So approximately a year ago I decided I would like to get into tv presenting. Something that probably sounded very far fetched at the time. I even questioned myself. Was it asking to much to have all I have and wish for the dream career? Would it be simply to unobtainable with my health constraints! It's certainly a hard career to get into anyway let alone after having a double lung transplant, cystic fibrosis, diebeties, osteopenia and juvenile chorionic arthritis. These were all my thoughts before I had faced chronic rejection and had a second double lung transplant.
I did a piece with itv west-country which I presented myself, then shortly after my health started to decline.
With my second transplant my confidence was knocked and all idea of tv presenting seemed impossible. The on dec 30th 2013 myself and Katie gammon appeared on itv daybreak http://youtu.be/MUFAZMawqwk and with that the presenting dream was reignited and conversation in the green room led to what I hope will be my big chance! I was put in touch with a agent.
This agent represents many of the great tv presenters and faces I aspire to. Most of all Katie piper. Katie piper was burned by acid a attack and left disfigured and gravely injured. She proves to me that even through great adversity people can still achieve careers within media, that may seem beyond our grasps. Does a world of glamour and pretty people have room for chronic illness and disease?
So I have been in contact with the agent, who I'm being signed with. Firstly to start doing more public speaking, but paid work unlike all my public speaking so far. This means things like corporate events. After time it will lead to more media appearances and progressing to TV presenting. They also work at book deals, which the past month I have been thinking a lot about writing my story down properly, not as a blog but a novel. I feel like I've hit the jackpot and I'm extremely excited to start my career.
I'm also doing some work experience with itv West Country which has been on the back burner for some time now. It's in Paignton zoo filming a baby oragutan. I'm looking for lots of opportunities like this to get experience in tv. Just shadowing tv journalism, radio and presenters as this is the only way I can get my experience up and improve on my knowledge of the media world. I hope to specialise in health presenting and journalism drawing light to other people's illnesses and helping them with there campaigning just like so many have done for me.
Im aware iv been given a unique window of opportunity, it may shut at any time, but while it's open I'm going to make the most of it, does TV and media have a place for someone like me? Will my health become an obstacle? As I have been telling everyone if I fail because I didn't try, I don't deserve it, if I try and fail then it was never ment to be.
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Saturday, 16 February 2013
Exeter hospital to Harefield hospital
So my Ivs didn't seem to be working and yesterday in excruciating pain and lung function at 62% fev1 from 97% I rung Harefield, they advised that I wait till Monday and be reviewed in clinic. Well by the end of the day I couldn't handle the pain and developed a temp of 37.8 I decided to go to my DRs and get pain relief. They decided they were not happy with my numbers and I was to be admitted to exeter hospital with a view to go to Harefield on Monday still.
Since being in my breathing has improved and my numbers are up slightly at 69% the pain has gone as has the temp. Iv had a X-ray and ct scan both showing 'change' various different shadows that weren't there before. Harefield have now decided to have me up there tomorrow and I will get 'ambulanced' up, I'm not that sick but it's just there way of transferring me.
As I have said with any blip you wonder what the cause is, is it really infection? or something more sinister? you wonder whether this is the beginning of the end? you can't help worry those things but I'm sure whatever it is is treatable and will be sorted out ASAP and in a way I'm glad to be going to my specialist centre at least they can deal with it efficiently and make sure all the 'other' possibilities are ruled out.
I will keep everyone updated through Facebook, twitter and my blog and thank everyone for there continuing support.
Also here's the link to my itv piece http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/story/2013-02-12/from-the-heart/
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, 31 January 2013
Keep the ball rolling
So recently I feel my life is coming together in lots of different ways. I'm busy and I love being busy. Working at next, attending the gym with a new hard regime, training on pole, starting hoop regularly and teaching pole is really picking up nicely. The best thing tho is, yes, presenting might actually be getting some where, I'm doing a few pieces for BBC radio Devon on pause for thought in march and also I got asked to be interviewed for itv West Country as part of there 'from the heart' campaign for more donors, but a new twist has developed I'm presenting my own piece! Which will be used in my show reel! How awesome is that! I'm applying for workshops and experience with channel 4s 4talent to! I just love it when a plan comes together!
