Why am I doing this?

Why am I doing this? I ask myself this question several times whenever doing a 'training' walk. Three months ago I couldnt walk up stairs and here I am trying to walk 35 miles! However, this is the reason I am putting myself through this - 

My little boy now 3 months old! We have always wanted a big family but due to Hyperemesis that dream will not become a reality. However, I will not let Hyperemesis stand in the way of me giving my son a little brother or sister. The statistics say I have a 75% chance of suffering from Hyperemesis again. However, I was repeatedly told that Hyperemesis would finish at week 14, then week 16, then week 20 and then finally when I would give birth. Those weeks would come and go yet I was still vomiting despite all the medication I took.It is more than likely we will have to go through Hyperemesis again. 

During my pregnancy very few people saw me - I isolated myself because most stimuli would make me vomit. The downside to this is that very people actually saw how ill I was. Only my close family saw the deterioration. This photograph was taken at the end of August 2011 when I was 4 weeks pregnant - a few days before Hyperemesis kicked in. 

I refused to have my photograph taken because I didn't want to know how it looked to feel like I did. These are the only photographs of my Hyperemesis pregnancy

Week 10 - in hospital with
 my drip - the only time I
ever felt any way
human was in
hospital on a drip. 

Week 20 - Christmas. At last I could sit up 

Week 30 - an attempt to go outside

Back in hospital. Back on a drip. 

So the reason why I am putting myself through the fundraising 35 mile walk is to raise money for the 'Pregnancy Sickness Support' charity because I know at some point in the future I will have to rely on them again in order to complete our family.

You can sponsor my walk at - www.virginmoneygiving.com/EEdwards

To find out more about Hyperemesis and the Pregnancy Sickness Support charity visit - www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

The date is set for walking for the first section of the Wherryman's Way route - the 6th August - a week today!

What have I got myself into!

Why did I decide to do a 35 mile walk after 8 months of being bed (well couch) bound, then give birth which required post delivery surgery AND be looking after a 11 week old baby who isn't a great fan of sleeping? Yesterday I went for a walk - I thought I would ease myself into 'training'. I only walked 2 miles. I was exhausted! Today my body feels as if it has done a marathon and my muscles are screaming "what are you doing to us"!


Perhaps 35 miles was optimistic. The only exercise I had when pregnant was walking to the bathroom and back - and even that was always a chore that required an hour of recovery! Despite this though I know I am raising money for such a worthwhile cause. Without the support from the charity (and obviously from my family and medication) life would be very different now. I probably wouldn't be here with my baby boy.


I have so much pent up anger at the Hyperemesis that I feel I need to do something to 'fight' it. Why me? Why didn't my body cope with being pregnant? Why couldn't I have had a normal pregnancy? Being part of the support group for Hyperemesis it is reassuring that other women around the world are asking the same questions.


At each step that I take on the walk I will think of the amazingly strong women I have been in contact with through the charity. For the women who are currently living through the hell of hyperemesis and the survivors of hyperemesis who continue to battle with the aftermath of the condition.


So that is why I have got myself into a 35 mile walk!


You can sponsor my walk at - www.virginmoneygiving.com/EEdwards


To find out more about the Pregnancy Sickness Support charity visit - http://www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk/

Ready,Steady, Go!

Well that's it. It is official. I am doing a fundraising event! I never thought I would ever actually organise my own fundraising event. I HATE asking people for money and am quite a private person.

However, Hyperemesis changed a lot of things for me. I feel so passionately about helping the 'Pregnancy Sickness Support' charity that I am leaving my comfort zone.

You can never describe the horror of Hyperemesis. The only people who understand it are those who have lived through it or watched a loved one suffer. I remember listening to a radio 4 programme last year about morning sickness.They talked about women being so sick they required hospitalisation and some terminated their much wanted baby.  I couldn't believe anyone could possibly be that sick that they would require hospitalisation. A few months later I was one of those women.

Getting help from other sufferers proved invaluable. Knowing I wasn't the only one who was vomiting 20-40 times a day or struggling to even have a shower helped with the isolation.  I want to help the charity raise further awareness and help more women with the condition.

Hyperemesis has also deepened my appreciation for family. Without my husband, Mum and Step dad I would not be here writing this or holding our little boy. They cared for me 24 hours a day as well as all hold down jobs. Not an easy job when I was unable to do anything for myself.

You can sponsor me at: www.virginmoneygiving.com/EEdwards

So here goes nothing ... Ready, Steady, Go!