Life with Helen Johnson

 In Dec 2023 when I was diagnosed I had naively assumed they'd operate on me as soon as possible. I then went to see a cardiologist in Jan 2024, he said the operation would be done before Dec 2024. In June 2024 I spoke with the surgeon who said it would most likely be April 2025. I spoke with the cardiology department yesterday who said it would likely be September 2025. So chances are I will be waiting 1.5 - 2 years from my diagnosis until the operation.  You can imagine how I felt after this conversation. I broke down in tears, every month the operation gets delayed it feels like its our lives being delayed. Another month living with a condition which impacts my mental well-being, another month not being able to travel, another month not able to start our family. To say it's frustrating is probably underselling how I feel right now.  In last weeks blog I talked about appreciating your blessings, it's never been more needed than now. If I'm honest, I'm sick of not ...

 I shared earlier this month that I became aware I was living on overdrive, my mind was so busy and I was feeling burnt out. Over the last couple weeks I have been reflecting on what changes I need to make in order to live a more slow paced, fulfilled and energised life. I don't want to slow my life down entirely as this could result in lazy habits, but I do want to make sure that I have appropriate changes in my life to allow me to have the energy to invest in the things that really matter. So what new routines am I creating to look after myself? 1. Earlier nights My night time routine has always looked different depending what season I've been in, but one thing it's always revolved around is making sure I have enough sleep. I realised I had created a routine where my head hits the pillow and suddenly a million thoughts come to my mind, I knew this needed to change. On work nights I have started heading up to bed around 9.30pm. I spend some time reading, some time listenin...

 I was listening to Lectio 365 last week (Lectio 365 is an app for daily prayer). There was a sentence that hit me hard, as I was listening I started crying (which is rare for me).  'Build in me the resilience to believe that a word from you will send the winds of restoring hope to my life'.  This sentence is reminding us that no matter what our circumstances, one word from God can restore hope and can bring blessings. This meant a lot to me, because this year I've felt like I've been walking with burdens, not blessings. Every week has had it's challenges, every week is another week waiting for my operation and is also another week waiting to start our future family. However I did feel challenged, as this year I've had a lot to complain about and be disappointed about, but I've also had a lot to be thankful for. One of the biggest blessings in my life is my marriage, I prayed for years to meet a husband. I got reminded the other day that I'm currently li...

  Before I start this blog I wanted to share that before I got diagnosed in December 2023 I did have a personal trainer (I mainly lifted weights with her) and then at home I did HIIT workouts. When I got diagnosed I wasn't in the best shape I've been, but I did have a decent level of fitness, which I would say has helped me remain fairly healthy since being diagnosed.  When I got diagnosed in December I immediately stopped working out, I didn't do anything for about two months. Andy and I then signed up to Pure Gym for a few months during the colder months, we went maybe 2-3 times per week for around 45 minutes per time. I would use the treadmill but I only walked at a slightly brisk pace. In May we stopped our Pure Gym membership as we started going on evening walks in our local area as the weather was improving. This continued for several months, I tried my best to not overeat and keep walking, this allowed me to keep fairly healthy, but I can't say I'm the fittes...

 Andy and I had our final holiday of 2024. We have been really blessed to have explored so many beautiful places in the UK this year, but Cornwall was definitely the highlight. It was my first time visiting Cornwall and Andy hasn't been since he was a child, it was amazing being able to create some new memories together. Here's what our trip looked like: Day 1: Swindon - Port Isaac - St Ives We started Day 1 leaving Andy's parents house in Swindon and drove down to Port Isaac where they filmed Doc Martin. We enjoyed exploring the familiar sites, had a very expensive coffee and then continued driving to St Ives where we were staying. we stayed in a beautiful Air BnB overlooking the St Ives Harbour.  Day 2: Exploring St Ives We started our day relaxing on our balcony enjoying some bread from the local bakery. We then explored the harbour, shops and local beaches. We enjoyed a very tasty lunch at Porthmeor Beach Cafe, we would highly recommend this restaurant. We then explored...

 I have shared on this blog that I'm a Christian, it is a massive part of my life and has made me the person I am today. I'm aware some of my readers aren't Christians, but I hope today's blog will encourage you and if you do have any questions after reading this blog please contact me directly. At Church the other week we heard a Bible verse that really brought me comfort and peace. Isaiah 58:11 'The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail' I've been feeling very dry recently, spiritually, mentally and in my day to day life. I've been asking myself questions like 'what is my purpose?', 'am I doing what God wants me to do?', 'why am I finding life so challenging at times?'. Life is full of seasons, some are good, some are bad. We can experience moments in life that can leave us rock bo...

Before I start this blog I want to apologize for the 'My Mental Health Journey' blog which wasn't published. Andy and I have spent the last week away from home, we spent some time at my in laws and the majority of the time in Cornwall. Having this quiet time away from the normal routine made me realise I wasn't quite ready to share that journey. This isn't due to shame, it is due to still working it all out. One of the biggest triggers of poor mental health for me is when life gets too busy. On holiday I was reading two books, the first book is by Lysa TerKeurst titled ' The Best Yes ' and the second is by John Mark Comer titled ' The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry '. These two books share one similar theme, we're all too busy, all too hurried, all making poor decisions due to our busy rushed lives. Even though I'm not quite ready to share my full mental health journey, I do want to share what a hurried, busy life has done to me, and what I...

Trying to get travel insurance in 2024 when you're awaiting heart surgery is impossible! I contacted multiple different places and no one would insure me! So we decided to explore the UK instead. Here is a timeline of our 2024 travels, and there's still more trips to come! FEBRUARY - Harry Potter Warner Bros Studies in Watford This was my 30th Birthday present and it was INCREDIBLE!  MARCH - a long weekend in Norwich Our favourite thing we did in Norwich: We visited the Cathedral every day, we felt such a sense of peace and calm walking around the Cathedral grounds. Where we stayed: Premier Inn Hotel Our favourite restaurant: Shiki (Japanese cuisine)  APRIL - North Berwick, Scotland Our favourite thing we did in North Berwick: We went on beach walks every day, it was so beautiful Where we stayed: A beautiful apartment on the beach front Our favourite restaurant: We were self catered, but our favourite thing we ate was a sausage roll from Bostock Bakery  MAY - Swindon ...