It's nice to feel the momentum of life picking me up and rolling with it. I just hope that health complications don't stop this ball from rolling. There's only so many times I can push it all to come back together. But hell ill keep trying every time because I know my healthy patch won't last forever and unfortunately I have been struggling the last few days with a lower than normal lung function, tackicardia and palpitations. I'm due up to Harefield Monday where I plan that my orals will have worked, I won't be kept in and will feel miraculously better! Come on my beautiful lungers we can do it. It turns out were a pretty awesome team after everything we've already faced in our short little relationship.
So wish me luck guys and hope I can keep this ball rolling
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
It's nice to feel the momentum of life picking me up and rolling with it. I just hope that health complications don't stop this ball from rolling. There's only so many times I can push it all to come back together. But hell ill keep trying every time because I know my healthy patch won't last forever and unfortunately I have been struggling the last few days with a lower than normal lung function, tackicardia and palpitations. I'm due up to Harefield Monday where I plan that my orals will have worked, I won't be kept in and will feel miraculously better! Come on my beautiful lungers we can do it. It turns out were a pretty awesome team after everything we've already faced in our short little relationship.
So wish me luck guys and hope I can keep this ball rolling
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Sunday, 6 May 2012
BBC Radio Devon Interview
I did a interview with BBC radio devon yesterday Heres the link and a break down of my interview,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00r3khc
Hope you like.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00r3khc
Hope you like.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Clinic and gerneral update
Ok so Iv been having a few hiccup with my pseudo, but to be expected. I went to harefield on the 24th and started a course of Cipro, it sort of helped but as soon as i came off it, wham back to how I felt before. I don't feel ill, a bit tired but then I am doing alot, which ill get to later, my lung functions not been greatly affected it did a small drop but its back up now, its the persistent cough, which everyone says sounds like my cf cough, so you can see It got me worrying. I'm also productive but its small plugs of flem that just rattle there all day and are impossible to cough up and when I do they are disgusting. So I went to see my cf doc today, my lung function was 97% fv1 and 91% fev1 which is great, but he is slightly concerned about the sound of my upper airways and its quit obviously getting me down, he prescribed more Cipro and pulmozym a neb which will break up the flem. Iv already raised my mucodine myself, which also breaks up flem but its a tablet. So hopefully this will knock it on the head. I'm starting the pulmozyn in clinic tuesday as i have to have a trial dose.
Another thing that my mum and Stu have mentioned and I have noticed to, Its hard not to. My memory, It has become really bad, substantially so, I used to know roughly what lessons, class's I had in a day most of the time id be able to tell you exactly know, now i have to make a real conscious effort and even then I forget, I have students randomly turning up and i check my diary and apparently its not so random. I talked about it with my Doc and he checked all my meds for symptoms of memory loss, there arnt any. So the other thing it could be is ecmo and bypass. They believe It may have caused the problem, I suppose you could call it v minor brain damage. Apparently its happens in older people with heart by pass surgery but he hasn't heard of it with young transplant patients, but he did advise me to ask my TX doc when I see them next, but hes going to relay with them anyway. The other thing he doesn't know is if it will get better, so apparently Iv got to get on the wii and do some brain training.
Yesterday we had a meeting to discuss the charity bike ride, we have preliminary dates, the Charity's chosen, LLTGL, EDCF/CFT and Harefield hosp. We have all of my CF team taking part, my doctor is arranging the route as he is a cycle enthusiast, from there we need to arrange stop points, food, accommodation, then from January were holding an open meeting at the RD&E where people who want to take part can find out more. Were going for the more the better and were informing the local authorities so they can sign post the route warning cars about us. So its going to be big!!! Anyone can get involved, if you live along the route you can join us, as long as you get sponsorship. When more has been organised I will update you all.
