Breast Cancer Awareness Month & My Beautiful Mum!

As most of you will already know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The shops are full of pink and people everywhere are doing their bit by organising coffee mornings, walkathons etc etc.

Breast Cancer is something that has touched me personally and had a huge impact on my life.

Let me tell you about my mum:
As i write this i really don't know where to begin. Her name Elissa Lockhart, she was such an amazing person that words just don't cut it.
She brought me up practically single handed. We had very little money but she worked hard to provide for me and always made sure she was there to pick me from school, juggling things like mad but always with a smile on her face.

She was such a positive person who gave me so so much and was my best friend. When i fell pregnant with my first son (her first grandchild) she was so supportive. I have been through some very difficult times and she never judged me but was always there.
There for cuddles, there for laughs, there for tears happy and sad.

Unfortunately many years later mum found a lump. As always she stayed optimistic and waited patiently for the results. I remember sobbing with her when we found out it was breast cancer and she needed to be operated on.

Then they told her she needed a mastectomy and would need chemotherapy as she was going to lose her hair.
Although she cried she told me she was going nowhere and would fight this disease.

And my god she did fight. She went through all the treatment and although there were days when she couldn't even get out of bed she still smiled.
She would even joke about and change her wigs to match her outfits, she would throw her prosthesis (Fake boob) at me when i wasn't expecting it. She was Amazing a real inspiration.

We were all so relieved when she had the all clear and after that she always said make the most of life its too precious to take for granted. She was an amazing grandma and we were closer than ever. There was not a day that went  by where i didn't speak to her on the phone and we would go shopping together or she would come up and id do her nails. We'd gossip and eat cake and talk about girly things.


Years passed by and mum became unwell again. We tried not to think of the worst but when the results came back that the cancer had come back and spread to her liver and lungs we were all devastated.
I watched her deteriorate slowly, she had spells of being ok and times where she was sick for months on end. She struggled for a few more years in and out of hospital living on drugs and slowly getting weaker.
I spent the last few weeks of her life holding her hand at the hospice talking to her while she slipped further away.

I was with her when she passed away holding her hand and telling her how much i loved her and was going to miss her. I kissed her 3 times once from me and once on behalf of her two grandchildren (her pride and joy)

As i sat at her bedside i remember thinking she held me when i took my first breath and i held her when she took her last.
As i write this the tears are pouring down my cheeks, i miss her so much that as i said before words just don't cut it.

This month i plan on holding a raffle on my blog to raise money for breast cancer. I will be asking companies to donate prizes and asking you to donate directly to breast cancer campaign via a just giving account to be entered into the draw and win some goodies and all the money will go to charity.
It's not much in the big scale of things but every penny helps, i don't want any other mum's daughters, sister's or friends to go through this.

If you are a company and want to donate a prize please contact me and if you read this and it touches you then please post on twitter as the more i spread the word the more money i can raise and thank you for your support xxx

Guest Post Isobella from Cosmetic Surgery Guru !

Today's post is written by Isobella who writes for CosmeticSurgeryGuru.com
I have to say cosmetic surgery is something that i am really interested in. I personally have never been under the knife but it isn't something that I'd rule out if i had the finances to back it up. However i don't think its something to be entered into lightly. Here's what the lovely Isobella has to say:


Which cosmetic surgery could transform you into a yummy mummy?

If you’re a good mum, looking after number one doesn’t mean looking after yourself most of the time. However, every once in a while, even the best parent in the world needs to think about their own wants and needs – and for many, this could mean a little pampering, wining and dining.  For some, this could even include having a little cosmetic surgery.

Want to maintain that radiant yummy mummy look? Here’s five treatments you might consider:

Boob job
There’s no getting around it – pregnancy and breastfeeding change your boobs beyond any recognition. That once perfectly-formed pert pair could have gone any number of ways – quite literally. For this reason, some mums could find that they look to have a boob job. You’ll want to wait until you’re sure you’ve made your final additions to your family before going under the knife and having this treatment, as implants can inhibit breastfeeding – internationally recognised as the number one way to give your child the best start in life.

Liposuction
OK, so it’s not recommended to have liposuction to get rid of your baby weight as soon as you’ve given birth. And it’s normal to carry a little extra weight during breastfeeding – you’re eating for two (or more if you’re tandem feeding) after all. Ultimately, many mums struggle to find time to exercise in the first couple of years of a child’s life – they’re too busy being a good mum. So if you’ve got problem areas, liposuction could be a way to lose a little of that extra weight, while maintaining a healthy diet and fitting in exercise wherever you can.

Anti-cellulite treatment
As the celebrity mags have proved in recent years, even the skinniest minis can get that dreaded orange peel skin. But weight changes during and after pregnancy can certainly be a trigger, so some mums may decide to look into their options for anti-cellulite treatments.

Varicose vein removal
One unfortunate side effect of pregnancy is varicose veins, which can develop be aggravated when the growing uterus puts pressure on the pelvic veins. These days, surgeons use the latest ultrasound and laser techniques to rid patients of the dreaded red or purple patches.

Vagioplasty
It’s the problem that dare not speak its name – the genital changes that affect almost all new mothers. Granted, it’s a pretty intimate form of surgery, but it could be an essential one if you suffered a difficult birth and have had subsequent problems. But it could give you the confidence to get back in the saddle, so to speak – and make a few more additions to the family in the process!


Thankyou so much Isobella for this thought provoking post.



What are your thoughts on the yummy mummy procedures. I have to say the media constantly show us photos of new mums with flat bellies and pert boobs. Did you feel pressured to get back into shape after childbirth. I even know girls who say they don't want children because it will ruin their figures??

I think some women use children as an excuse as to why they are overweight. Yes some people put on a huge amount of weight but sensible eating and exercise will make you lose the weight right?

Gwen Just look at those abs !

The stunning J Lo !

 Is it unrealistic to want to look like we did before children? Yes the celebs have personal trainers and chefs oh and of course airbrushing. I'd love to know your thoughts xx