Books And More Books

Being in hospital for a couple of weeks and then since being home, having to take time out to recover, I've had plenty of opportunity to catch up on my reading. I'm one of those people who cannot walk past a book shop without popping in and coming out with an empty purse and a pile of books. I've always done it. Then I'll pop on my Kindle from time to time to search out a best seller or latest book release and end up downloading a few too many books than I'd planned for. Hence, I'm never up to date with my reading and doubt I ever will be, because I buy books faster than I can ever read them. Here are a few of the books I've been reading from my book shelf over this last week or two. 

I'll start with Donna Tartt's 'The Secret History'. This was a birthday gift, which I was really pleased with, as I loved her book, 'The Goldfinch', and I always had the intention of reading more of her books and just hadn't found the time to get round to it. I couldn't put this book down. Set in New England, it tells the story of a closely knit group of classics students. It is narrated through the eyes of one of the students, who reflects on a murder within the group and explores the the circumstances and the lasting effects. It has been proclaimed as a 'whydunit' rather than a 'whodunit' detective mystery and for me I'd say it's a must read.

'The Loving Husband' by Christobel Kent - I picked this one up recently, as it's a 'Sunday Times Bestseller' and a recommended 'Richard and Judy Book Club' read. It's a good one for those of you who like the current trend for psychological husband and wife thrillers like 'Apple Tree Yard' and 'Gone Girl'. It's set in the remote Fens, where Fran Hall and her husband Nathan, together with their young family are making a fresh start. Fran wakes one night to make a devastating discovery... I'll leave you to read and find out the rest if this type of book takes your fancy. 

'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak - well, what can I say? This one has been on my 'to read' shelf for quite a while. I think at the time I bought it, I'd had a spate of reading books set in the First and Second World Wars (this one is set during the Second World War in Nazi Germany) and I decided to leave it for a while, as I like to vary my reading genres from book to book as I read. I think I'd been waiting for what felt like the right time to read it. Was it worth the wait then? The answer to that is a big 'yes' and it's an absolute 'must read'. Unusual in that the story is narrated by 'death', it follows the life of a young girl Liesel as she is exposed to the horrors of Nazi Germany. Buy and read it now. I don't know why it took me so long! 

'The Seige' by Helen Dunmore. I picked this book up in a National Trust second hand book shop - these book shops are well worth a browse for a bargain. I bought it purely because I'd already enjoyed reading a few of this author's other books, so thought it would be worth a look. Again, it's been sat on my bookshelf for some time, but somehow I decided to pick it up and give it a try. And I'm pleased I did. Another historical novel, set during the 'Seige of Leningrad' in the Second World War and following the lives of four ordinary people, united by love and fighting for survival. This book had me researching further into the history of St Petersburg - it actually left me wanting to visit this city with its powerful history and architecture that's brought to life in the book. Maybe one day sometime...

'A Noble Radience' by Donna Leon. Donna Leon is an American crime writer and most of her books are set in or around Venice and that's why I enjoy this author's books so much and especially her series of books about Commissario Brunetti. Brunetti is a police detective solving crime mysteries in Venice. Venice is one of my favourite places and I enjoy reading a book that is set in a foreign place I've visited. I'm slowly working my way through the whole series of the Brunetti novels and enjoy the characters and families in the books and the vivid descriptions of Venice and Venetian life. I always have the next few books in the series on my book shelf ready to pick up just in case I fancy a little wander around Venice. 

'Body Surfing' by Anita Shreve. I've read quite a few of this author's books - again I picked this one up in a National Trust second hand book shop for a bargain knowing I usually enjoy this author's work. I enjoy Shreve's easy style in how she unfolds a story. Her stories are usually about emotional and complex family relationships. In 'Body Surfing' she weaves her story around the character Sydney, a young widow, and how she is drawn into another family's destructive web of old tensions and divisions. It's well worth a read. 

What have you all been reading recently? Can you recommend any more good books? I'm always on the lookout for a good book and especially at the moment as I'm still slowly recovering from the pneumonia and flu infections I had recently, so need to pace myself and rest often. Plenty of excuse for snuggling down with a good book!

Fortunately I'm making progress now and my latest clinic this week was very encouraging. I'm back again in a months time, where they will reassess my lung function properly, as it too early days yet to do that until the inflammation clears more. It looks like I'm going to be needing some surgery in the near future too as a preventative measure to help my lungs. This is following test results after my lungs were found to be scarred after the acute rejection episodes I had back in autumn. But more on that later when I know more about it all myself. It's been a tough seven months with one thing or another and there's a few hurdles yet, but I do feel very positive that things are improving and are going to get better.

Onwards and upwards now and here's to more books...

Heads Together

There has been much in the press this week about the campaign 'Heads Together' spearheaded by the royals, Prince William, his wife Kate and Prince Harry. The Princes have spoken out about the mental anguish of bereavement and Kate on the feelings and anxieties faced when becoming a brand new mum, using their own personal experiences. 

