A-Z for Members Challenges

I was inspired earlier looking at other members who have filled in A-Zs of themselves. I like the idea of this kind of a review seeing as I have been a member of ciao now for some time and I see the same faces popping up on this site every day but don't know much about them. I like it when I see a review like this so I can get to know more about the people I often see instead of just their views on products. I hope that this review about myself doesn't bore people too much!

* A. Is for anxiety. I wish it wasn't but it is. I suffer massively from this issue. I know a lot of people say they feel anxious but feeling anxious is nothing compared to 'having anxiety'. I was first diagnosed with it when I was 17 and it verged on agrophobia. I was scared to go out of the house in case I became anxious and in the end had cognitive behavioural therapy for it. With the help of this coping technique I went to university and learnt to overcome the problem. I was told it would live with me forever and I would relapse at times. I relapsed whilst pregnant and now I'm finding it difficult to get over. I think about it all the time, about eight times every hour and every day I go to bed feeling like it's been a huge achievement to have got through the day without an anxiety attack. I hate suffering from this.

*B.- is for Baby. I never realised how much my life would improve for the better once I had my own baby. In the last 11 months my life has been completey inhanced by Baby Hope's appearance. I have made some amazing friends as well as learning a lot about myself. I have learnt to accept more people and not to be as judgmental, I appreciate people a lot more now, I'm not sure how having a baby has achieved this but it definitely has!

* C- C is for Cancer. This is a huge part of my life. I work for Cancer Research UK and landing this job was a big challenge. When I was younger I lost a friend to cancer and since then I have been determined to work within this field with the aim to help others. I've always wanted to be involved with helping people through the ordeal of a cancer diagnosis more from a support point of view than a medical one. When I left university with my psychology degree I got a job in a factory to fund my evening course which was in counselling and then in my spare time I volunteered at the cancer wing of the hospital. I then got a job with Marie Curie where we pioneered a new initiative care programme. Although I enjoyed this it wasn't what I wanted to do, I wanted to be more hands on with patients. I managed to get my job at St James' Hospital working for Cancer Research UK. In my job I research the social and psychological effects of cancer and how it impacts upon quality of life. This job is extremely challenging but rewarding and I really enjoy sitting in clinics with patients or in their homes finding out about how they are effected by the disease and helping them find pathways to alliviate the problems.

*D- Dog! My favourite of all animals! I have never had my own dog but my parents have had dogs since I was about 12. I just love their happy nature and how they are the most perfect creatures for cheering you up if you need a big hug!

* E- Emotions. I don't really show my emotions anymore. I don't know when this stopped. I used to be able to open up to people very easily but at some stage this has seemed to have stopped and I'm now more reserved with my emotions. I would like to be more open and I wonder if it has something to do with my field of work which has meant I can't seem to display how i feel as well I used to anymore.

*F- Family! I love my family even if we are scattered all across the UK (And world now!) I don't think I see enough of them and when we do get together it's always a big ordeal trying to organise it but I do love it when we do! I have just the one brother but I have about 60 cousins so it's always a huge event when we do get together!

*G- Grandma. Who was the first person who i was really close to who has died. I miss her a lot and was heavily influenced by her. She taught me a lot from baking skills to personality traits.

*H- H can only really be for one thing- Hope. Hope is my daughter who is the most amazing little person! We chose the name Hope because I had a shocking pregnancy which left me in hospital on several occasions and at one point I was told I was having a miscarriage. The day that I was told I was having a miscarriage I told myself that if the baby survived and she was a girl she would be called Hope. Hope was born 9th February last year and is a very content baby. She doesn't crawl or roll over or show any signs of walking. Instead she sits quite happily playing with her toys and babbling away all day! She has just got her first tooth just in time for her first birthday in a few weeks!

* I- is for Internet. I don't know what I'd do without it! I'm either in facebook or ciao or bounty or netmums or dooyoo! The first time I used the internet I was 13 and since then I've just used it more and more! I would be lost without it!

* J- Jumper! I adore my big snuggly jumper! Is it just me or is there nothing more cosy than snuggling up on the sofa with an oversized jumper on!

* K- Kendal. The town in the Lake District. We have a second home here and I have spent so many happy memories there. I love going to the lakes and enjoying the walks, the scenery, the good food and clean air! I just wish we could go more often!

