Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

8 years ago on the 22nd of August 2013 is a date my life unexpectedlychanged.,( at the age of just 46),& very healthy,,after an incidental find through an MRI scan, I was diagnosed with a Brain Aneurysm in July 2013. Just 1 day earlier I had completed a swimathon for Help for Heroes. I was a self employed  driving instructor with my own driving school and a  Mum of 5 childrenI. Ihad a coiling procedure so that the Aneurysm wouldn't be a danger as it had a 70% chance of bursting which would have been fatal or result in a life changing disability. & I couldn't take that chance..Unfortunately,  on the 22nd of August 2013 during this procedure my right cerebral artery was caught by the wire they used to carry out the coiling which was not noticed until recovery stage. At this point, I was then taken from recovery to ICU with only a 50/50 chance of survival. Little did I know how mine & my children's  life were going to change. Luckily, I came out on the better side of that 50/50 chance of survival but with life changing disabilities due to Stroke effects from the size of the bleed. I had total left side paralysis and was told I will never walk or even move my left arm again. Our lives turned upside down in a matter of hrs.

The next 8 months of my life was spent in a Rehabilitation hospital away from my family and my 2 young boys 6 & 14 then  &were still living at home,dependant on me.My youngest girl just ready to start University, me looking forward to making memories helping her move to uni halls as a mum did...My 2 eldest ones had already flown the nest, eldest already in the Armed forces & 2nd eldest in his own place..Those 8 months were the worst of my life. My children needed me, their mum, but I was helpless for them.Family and friends we're absolutely amazing. helping to try and keep the younger 2 together. My best friend  from school days even having them at her golf club nearby when my older ones had to return to the Forces, University  & job. My other best friend even moved into my then house with his own 2 children so the boys could be together rather  than temporary Foster parents. while concentrated  on my uphill battle of recovery..Willing my brain to connect to paralysed left side...Early 2014 I had to take the heartbreaking desicion for my 2 young boys to be placed with a foster family as my best lifelong friend , had been amazing but I had no idea when I would be well enough to return home with the severity of the bleed damage. He had done enough already, but it couldn't let him sacrifice any more of his own family.  .. Although this was heartbreaking,  the boys had wonderful Foster family, who we still keep in touch with, and the boys were still together as brothers

Finally April 2014 I returned to a new home, my boys back where they belonged, with mum,which had been adapted for my needs after having to give up my career as a driving instructor and rebuild my new life as a new version of me. A disabled version of me. Would I still be able to be a mum? What was going to happen?.. I fought and fought for my boys not to become my 'carers', they were very young and had been through so much along with older ones, and they needed to have what normal life they could. I had assistance put in place and thankfully still do ,to enable a normal life as possible.

Prior to the operation, I had done a couple of fundraisers for Help for Heroes as my eldest girl was serving in the Armed Forces. Over the years not just me but also my family have had to adjust to this new life with my life changing disability and since being home I have raised funds for Different Strokes and The Stroke assosiation. I still have assistance daily and use an Electric wheelchair outside of my home, as my mobility still not returned,  just enough in my home with a stick,and walking practice, which is extremely exhausting as my brain has to concentrate  on moving leg, balance, and I have to talk my body through it because my left side still remains with no feeling at all , only extremely limited sensation/pain,,so I have no awareness of where my arm and leg are in space., I have to look where foot is. I also have clonus which makes my left side have 'shakes/judders. Despite this, my leg and arm are surprisingly quite strong even though the brain signals for these parts of my body haven't returned. for them to operate subconsciously and multi task together with right side made harder with no feeling/touch sense we are born with.. 

Over the years I built up my strength .even losing almost 3st to prevent further illness. despite my daily mental and physical new life, I use  physical activity at my local gym with machines to facilitate and help over there,to maintain my strength, and swimming and even walking when I feel I have the strength to do so. By doing all of this it helps my mobility in my home and also keeps me out of the hospital, and let's me get out of bed and actually Live and enjoy my family, my 3 Yr old Beautiful Granddaughter, my friends and although now 54, yes, I daily miss the pre-op me, I'm now OK with that , and I'll carry on using what I have to help others,never lose Hope & prevent anyway I can, using NHS resources of being in hospital again and away from my family again

So, with this fundraiser for NWAA I my youngest now aged 14, and myselfaim to do 30 lengths each at Clitheroe swimming baths (approximately half a mile), 3,000 metres each rowing( almost 2 Miles) at Clitheroe Leisure (my gym)and 1 Lap walking of the Clitheroe Cricket field (approximately 1/3 of a mile). These are the largest amounts I have ever done and i shall have to complete over 3 consecutive days, as even 10 lengths of the baths or 1,000 metres rowing and even walking to the bathroom wipes  my wonky body(that's what I now call it 😀) out as it takes so much effort for my brain to try and do multiple functional tasks because it does not happen natural for my body. I have chosen the 20th, 21st and the 22nd of August as the 22nd is when it will be my 8th anniversary of my operation but I want to use my disabilities as an ability to help others. 

Originally I was just doing this BUT my son (Anthony 14) has asked if he can too, as he wants to raise funds too, as he says" to help save lives & give something back for  others .

The North West Air ambulance costs millions a year to run and are needed more and more in the living world today, from road traffic accidents to unfortunate accidents with young children and even Stroke patients have needed NWAA where ambulances are unable to get to for such an emergency. 

So please help me to help others any donations greatly appreciated! 

Thank you so much.

Michelle