There are many facets of mental health, thousands of different scenarios and concepts and many that we can relate to through our own experiences and feelings. There's been both praise and criticism about the royals speaking out, but without any doubt it's brought mental health into the spotlight and that can only be a good thing.

For me, as a patient who has been through the diagnosis of a terminal illness and survived it by eventually undergoing a life threatening heart and double lung transplant, mental and emotional well being is of paramount importance. It has been key to keeping myself physically strong and in optimum health over many years now and during the highs and lows of this transplant journey, which brings with it a whole new set of health challenges. 

When you're first facing a difficult diagnosis and ongoing health problems, it can be extremely daunting and no-one can really tell you how to cope mentally and emotionally, as we're all different in how we cope anyway, and when there are life threatening issues at stake, then the focus by the medical staff is on keeping you alive and tackling the physical issues. Often your mind and your emotions are left playing 'catch up' later after all the physical stuff has been dealt with. Patients are often left to cope on their own with the mental and emotional side of things and it can have quite an impact on their progress to be left unsupported. 

I count myself as being extremely lucky, as from the very outset of my illness, I had very solid emotional support from my close family and friends. Soon after diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension, I came across the PHAUK charity, which helped me find whole network of support and develop friendships with other PH sufferers. Those friendships meant I wasn't alone any more in what I was dealing with and going through. I also had support from my hospital and started going to the Papworth PH Matters Support Group, where again I made more friends and found a place where we could all help each other. 

Then 'Transplant' stepped into my life and I already had friends from the PH community who were going through similar journeys, so I wasn't ever on my own. Between us, we supported each other and found some very supportive transplant groups, which in turn extended our network of support and developed even more meaningful friendships. I also found solace in things I've always enjoyed like reading, writing, travelling, wildlife, gardening, nature, photography, exploring the outdoors and volunteering. 

One of the main reasons I started my blog and wrote my first book 'Life Is For The Living' was to help both order and express my emotions about those thoughts and feelings that beseige you when you face life changing events that you have little control over. I hoped it may help others who face similiar traumas in their life and show them that they aren't alone in what they go tnrough. I think it's so important to share our experiences so we can help each other. 

Last year we brought Ted, our cocker spaniel puppy home. Ted was a very deliberate ploy to bring some routine and stability after all the upheaval of illness and transplant. He was something for me to look after, love and nurture after everyone had been looking after me; something brand new in my life that had nothing to do with the past life I'd been forced to put behind me, my previous illness or my transplant. Ted suddenly became an integral part of my emotional and mental wellbeing, especially as when he actually arrived home I was back in hospital struggling with my first serious post transplant crisis. My latest book is all about my first year with Ted after arriving back home from hospital. It's a story of learning to grow and love together - a story for dog and animal lovers, but also a story for those interested in the importance of emotional and mental wellbeing when facing physical and debiliating health difficulties.  

Unfortunately, I haven't quite finished the first draft as I'd planned due to more recent health setbacks, but I'm well on my way and it won't be too long before that important first step is reached and then the serious business of editing and redrafting will begin. My writing spurs me on and I shall keep you posted how things are going. Watch this space! 

All in all it's been a great week for raising awareness of the importance of sharing experiences for emotional and mental health. 

Feedback from Amazon readers on 'Life Is For The Living'

'So moving, honest and inspirational. The reader lives the challenging journey of Kathryn's deterioration, diagnosis and dream coming true with the transplant. The impact on Kathryn personally, her career and her amazing family are frankly shared , as well as her husband Rob' s often humourous and ironic reflections about the situations they heroically face together. Kathryn's wonderful style and amazing tale engage the reader's heart and mind ...so be prepared not to put this book down!'

'An emotional read, I could not put it down. Like other readers, I laughed, I cried and felt all emotions in between. Most importantly I am determined to always look forward and live life to the full.'

                                                                  Purchase Book - All Proceeds To Charity

Busy with Travels, Garden, Books and Cooking

We have found that the best thing to do while I wait my transplant is to keep ourselves as busy as we can doing things we enjoy. It helps to take our minds of things and my illness and as a family we are very determined to try and carry on as normally as possible, whilst making the most of our days. That's why we are always out and about when I feel up to it and I try to keep up and enjoy some of hobbies I have always enjoyed. Every moment is precious to us.

This week saw us taking Rose back to Bournemouth as she has her university exams next week. She came home for Easter and decided it was a quieter place to do her work and revision than in her halls of residence, so she stayed at home for an extra few weeks longer. This was really nice for me having her around again and it feels very quiet without her now. She will be back in a months time and I cannot believe that will be her first year completed. It seems only a blink back to last year when she was sitting her A levels and planning to go away. 

Rob and I have been quite enjoying the fact that Rose chose to go to Bournemouth when she decided to go to university, as most of you know reading my blog, we enjoy a new place to visit, so now we have a great excuse to discover Dorset and the surrounding areas, somewhere we haven't ever visited before. It is a two hour run to Bournemouth from Hertfordshire and because I'm not well, too much for me to manage there and back in a day, thus another perfect excuse every time Rose comes or goes to have an overnight stay or two. I also really like to be there to pick her up or take her back, I think more so perhaps because I know I might not be able to do it one day, so while I can I do. 

