Charlie Lavin

This weekend it's Easter, which means a long weekend and an excuse to eat loads of chocolate right? But what does Easter actually mean to me? Well traditionally it's a christian holiday, but with modern society it has became a chance to drink as much as you can, eat as much as you can without having to worry about work tomorrow. It's also became a 2 week holiday for children and another chance to brighten kids imagination with the Easter bunny and an egg hunt. Now all of that is great and sounds like a lot of fun, which is something I like to have a lot off. However I feel like it's easy for us to forget the real reason for this weekend. As a christian, I believe that Jesus was nailed to a cross to bare the weight of all our sins; past, present and future. Then on the third day, he rose from the dead and the tomb he was in was emptied. After this happening, we're all forgiven of our sinful ways and saved from this broken world. I don't know about you,...

So in February, I was lucky enough to go on a school trip to L.A!! How crazy!? It was amazing and definitely something that needs documenting. On Wednesday 8th February we left Leicester at 5am to travel to London to catch an 11 hour flight to L.A.X (we're all thinking of Miley Cyrus don't worry) Travelling to London! Cheeky pre-flight Starbucks! Generic airport runway pic  This was my first time flying ever, so naturally I was very nervous.... However I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed the flight. The meals and entertainment were far better than I ever expected and I was travelling to America- so how could I complain!?  Our lunch on the way to the USA So we left rainy and cold England behind with temperatures of 2-5 degrees, to be welcomed to a sunny LA with temperatures of 16+, which isn't too bad at all for February.  First experience of America  Had to capture the sun as we rarely see it in the UK This was t...

Lets be honest, most of our resolutions include going to the gym more, cutting out takeaways, drink more water etc. But how often do we really stick to these goals and how do we measure if we're doing them? This year I want to be comfortable in myself, in my looks, my personality, how I appear to people etc. For a lot of people this would probably be to lose weight and tone up and eat healthy. However for me, it has always been about gaining weight and being more curvy. Those bodies that many girls want to lose is something I would love to have! So every year, I start of the same and plan to eat more substantial meals, drink more water, do plenty of exercise. Now this is all well and good if you gain the weight you wanted or come out with the body you always dreamed of. However as of yet, that hasn't happened for me and every year I get more disheartened at that. This year I'm changing my mindset. Whether I end 2017 a size 8 or a size 12, as long as I am comfortable ...

Before Surgery ASK!! Before your Operation, you will have a 'Pre operation assesment' at the hospital where you meet with your surgeon, doctors and HCA's to prepare you. They know all about the operation, so take the time to ask and put your mind at rest. Prepare an overnight bag just in case- Even if they say you will be discharged the same day, as you never know what might happen. Don't google and YouTube pictures of what your operation will look like, as you will only scare yourself.  Adapt for time after surgery, to save you the stress after. So make sure you give your work/school enough notice so they can sort out things for your time off and it's not sprung on you or them. Make sure somebody is there to look after you (This is dependant on surgery). If you're losing any kind of independence, then make sure somebody is there to help you out. Treat yourself! Buy some new slippers, a blanket or a robe? The more comfortable you are whilst in hospital,...

So 22nd November is the 3 week mark since my operation! I was told by the hospital that I am able to take my brace off at 3 weeks and learn to walk with my crutches without it. Below are some pictures of what my scars look like at this time. As you can see I had 3 incisions, which have left 3 rather gruesome scars. I included the comparison to my other leg, so you can see how much it has swelled and hopefully you can imagine what it will finally look like. Tuesday 22nd November 2016 So this is the first time my leg has been unsupported after surgery, which is rather scary! I haven't trusted my knee for the past 7 years, as I was constantly in fear it would give way and cause me to fall. This has made me very anxious about bearing weight, as I still can't really trust that my knee is fixed. - I'm so thankful for the operation and deep down I know that it will benefit my life, but right now it's rather difficult to see that.- I rested for most of the day, a...

A couple of weeks ago, I had a MPFL reconstruction on my left knee, as my knee cap was miles away from where it should be. This would cause me to have partial dislocations from the age of 11 and as I grew up, it got a lot worse and more painful. So finally, the doctors agreed that surgery would be my best option. The basic summary of the operation was that they would take a ligament from my hamstring and construct it to my knee to ensure my knee doesn't slip out of place. It wasn't an overly complicated surgery and was only 3 hours long, but recovery wouldn't be easy at all. Day 1- So on Tuesday 1st November, I had to arrive at the hospital at 7:30am and wait around until I was called through for surgery. I was their youngest patient and because of this my mum was allowed to stay with me until the doctor was free to see me. I had my operation scheduled for 10:30am, which is so lucky as I could have been hanging around all day! I saw various professionals who told me ...

On July 10th, My mum ran 5k in support of her Dad and Brother in law. She completed the run in an amazing 34 minutes, which she only trained for 6 weeks in advance. We were all so proud and obviously went along to support her and meet her at the finish line.  Before 5k After 5k   Every year, I am amazed at how well the events are organised and it makes all the women feel in it together, despite not knowing anyone. They have burger vans, Ice cream vans, Bouncy castles, Zorbing etc to create a family friendly environment, which helps children learn more about this important Charity, that helps millions of people. I unfortunately cannot  participate myself due to my health, But  I felt so apart of the event which was lovely. It was so encouraging to hear stories from cancer survivors who wouldn't be here without the work of Cancer research. It's such an important charity to ensure Mums, Dads, Brothers, Sisters, Aunty, Uncles etc can sp...