Tomorrow I'm off to London, Iv been asked to speak at a seminar for junior doctors explaining my journey through transplant and how my quality of life has changed. I'm so nervous, but really excited to.I 'going to write a few questions down to prompt myself but otherwise I'm thinking off the cuff, My director Mel is coming to film as we are starting to film for a second documentary.
Which brings me to Donor family network, They are holding a event where lots of donor family's come and remember there loved one, theres a point where transplant patient's poems ect about there donor are read out, I'm attending to read a poem and piece about my donor and how they saved my life. I think this is going to be extremely emotional but a brilliant event and Mel is filming there as well.
Other then that I have been working out hard, 5 fitness class's a week, LBT, core stability, 2lots of Stretch and tone, Fitball next week I'm doing 2 lots of LBT, I must be crazy I also do an hour cardio before or after and then one day a week I do a full 2 hour work out. Its going really well, I feel fit and it makes me feel good.
I'm Also back teaching pole, but wanting to increase the lessons I'm doing as I didn't start the charity fundraising job in the end I simply have to much coming up with the doc and charity work, so I'm doing more pole lessons as there more flexible and i can simple ram a load of lessons in one or two days and have the rest of the week free for all the media stuff I'm doing. I'm hoping to do some work experience in PR with RD&E, CFT and a possibly a hospital nr Harefield and I also have some behind the camera work, which My director Mel is arranging. So bizy bizy
10th chat
14th Zest
Reveal date not know yet
bbc news
This morning
TV times I'm presuming the week of the doc
Finally the ball, I have started arranging a ball, for LLTGL The ball is hoping to have some celeb comedians and great bands.
So I'm going to leave it there, I'm still waiting on Stuarts blog, hes finding it a bit hard, but as soon as he writes it I'm posting it.
Another thing that my mum and Stu have mentioned and I have noticed to, Its hard not to. My memory, It has become really bad, substantially so, I used to know roughly what lessons, class's I had in a day most of the time id be able to tell you exactly know, now i have to make a real conscious effort and even then I forget, I have students randomly turning up and i check my diary and apparently its not so random. I talked about it with my Doc and he checked all my meds for symptoms of memory loss, there arnt any. So the other thing it could be is ecmo and bypass. They believe It may have caused the problem, I suppose you could call it v minor brain damage. Apparently its happens in older people with heart by pass surgery but he hasn't heard of it with young transplant patients, but he did advise me to ask my TX doc when I see them next, but hes going to relay with them anyway. The other thing he doesn't know is if it will get better, so apparently Iv got to get on the wii and do some brain training.
Yesterday we had a meeting to discuss the charity bike ride, we have preliminary dates, the Charity's chosen, LLTGL, EDCF/CFT and Harefield hosp. We have all of my CF team taking part, my doctor is arranging the route as he is a cycle enthusiast, from there we need to arrange stop points, food, accommodation, then from January were holding an open meeting at the RD&E where people who want to take part can find out more. Were going for the more the better and were informing the local authorities so they can sign post the route warning cars about us. So its going to be big!!! Anyone can get involved, if you live along the route you can join us, as long as you get sponsorship. When more has been organised I will update you all.
Tomorrow I'm off to London, Iv been asked to speak at a seminar for junior doctors explaining my journey through transplant and how my quality of life has changed. I'm so nervous, but really excited to.I 'going to write a few questions down to prompt myself but otherwise I'm thinking off the cuff, My director Mel is coming to film as we are starting to film for a second documentary.
Which brings me to Donor family network, They are holding a event where lots of donor family's come and remember there loved one, theres a point where transplant patient's poems ect about there donor are read out, I'm attending to read a poem and piece about my donor and how they saved my life. I think this is going to be extremely emotional but a brilliant event and Mel is filming there as well.
