The Press Ball, Generosity and Bloggers Block!

Sorry I haven't blogged for a while, I'd open up the page, think about writing and then my mind would go blank. I think I've had, what I can only describe as - 'bloggers block' :).
I suppose I could have bored you to death with the ins and outs of my, not so, exciting life, or I could just wait for something to happen that was worth writing about.
As you can see, I chose the latter option and here we are :)...


Friday night was the Evening Star press ball, which was a very glamourous, black-tie event. It was raising money for the CF Trust along with a few other small charities.
I was considered the 'special guest' or the 'guest of honour.' To begin with we went into a room with various people, including the mayor of Ipswich, who we met straight away and had a photograph with, we were greeted with champagne and it was very odd because people were saying they were honoured to be meeting me, it was all very surreal!!!

The event itself took place in a hall which had been very elegantly decorated to the theme of 'Atlantis,' think lots of greens/blues, colourful drapes and fish haha! I guess it actually sounds pretty weird, but I can assure you it looked amazing, almost fantasy-like!!

We were seated on a table with the girl who did my Evening Star article, a few of her collegues and a couple of business men. It was a 4-course meal, for starters was salmon (which I don't eat, lol - very fussy I am!) So Josh had 2 helping of starters. Main course was guinea fowl, which at first I genuinely believed was guinea pig, I'm also gullable lol, which was very tasty and I really enjoyed it, I was glad I braved eating it! Dessert was a trio of desserts, lemon syllabub, chocolate mousse and banoffee pie, I only like the lemon so did a few swaps and had a trio of lemon syllabubs, lol! Then followed my a nice cup of tea :)

There was plenty of wine and champagne flowing all evening, when I got home I realised I was actually quite drunk because I fell over a bin. Twice...

There was an auction, a raffle and then a Queen tribute act, who appeared on The One Show about a week ago.

Firstly there was a game of heads or tails - where you had to stand up and put your hands on your head, or your bum and if you won you stayed standing with a chance of winning a brand new TV. Anyway, I was rubbish, Josh, however, did well and got into the top 8 or so and was called up onto stage, unfortunately he didn't win, but a lady who was my 'hospital teacher' when I was at Ipswich won it and she immedietly said on the microphone she wanted to give the TV to me... I started crying because I thought it was a lovely thing to do and a very very kind gesture :):):) She is a wonderful woman!

If I thought it was going to end there, I was very wrong! Firstly, during the raffle I was given a prize of a weekend break in a cottage/barn type thing!

Then, during the auction, an anonymous person, bid £3000 on a diamond bracelet and gave it to me, also he bid on a box at show - gave it to me and a family photo shoot, which he also gave it to me.
I was in floods of tears, I was so humbled and it showed me that there are people in this world who are so kind, so thoughtful and amazingly generous enough to do something like that to help bring a smile to my face and some enjoyment during these difficult times. I obviously know who the person was, but they wanted to remain anonymous, I cannot thank this person enough and I am a very lucky (and happy) girl at the moment! :)

I was congratulated many times on my work recently raising awareness by various people, including our MP, a guy from the TV, the Mayor and many other wonderful people. I met some people from the CF Trust which was cool and I felt the evening really was the cherry on the top of the hard work I've been putting in just lately, in my campaigning.

The ball has currently estimated that on the night, we raised £16,000 but the total amount will be announced tomorrow!

So the night was fantastic even though I had to use my oxygen in public, even though I couldn't dance all night like I usually would, even though the reason I was there is because of how unwell I am and even though I do still have CF and still need a transplant - I was there, I danced (a bit) I cried, I laughed, I ate, I drunk, I smiled and I really enjoyed myself.. Despite all the rubbish that is going on inside my body, with all the difficulties and tough times I have ahead, an evening like that really made me feel brilliant and allowed me to (almost) forget what stage I'm at in my life right now.

Here is a picture of Josh and I, just as we walked in :)..

Thank you for reading.

If you wish to read the article write-up on the evening star website, regarding the press ball, here is the link.

Press Ball Article

xx