Thanks for visiting my page.

MARCH 2014 UPDATE

I did it!  And made it back in one piece despite a lot of rain (and hail!), ferocious sun and freezing temperatures - we had it all.  It was an amazing trip to a wonderfully welcoming country.  I am very glad I don't have any more early starts (3.45am anyone?)  to climb any large mountains.  Words can't really adequately describe my experience but safe to say I found it hard but loved  every minute (well apart from the flooded river crossing, which was a bit too much danger even for me.)

Thanks to all who have donated to my 2 wonderful charities, they and I really appreciate it.

Signing off for the last time,

Jane .x

JANUARY 2014 UPDATE 

The deed is done - I'm all booked to go to Ethiopia now - departure is on March the 9th and with a little extension added on to visit the Coptic churches at the end of the trip (can't go to Ethiopia and not see them),

Can't wait! 

 

DECEMBER 2013 UPDATE

It's taken a while to find a trip which was no more than 2 weeks long, at altitude (to make it harder), not in the school holidays, was running (one trip I wanted to go on was pulled), could be done in the spring and would fit in with work!  I have however finally made a decision and I'm off to Ethiopia.  

In March I am going to do a 2 week trek in the Simien mountains in the Rift valley - most of which is at altitude (above 4000m).  Along the way I will be taking in Ras Dashen the highest mountain in Ethiopia which in temperatures around 90 at that time of year will certainly be a challenge.

All I need to do now is keep fit (no more broken limbs or digits in this house please).

 

SEPTEMBER 2013 UPDATE

On a particularly ordinary evening at the end of August I managed to somehow engage my foot with my bed post so hard that the result was a dislocated and fractured toe. I have no idea how I did this as it wasn't dark, I wasn't running, I wasn't angry.  However it did hurt a lot.

After much soul searching and wondering if I would walk to nearly 6000m with a fractured toe I have decided I should really postpone my trip as it would simply have been too uncomfortable.  So although I won't be departing for Kili when I thought, I will certainly be re-booking another trip as soon as my toe is better and I have manged to pursuade the insurance company to pay up.  Watch this space.  

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My story

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.  Here's why I would like to raise a bit of money for ADDISS, the ADHD charity.

Harry (now 7!) had been very active since he had been born, always very hard to occupy and was seemingly far more clumsy than other children, always breaking things, he never seemed to have the patience to play with toys, was always on the go and was simply exhausting. Almost every time we picked Harry up at nursery we would hear of the destruction he had wrought that day! 

As any parent knows all this may seem perfectly normal but once he started school we noticed that there were larger concerns over his concentration and ability to interact normally and behave appropriately in the classroom.

It took over a year of various tests and meetings before our fears were realised and Harry was diagnosed with ADHD - Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder.

When Harry received the diagnosis despite having Neil to talk to, I felt totally isolated. I found ADDISS on the internet and from the first conversation I had with Andrea, the founder of the charity, I felt as though I was not alone.  During the following months and years Neil and I have been on courses run by her charity, and read books recommended by her but mainly have had our anxious telephone calls answered and have received knowledgeable and really sensible advice.

Adults describe having ADHD as like having a towel wrapped round your head, making it difficult to determine where sounds are coming from and which one to focus on - everything simply seems like white noise. Through ADDISS we have learnt strategies that we use to help Harry focus on what is important and to build his confidence in himself.  At four and a half he described himself as "rubbish at everything".  Kids with ADHD often have extremely low self-esteem as they see themselves struggle so much with things that other children seem to find so much easier.  

Through lots of encouragement he now believes he can rule the world.  I jest, but had it not been for ADDISS showing us that there is a way forward to help him achieve what he is capable of, I'm certain we and most importantly Harry would not be where we are now. Harry is a confident, happy boy, that despite his continuing struggles with his concentration and impulsivity is doing really well at school.

Anything you can donate will go directly to help other families get the great advice that so helped us.