Other then that I have been working out hard, 5 fitness class's a week, LBT, core stability, 2lots of Stretch and tone, Fitball next week I'm doing 2 lots of LBT, I must be crazy I also do an hour cardio before or after and then one day a week I do a full 2 hour work out. Its going really well, I feel fit and it makes me feel good.
I'm Also back teaching pole, but wanting to increase the lessons I'm doing as I didn't start the charity fundraising job in the end I simply have to much coming up with the doc and charity work, so I'm doing more pole lessons as there more flexible and i can simple ram a load of lessons in one or two days and have the rest of the week free for all the media stuff I'm doing. I'm hoping to do some work experience in PR with RD&E, CFT and a possibly a hospital nr Harefield and I also have some behind the camera work, which My director Mel is arranging. So bizy bizy
10th chat
14th Zest
Reveal date not know yet
bbc news
This morning
TV times I'm presuming the week of the doc
Finally the ball, I have started arranging a ball, for LLTGL The ball is hoping to have some celeb comedians and great bands.
So I'm going to leave it there, I'm still waiting on Stuarts blog, hes finding it a bit hard, but as soon as he writes it I'm posting it.
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Media update
Media update.
Heres some links from the last few days
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/06/22/brave-bride-in-desperate-need-of-life-saving-lung-transplant-makes-sure-her-wedding-goes-ahead-115875-23217945/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2006665/Bride-Kirstie-Mills-gets-married-just-days-resuscitated-hospital.html
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/Wedding-day-joy-brave-Kirstie/story-12807005-detail/story.html
Im also going to be on channel 5 in a week and a bit when I have the energy back to do it. Im also still filming a documentry that will be on in october about transplant and organ donation, on bbc3.
Im also looking at a few different magazine deals, I want to be in the most popular to maximise coverage, but im also pacing my self after been so ill.
Heres some links from the last few days
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/06/22/brave-bride-in-desperate-need-of-life-saving-lung-transplant-makes-sure-her-wedding-goes-ahead-115875-23217945/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2006665/Bride-Kirstie-Mills-gets-married-just-days-resuscitated-hospital.html
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/Wedding-day-joy-brave-Kirstie/story-12807005-detail/story.html
Im also going to be on channel 5 in a week and a bit when I have the energy back to do it. Im also still filming a documentry that will be on in october about transplant and organ donation, on bbc3.
Im also looking at a few different magazine deals, I want to be in the most popular to maximise coverage, but im also pacing my self after been so ill.
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Documentary, Feeling good and post transplant recovery
Yesterday me and Stu had a day off together, It was a bit of a rest day, We had the BBC documentary being filmed from 2pm till about 8pm. We took Kia for a walk and filmed us chatting and suggested topics for us to chat about. It was nice in a sense as it allowed me to hear some of Stu's thought and feelings that he perhaps wouldn't have said otherwise. I'm really looking forward to this documentary now, there seems to be alot of focus on my story and I really hope it can get people to sign the organ donor register. Its such a good opportunity for me to raise awareness and I think the guys filming it are really on board with the idea and want to help raise awareness to. :-) Yay
Health wise, well Iv come to the conclusion meropenium is good, I always seem to have a slightly better patch on it. I'm able to potter around the house at the moment and do a few things for my self, with the aid of oxygen obviously, I still feel the need to wear it 24/7 in able to do these things. The bi-pap at night is still a big plus and I feel so much more rested with it, so I think that's also helping the good patch. I also know that as soon as I finish the mero Wednesday I can expect a decline again, but hey ho that's the way it goes.
Chantelle is doing very well, she had to have a bronchoscopy and a clear out yesterday but otherwise doing well and told to move about more. The recovery period for transplant now is so intense, but it has to be, to stop infection and complications kicking in and to get the lungs up to full working capacity as soon as possible so that you don't loose any function. I know when it comes along to my turn I am going to have to push myself so hard, I want alot out of this transplant and therefore I am going to have to work for it, I can't expect to just have a transplant and be well. I want to run marathons, pole dance, be super fit and me and my doc even said about doing a sponsored cycle ride together post TX, If i want all that I will have to work hard in the first few week the most. It scares me, I have so much anxiety over breathlessness that I don't want that to follow me over with me new lungs and hinder any recovery I do.
