrots, leeks and onion gravy very nearly got me through to bed time but I'm afraid a chocolate chip cookie was calling out my name whilst watching The Bill. I've always been a fan of eating so Bravo I say! I fell asleep before The Bill finished.

Claire and I both have a our final long long training runs this weekend before we commence (what the experts seem to call) tapering. Tapering is not only what a barber does to the back of your head if you want a 'duck's arse" but also the process of running gradually shorter training runs as race day approaches. The evidence suggest you cant get much more prepared in the last 2-3 weeks so its a case of using the last couple of weeks for building a bit of speed and more leg turnover (another expert term I have learned) with shorter, faster stuff whilst avoiding injury through doing less mileage. All good news as 3 hour runs are starting to get a bit dull. I only hope I can still eat as much!!

A large word of thanks to all those who have sponsored us so far. We've toppled a $1050 already which is great news for the folks at Alzheimer's NZ. We won't start publically shaming you yet but there are some folks out there who have yet to donate. You know who you are!!

MrH

 

http://www.givealittle.co.nz/member/ClaireHuxley