We chose to stay in Christchurch, which is only a short drive from where Rose stays in Bournemouth and we normally go self catering as this makes it much easier to manage with my illness and medication routines, we can just please ourselves, do what I can manage and explore at our leisure. If I don't feel well and I'm having one of those bad days then we can make ourselves more at home in our own place. Rose also came and visited us for a night once she had got settled back in her own place and unpacked.

Christchurch is well worth a visit. It is a busy market town, which developed into an important trading port in the 9th century and it is located at the confluence of two rivers, the River Stour and the River Avon; it has a natural harbour and an attractive quay, where you can while away your time watching the wildlife and the comings and goings of sailing and motor boats and all sorts of river traffic; it is dominated by a historic priory dating back to 1094; it has an Anglo Saxon water mill and has some 12th century castle ruins, plus some excellent beaches and nature reserves. There was also a big Food festival going on while we were there so there was lots to see and do in just a short space of time.

I hope you enjoy this weeks pictures taken in Christchurch and get a feel for what the place is like, of course by now you will know photography is a big hobby of ours, keeping us busy! 

www.visitchristchurch.info/

Easter flower, better late than never!

One of the things that I've always been really passionate about is gardening and although I am really limited now as to what I can manage and that is really frustrating for me, Rob and I are always planning new things for it and trying out new plants. Rob does most of the hard work on his own now and over the last few years while I have been ill, he has transformed it and made it really beautiful for me to enjoy. He has planted lots of new plants so there is always something of interest out there. 

Tulips enjoying the sun

At last some cherry blossom

Although as I write this it is only about four degrees in temperature and windy and wet, after that first big show of daffodils a few weeks ago and that little glimpse of spring weather the other week, the garden seems to be bursting into colour, with all sorts of different plants making a show. The cherry blossom has come out about three weeks late, the apple blossom is opening and the bluebells are coming out. Rob planted a new magnolia bush for me a few months ago and that's in full show and I also found some snowdrops flowering, which he planted a bit late last November! We also have some very busy blue tits nesting in both the bird boxes, hundreds if not thousands of tadpoles in the pond and we have had goldfinches, long tail tits, greenfinches and chaffinches visiting the bird feeder and having a crafty bath in the pond. We have blackbirds nesting in a honeysuckle over the front door, so we are trying not to be too noisy as we come and go. On a quiet day it's looking lovely to look at and there is lots of comings and goings to watch.   

    

Forget me nots and phlox

Reading is one thing I've always really loved doing and it is something I can still do very easily and now I'm not working any more and have to rest a lot I have been able to read much more. I have really enjoyed being able to this, without needing an excuse to be able to sit down. A good book can transport you miles away and be very absorbing, which can be a good thing for me! I've set myself a little challenge earlier in the year via the Goodreads website. Goodreads is a website where you can get book recommendations and find out more about books you might like to read, many members give reviews and ratings for books, so you can get a feel whether a book may be to your liking or not. I'm trying to keep myself busy and read at least one book per week. You will see a Goodreads icon at the bottom of my blog, which has been there a while now and if you click on it you can see which books I've been reading.

Jew's mallow

My book for this week is The Rose Petal Beach by Dorothy Koomson. I decided on this one because I really enjoyed ITV's drama Ice Cream Girls, which is written by the same author, I was only sorry I hadn't read the book first before I saw the series. So far it has been a real page turner from the beginning, I am only half way through, but it's a hard one to put down. It is a book with a few sinister twists and you are left wondering what really did happen, very similar in style to Ice Cream Girls, if you enjoyed that.

www.goodreads.com/

Cooking is another thing I am really enjoying, having more time on my hands and I've found ways to keep this up such as sitting while I'm doing the preparation work and making sure I rest in between doing things if it's a recipe that takes some time and preparation. This month seems to be asparagus season and after we had had some friends round for dinner one evening, where Rob and I shared the cooking and preparations we had quite a bit of asparagus left over, so I decided I'd make my own asparagus soup. It turned out quite well so here's the recipe:

Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

Olive oil

Two onions

A bundle of asparagus finely chopped

500ml of chicken stock

A pinch of garlic

A pinch of celery seed

Black pepper

A few tablespoons of fresh cream  

Preparation

Heat the olive oil and add the onions until softened, add in the asparagus and cook for 5 minutes or so, add the stock, black pepper, celery seed and garlic and simmer until the asparagus is fully cooked. Add the fresh cream and then put in a blender until smooth. 

Enjoy! 

So a very busy week again while we wait, in many ways the weeks are passing very quickly and we are filling them with enjoyable things in between the ups and downs, 607 days of waiting up to now, so let's hope not too much longer to go, but in the meantime, well we are already planning this weekend...

The new Magnolia