At the moment I don't understand the concept of not being breathless, Iv always had some degree of breathlessness, so not being breathless Is something I just don't understand. God It will be good.
Health wise, well Iv come to the conclusion meropenium is good, I always seem to have a slightly better patch on it. I'm able to potter around the house at the moment and do a few things for my self, with the aid of oxygen obviously, I still feel the need to wear it 24/7 in able to do these things. The bi-pap at night is still a big plus and I feel so much more rested with it, so I think that's also helping the good patch. I also know that as soon as I finish the mero Wednesday I can expect a decline again, but hey ho that's the way it goes.
Chantelle is doing very well, she had to have a bronchoscopy and a clear out yesterday but otherwise doing well and told to move about more. The recovery period for transplant now is so intense, but it has to be, to stop infection and complications kicking in and to get the lungs up to full working capacity as soon as possible so that you don't loose any function. I know when it comes along to my turn I am going to have to push myself so hard, I want alot out of this transplant and therefore I am going to have to work for it, I can't expect to just have a transplant and be well. I want to run marathons, pole dance, be super fit and me and my doc even said about doing a sponsored cycle ride together post TX, If i want all that I will have to work hard in the first few week the most. It scares me, I have so much anxiety over breathlessness that I don't want that to follow me over with me new lungs and hinder any recovery I do.
At the moment I don't understand the concept of not being breathless, Iv always had some degree of breathlessness, so not being breathless Is something I just don't understand. God It will be good.
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Bizy Bizy Bizy
OK so again I have been bizy bizy bizy, I am completely knackered to say the least I have been to Devon county show with Stu, Filming for the documentary I'm going to be in, cinema, longleat and finally today hospital.
Me and Stu have started our list of fun things to do on days off and generally just making the most of life, It has been great. To make it all a bit cheaper I have found out about a sneaky little thing that attractions and cinemas try to hide from you, Carers discount. If you are disabled and have someone with you who would be responsible for pushing you about, administering medication and general other carer like things out and about, it means that person can get a discount at most places and that discount is usually half price or free!!! These places don't advertise because they don't want you to really know about these things, but just ask, 'do you do a carers discount' they will be happy to give it to you then!!
Longleat was amazing and I really enjoyed it, we got home and by 6:30 pm I was in bed and then rapidly asleep, I didn't wake till 8:30am today when i had to get up for hospital. I was so tried it was unbelievable. Literally felt like i was unconscious rather than asleep.
Today me and mum ventured to the hospital, change of IVs same as ever Wednesday. I saw my doc and we discussed pegs again as I'm still stupidly skinny and under weight, 50.8KG you may think that sounds alot but I'm 5ft 8" so it really isn't for me. Some how I agreed to have a peg fitted in 5weeks time if I hadn't put on any weight. I guess I finally got to the point where I'm struggling so much with so much I can't be struggling to force myself to eat as well. I struggle to eat now because the shere breathlessness is just to much ot handle. Also as my weight gets lower I actually feel fatter, not fatter really but my tummy starts to stick out more, partly because I am really bloated at the moment as the bi-pap has a tendency to inflate my stomach leading to awesome burps and farts, but that's ok as my farts smell like roses. Partly because my arms and legs get so skinny my cf stomach becomes more sticky outy. So I have given in to the peg, if i can't get my weight up.
We then ventured off to have a little shop and I brought a few bits :-) but my 02 ran out as its been playing up and now I'm back home knackered again and ready for a sleep. Its nice getting out and doing things, but i have literally not had a days rest and now I'm well over due for one. I'm going out for lunch tomorrow and Im having the film crew over Friday to film with me and Stu but the weekend i am litrally going to rest with a few good DVD's!!
