Hi Lorraine here!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving Page.

For those of you who know Kenny and I you will be aware that we have had a difficult time recently due to my husband Kenny's health and the death of his mum last year.For those of you reading this page who don't know us I will share what has happened.

After a chest infection at the end of March 2013 Kenny contracted Pneumonia and was admitted to the Royal Alexandria Hospital in Paisley as an emergency on 5th April 2013. His right lung had loculated and he was extremely ill. He was in that hospital for 3 weeks and was then transferred to the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank where he had an operation to remove and clear his lung and he was allowed home 2 weeks later. After the operation he had a high resting heart rate however he was advised that this would slow down in time. It remained high and in October 2013 he was diagnosed as having suffered a post operative heart attack that had caused moderate to severe damage to his heart. Further tests revealed that he has one blocked artery, two partially blocked arteries and a portion of his heart is now dead.

The option of a triple heart bypass was explored but it would be very risky and so he is presently waiting to have stents inserted in his arteries hopefully to restore the blood flow to the damaged area of his heart. He is only 48 and despite being diagnosed with type 2 diabetis 8 years ago had been as far as we knew in good health.

Kenny's mum Mary MacDonald had suffered heart problems for many years and she had had a triple heart bypass 29 years ago. Sadly she died on 1st July 2013 after suffering a further heart attack.

As you can imagine this has all been a huge shock and has been a very stressful time for us and our families and friends.

I have been struggling at times to cope with the situation and I needed a stressbuster and something positive to focus on and keep me almost sane! So I decided to raise money for the British Heart Foundation to support Kenny and in memory of his mum Mary MacDonald and my own mum Marlene Lewis who was born with a narrowed heart valve and who had a successful valve replacement operation in 1995.

I will be running the MOK Mull of Kintyre half Marathon on 25th May 2014 and the BUPA Great North Run on 7th September 2014 and I am asking you to consider sponsoring me to raise money for the British Heart Foundation to allow them to continue their prioneering research into heart disease and allow them to continue transforming the lives of people in all walks of life living with heart and circulatory conditions.

I ran the Glasgow Half Marathon 16 years ago and have run a couple of 10k's over the years but haven't done much running since although I have kept quite fit. In June 2012 I started going to Jog Scotland in Tarbert and found that I thoroughly enjoyed it and haven't looked back since. I now also run with Mid Argyll jog Scotland and I have met lots of lovely people and made many new friends.

If I am honest I don't always enjoy running however I do enjoy the feel good factor and achievement when I have finished (And it is a bonus that I can eat more while I am training!) I usually watch the Great North Run on the television and I have wanted to run it for many years and I am so excited that I will actually be running this year.

I know that especially in the current financial climate that money is tight and that you all have your own responsibilites so even more I must tell you that I really appreciate every single penny that you are able to donate.

I have started my training and so far despite the darkness and the rain it is going to plan. I am a determined so and so and I have no intention of letting you down. Watch out for me on the television!

Thank you all for taking the time to visit my Justgiving Page. Best Wishes and good health to you all!

Lorraine

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