Walk Day Update:

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the late update! I am not still walking; someone
forgot their login details while they were away on holiday.

So, to update to you I completed the walk! It was an amazing
day and the weather was lovely, the route brought back some lovely memories as I grew up in Kingston and the surrounding areas. I walked through Canburys gardens where I would go for May Day when I was younger, past a gallery where my other late grandad
had paintings in an exhibition once, Oaks Park and Mayfield lavender fields where me and my dad went for walks and cups of tea in the last few years just to name a few.

The route was mainly off-road, so the terrain was challenging
at times especially with the hot sun out! Only a few blisters! In total, it took me 13hr 11mins and 52sec! (moving time was approx 11hr 40mins). I have always been into my fitness but due to the pandemic, bereavement and life stuff that went with them, my fitness had really taken a back seat the last few years. Oct/Nov last year I just about had the energy to walk to the local shop at times. So, the goal was to just get to the end and raise money, so I am very happy completing
this in just over 13hrs hours!

I didn’t take many photos as I was in the zone esp in the
second half and when resting just taking in the fresh air and views! My friend Karen and her parents to came out to support me on route (thanks again peeps and for the orange) and got a photo of me in my lovely shorts and walking gear ha ha ha

Anyhow, the main reason for doing this walk was to raise money for St Raphael’s hospice in Cheam to say thank you to them for looking after
and taking care of my dad in his last weeks of life. It will be one year on father day 18^th June that my dad passed. I am happy to say that I have raised £844 for St Raphael’s Hospice which I am over the moon about! I would like to say a big thank you to all of you for your sponsors I am truly and forever grateful 😊.

The Story

On the 18th June 22, I lost my dad (Nick Moss) after a battle with lung cancer. Dad also had been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia a few years before and was having some side effects from his chemo tablet in late 2019/early 2020. In May 20 they found a nodule on his lung, he didn’t tell anyone until later that year. Our nan too was fighting and having treatment for the same cancer but was coming to the end of life. Sadly, our nan passed away on January 11th, 2021, after contracting covid, even more sadly our grandad passed away 8 days later with covid too. The time Dad felt even remotely up to facing his health the lung cancer had spread, and treatment was for the quality of life. Treatment started in July 21 and on December 21 he was given 12-18 months to live. Dad had some treatment and tried his best but I think he was just too tired and sad from losing Nan and Pops, that he couldn’t tolerate the chemo, he deteriorated quicker than the doc’s thought. 

On the 18th May 22 he was taken to the hospital by ambulance and emergency palliative care had to be set up. Initially, he wanted to be at home for end-of-life care, and after a week or so wait in the hospital he made it home for one night only. Unfortunately, the bed that had been supplied was too small and in the night he had a fall and the carers couldn’t care for him correctly. As it was a weekend a new
bed couldn’t be sort quickly, and he went back to the hospital via ambulance as a failed discharge.

An error was made and he went back to the hospital via A & E , not a ward. He wasn't allowed pain relief, sickness tablets, food, or more bedding until the A & E assessed him but as he wasn't classed as an emergency, he was in for a long wait. He needed palliative not emergency care so A & E staff were limited to what they could do/offer. So, all me and dad could do was wait, he was uncomfortable, fatigued and in pain. For those who know my dad he was always been strong, tall and big built. When A & E staff came to say they couldn't do anything for him, and we just had to wait he just turned over and curled up in the smallest ball ever! An image I will never forget!

It was the longest weekend, and he couldn’t settle. After he finally got up to a ward, he was depleted and too scared to go home again in case the same happened. He decided to go into a hospice. A few days later he was discharged and went to St Raphael’s Hospice in Cheam. They were amazing with him and us! Every time the nurses came in, he kept thanking them and when they left he couldn’t stop telling us how lovely they all were. They treated him like a human not just a patient and with so much dignity and respect.

I never really thanked the hospice properly as the weeks after he passed were a real blur and hectic. So, I have decided to say thank you from me and my dad to the staff at St Raphael's and also to help raise money for them to continue the amazing care they provide, I am doing an ultra-walk! On the 27th May 22 in England I will be walking 56km! That’s Richmond to Tulley's farm in Crawley! For those in NI that’s Carrickfergus walking the coastline to Groomsport!

My original target was £500 but as of 18th May 23 I have passed that! I am currently on £619 so have now increased my target to £800, so if I could reach that would be amazing! So for me and my dad, I would be really grateful for anything you can give.

I will post all my training progress on my Instagram @carlymosspersonaltraining and hopefully some on here! I should add yes, I am qualified PT but after moving to a new country in July 2019 followed by the pandemic and my bereavements, my fitness levels are really pants so 56km is going to be hard but I am looking forward to the challenge. 

Thank you in advance for any sponsors, you are a amazing :-)  Don't forget to look at all the pictures of Dad and his family i have saved here. Click the cover photo and have a wee look as my dad and his family :-) 

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