PHA Conference

Heya Blogland, 

Well the past few days have been eventful to say the least.

Megan and I both made our way to the annual PHA conference and we had such an amazing time.

I finally got to meet some of the wonderful fellow PHers whom I regularly talk to via the interweb. It was great to get some different perspectives on this disease. I mean I get to see a few people when I go to Hammersmith but there’s never enough time to really talk as you’re always in and out doing different tests but the past few days have meant you really got to discuss some topics which in a normal environment you just couldn’t discuss without get strange looks from people. I actually felt comfortable doing my Nebuliser in front of people because I knew they weren’t all wondering why the hell I was doing it because they all knew exactly why I was doing it and they didn’t care. I could whack out as many pills as I pleased at dinner without worrying whether people thought I was a druggy and it was really refreshing.

The first night I found to be a bit awkward only because Megan and I don’t really know how to approach people and felt totally out of our comfort zone. We met Barbara and her lovely husband intitally and they seemed so lovely I'm disappointed we didn't get to chat more but it was a packed weekend. Once me and Meg get talking we are fine but we were so lucky that Kath, Rob and Anne spotted us in the bar otherwise we would have been wondering round like Lemons for a while LOL.  Megan and I loved meeting Rob, Kath and Anne they are sooo our type of people which is great because we thought we might have to stay reserved and reign it in a bit but we felt really comfortable around them. Then we were joined by Carole and her husband and they were just as lovely. We then made our way to the buffet and this is where the conference let me down a little. Now it’s totally nobodies fault but my own but I am the fussiest eater in history and I just really didn’t like very much of it at all, although their carrots were quite yummy LOL.

At the dinner I did get to meet up with Julie though who is a little boy called Kieran’s mum and it was sooo great to see her because I used to see her and Kieran at Great Ormand Street a few times and me and Kieran both did a DVD together and it was sooo lovely seeing her and Kieran and her husband Martyn because it just felt really comfortable because I miss GOSH a lot and it felt like I got to see a bit of my past and I really enjoyed chatting to her and catching up. Then we were joined by Bente and her husband at the table and they were a great addition to the group :-D  

The massively long talk in the morning was actually quite interesting as they were talking about new treatments and what might be available in the future. I have to admit though me and Meg did get a little bored and may have engaged in several rounds of hangman. But they did provide me with a very good word Sexilipeg (probably spelt totally wrong as I actually can’t remember how to spell it LOL) but that doesn’t matter because Megan totally didn’t get it :-P

I got to see Sita as well just before the talk who is also waiting for a heart and lung transplant and she seemed lovely. It was so hectic there really wasn't time to talk unless you were in the same things as each other but hopefully we will see each other again :-). 

After the really long talk Me, Meg, Kath and Rob all had the transplantation talk to go to as both me and Kath are both waiting for a Heart and Lung transplant we thought it was probably beneficial that we went and it was interesting. They went over most of the stuff I already knew, I did get to meet a girl who I had never met and I can not remember her name for the life of me but she is waiting for a double lung transplant and goes to Hammersmith as well and she seemed really lovely I think she liked meeting other people on the list as after the talk she got to meet some others as well.

Me and meg clay pidgeon shooting courtsey of Rob :o)

Then the fun began Meg, Rob and I all went to Clay Pigeon shooting and OMG me and Megan were awful! This is not an exaggeration we really were that bad. The guns were sooo heavy though and my shoulders and arms are still killing me, I have no upper body strength at all. When we got there I was pleased to see Julie and Martyn there as well. Martyn and Rob were insanely good at it. I think me and meg provided people with a good laugh though because we were that bad LOL.  Luckily the guns were not loaded with real bullets or anything because I’m sure I would have shot some-one because I was getting so frustrated because I wasn’t hitting anything LOL.

We had the gala dinner and everyone turned out in their best it was a great end to the day and i got to meet lynsey and her husband joss :-) but I was so tired normally I have a 2 hour nap somewhere during the day but over the 2 days I did not so I was shattered. The hotel was such a pretty place and I would love to go there again maybe golf next time though LOL. I didn’t take any photos over the few days though which is so unusual for me but I know we had our photo taken a few times so if I can get my hands on some of them then I’ll show you them :-].

See you later Blogland