*L- Lorriellah! My name, or rather, my nickname! I was given this nickname whilst at university by my housemate. We were out one evening and a guy came over to talk to us and asked us our names. Before I could speak my housemate had introduced me as "Lorriellah!" and since then it has ended up being my nickname, which is ridiculous really seeing as it's twice as long as my actual name!

* M. M stands for Marple. This is where I grew up. It's a suburb of Stockport, Cheshire and although when I lived there I took it for granted I now realise it was a great place to grow up. We had the canal which was a tourist attraction, the little shopping precinct as well as our own little cinema with it's cartoons and intervals still occuring today! I moved away from here when I went to university and I haven't lived there since but the majority of my friends still live there and I do miss the fact that this place had everything to offer.

*N- N stands for no! Which was my first word! I'm quite impressed with this! It makes me different that's for sure!

* O- OMG! Does anyone else, or is it just me, get really wound up by the constant abbreviations that keep getting turned into actual words? I think it's fine to use OMG in a text to save space but when people actually say 'omg look at that!' it winds me up! Say the words!! Don't just say the accronym!!

*P- Psychology. I studied this at university and use it every day whether in work or at home. I have found that as soon as people know that I studied this their first question is "Oooo can you tell what i'm thinking?" Which usually results in me saying 'no' and them being disappointed! I enjoyed this degree and I'm so glad that I've been able to get a job which involves me using my degree!

*Q- Queue. What more can I say! I get so aggrivated if people do not queue properly! I'm so English in that respect! I get frustrated when waiting for the bus and then someone pushes in front of me, it's just rude! everyone should queue properly and considerately!

*R- Reality TV. I'm sorry! But I am a huge fan of thise kind of programme! I know everyone thinks it's tacky and cheap telly but I love it! I had a conversation earlier with my husband where we discussed which programme we'd most like to be on. I decided Holiday Showdown, he decided Come Dine with Me. I could NEVER be on something like I'm a celebrity or Big Brother where you're really stripped bear! I do love a good bit of reality tv though!

*S- This stands for stroke. I lost my grandma to a stroke just before Christmas 2 years ago. This was the most horrendous 2 weeks of my life where she hung in the balance between consciousness and unconsciousness. She came in and out of the coma having us all on edge wondering fi she would pull through or not. She was well aware of who we were and I will never forget that the two weeks my family and I sat beside her bed realising how much we loved her. Stroke also is another main part of my life. I have been told if I have another baby I could suffer a stroke during pregnancy. This is now a huge obstacle in my life which I think about every day. There's nothing more I'd love than another baby but is it worth risking having a stroke for?

*T- T is for toblerone! I am absoloutely obsessed! I adore them! I'm sure it comes from childhood when it was only ever my dad who had one! Now I can't get enough of them! Even whilst in labour I was having a good old munch on one!

* U- Umbrella. Not very creative a word for U? Maybe not but I seem to have a problem with them! Every time I have one I manage to lose it. I go through about 3 a year and now I've just given up using one and risk getting wet. It doesn't matter where I go or what I'm doing, if I have an umbrella with me I will lose it. Fact!

*V- Value. I value so many things in my life. I think being ill when I was pregnant really brought it home to me how much things matter and how appreciative I should be. Now i really value the small things in life, even just walking up the road to buy a magazine or to post a letter I appreciate for I can remember a time that I couldn't even get out of the front door. I really value everything. I don't have to be having busy hectic days to be happy, I can be happy with even the smallest most mundane-seeming things.

* W- is for Wedding. I married another ciao member 2 years ago in May. We got married in Cheshire and had such an amazing day but it was so tiring! By 9pm I was ready to go to bed after a full day of smiling constantly and wearing really uncomfortable shoes! We honeymooned in Cyprus and it was the best holiday ever-champagne for breakfast!

* X- okay so I can't think of anything other than X-ray! And all I can think of in terms of this is that I've only ever had 1 in my whole life and that was when I broke my foot!

* Y- Y is for Yoghurt. At work at 3pm every day we break for yoghurt time. This is the time when all other researchers in our department down tools and head to the fridge. We gather together with our Muller's and have a good gossip about whatever there is to gossip about! We look forward to yoghurt time every day!

*Z- Z is for Zzzzzzzzz. I adore sleep! BC (Before child!) i didn't. I would get up at 6am even at the weekend and go to the gym. Now I stay at home and I sleeeeep! I get a good 9 hours every night now and I love nothing more than curling up in bed! I just hope that you guys aren't zzzzing after reading this!

I really hope I haven't bored you too much!!