My friend Chantelle got her call the other day, I received a text at around 5am and the lung were a good match so it all went ahead at about lunch time. Everything seems to be going well, which I'm so happy about, fingers crossed it Carry's on a smooth ride for her. Me and Chantelle had our tx assessments all around about the same time and she went on the list a week after me, It was great to chat through and compare experiences and I hope I can soon chat through and compare transplant experiences with her soon, providing my call comes. I feels so happy for her, Chantelle has a little boy and therefore I feel it was so important for her to get her call as quickly as she did, so she can start to run around with her little boy!
On a nother transplanty note, here is the last article of the bombardment of articles the express and echo have done on organ donation, It has been a brilliant campaign, where they have included all points of view for organ donation and transplant. The last article is about me again as i am the face of there campaign Finale article also if you search the site for organ donation all the previous articles come up.
That's all I have to say for now, so I'm going to have some snack and a nap as I am exhausted.
Me and Stu have started our list of fun things to do on days off and generally just making the most of life, It has been great. To make it all a bit cheaper I have found out about a sneaky little thing that attractions and cinemas try to hide from you, Carers discount. If you are disabled and have someone with you who would be responsible for pushing you about, administering medication and general other carer like things out and about, it means that person can get a discount at most places and that discount is usually half price or free!!! These places don't advertise because they don't want you to really know about these things, but just ask, 'do you do a carers discount' they will be happy to give it to you then!!
Longleat was amazing and I really enjoyed it, we got home and by 6:30 pm I was in bed and then rapidly asleep, I didn't wake till 8:30am today when i had to get up for hospital. I was so tried it was unbelievable. Literally felt like i was unconscious rather than asleep.
Today me and mum ventured to the hospital, change of IVs same as ever Wednesday. I saw my doc and we discussed pegs again as I'm still stupidly skinny and under weight, 50.8KG you may think that sounds alot but I'm 5ft 8" so it really isn't for me. Some how I agreed to have a peg fitted in 5weeks time if I hadn't put on any weight. I guess I finally got to the point where I'm struggling so much with so much I can't be struggling to force myself to eat as well. I struggle to eat now because the shere breathlessness is just to much ot handle. Also as my weight gets lower I actually feel fatter, not fatter really but my tummy starts to stick out more, partly because I am really bloated at the moment as the bi-pap has a tendency to inflate my stomach leading to awesome burps and farts, but that's ok as my farts smell like roses. Partly because my arms and legs get so skinny my cf stomach becomes more sticky outy. So I have given in to the peg, if i can't get my weight up.
We then ventured off to have a little shop and I brought a few bits :-) but my 02 ran out as its been playing up and now I'm back home knackered again and ready for a sleep. Its nice getting out and doing things, but i have literally not had a days rest and now I'm well over due for one. I'm going out for lunch tomorrow and Im having the film crew over Friday to film with me and Stu but the weekend i am litrally going to rest with a few good DVD's!!
My friend Chantelle got her call the other day, I received a text at around 5am and the lung were a good match so it all went ahead at about lunch time. Everything seems to be going well, which I'm so happy about, fingers crossed it Carry's on a smooth ride for her. Me and Chantelle had our tx assessments all around about the same time and she went on the list a week after me, It was great to chat through and compare experiences and I hope I can soon chat through and compare transplant experiences with her soon, providing my call comes. I feels so happy for her, Chantelle has a little boy and therefore I feel it was so important for her to get her call as quickly as she did, so she can start to run around with her little boy!
On a nother transplanty note, here is the last article of the bombardment of articles the express and echo have done on organ donation, It has been a brilliant campaign, where they have included all points of view for organ donation and transplant. The last article is about me again as i am the face of there campaign Finale article also if you search the site for organ donation all the previous articles come up.
That's all I have to say for now, so I'm going to have some snack and a nap as I am exhausted.
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