#mymarathon

If I told you I was going to do a marathon I can just imagine some of the reactions that I'd get!! Since attempting to run jog walk the 10 mile Great South Run many years ago I have stayed clear of anything vaguely running related. That is except for running after very speedy children who are trying to escape! But I have now taken on a challenge to complete a marathon... How on earth are you going to do that I hear you ask? And why? Well, let me explain...

I am going to be doing the British Heart Foundation #mymarathon in May challenge. The great thing about this is that I can do it at my pace! So I will be walking 26.2 miles in April, which works out at roughly 7 miles a week. It will be a challenge, but one that I think is doable. Caleb will be with me for the whole walk, probably on my back or in a pushchair, but I'm hoping that Zoë will be able to walk a 1/2 marathon with me during the month.

Yes, I know I said April... I think I need to give you much more of the back story about why BHF and why April! Let's rewind just over 2 years...

Caleb Peter was born 2 weeks early by semi-elective caesarean at midday on Monday 17 February 2014 at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford surrounded by a large team of medical staff, including a cardiologist, three anaesthetists, a midwife, a surgeon, plus many others.

Early on in the pregnancy it became apparent that my heart was not coping with the strain of pregnancy and was in fact functioning at 50% of its capacity!  My condition was complicated by the fact that I had no symptoms and therefore my consultants were unable to predict how my body would cope with labour. Despite numerous appointments and tests my obstetrician and cardiologist struggled to decide on the safest way of delivery. Each time I saw one of them hoping for an answer the decision seemed to be delayed.


Decisions continued to be delayed as my test results and lack of symptoms were confusing. I had preferences for the birth, but I trusted my medical staff to make the best decision for me and the baby. In addition to deciding between a c-section (under general anaesthetic) and a short natural labour, they were also trying to decide which hospital would be best. The more confused the medical staff were, the more convinced we were of God's protection on me and our baby, and his total control of the situation.


The beginning of February 2014 brought more delays and lack of decisions. Finally on 12 February a decision was made: an elective c-section under general anaesthetic on 24 February at Stoke Mandeville (SMH). I felt very relieved and was able to start getting final prep done and arrange childcare for Zoë. And yet on 13 February that decision was revoked… my anaesthetist was not happy for me to stay at SMH and passed my care to the Silver Star unit at the John Radcliffe in Oxford.

We visited the John Radcliffe with bags packed on 14 February where they carried out a range of tests. They are experts in cardiac issue pregnancies so were not phased at all by me. They even have an obstetric-cardiologist who specialises in pregnant hearts, who is the most lovely doctor I have ever met! A new c-section date was arranged for 19 February under local anaesthetic so I was going to be awake for the birth which was a massive answer to prayer.

At 3am on Monday 17 February (whilst I was sleeping on a camp bed in Zoë’s hospital room where she'd been admitted with a severe UTI) Caleb decided to get things moving! Fortunately my mum had come to help so she was able to stay with Zoë at SMH whilst Steve and I went off to the JR. At midday, 9 hours after my waters broke, Caleb was born. During the c-section they were able to respond quickly and effectively when my heart reacted. Zoë was also discharged that afternoon and came over to visit us. At the time everything seemed to be happening at the worst possible time, but looking back we can see God's hand in so many aspects.


Caleb’s name was carefully chosen. The name is from the Bible and it’s written that Caleb “has a different spirit and follows [God] wholeheartedly”. Our physical hearts may fail (like mine did) but it’s more important that we follow God wholeheartedly.

Since Caleb’s birth two years ago I have undergone numerous tests including an echo, a 24 hour trace and an MRI. My heart function is still impaired and I am under the care of the cardiologists at the John Radcliffe hospital. (For those who are medically minded I have Left Bundle Branch Block and Dilated Cardiomyopathy with an Ejection Fraction of 30%!)

I am currently on the waiting list for a CRT-D device (pacemaker and defibrillator) and it is likely to happen in May or June, hence my decision to take on the #mymarathon challenge in April. The British Heart Foundation are at the forefront of heart related research and so I have decided to take part in their challenge. I'd love it if you could sponsor me and Zoë, and support the British Heart Foundation in their life changing research...

Thank you for reading!

My family