The News (Portsmouth) Health Awards 2012

Back in April the local Paper started its Best of Health Awards 2012 This was the opportunity at the right    time for me to recognize and thank the last person in my inner circle that needed something special from me to them. Dr Lorraine Albon.   

Lorraine is a Saint she has been my Diabetic Doctor at QA Hospital for many years, yet whenever this overweight useless depressed bad Diabetic man turned up to see her and she listened to my pitiful poor and often lies about how I was looking after myself covering up the fact I clearly was not doing what I should be and to be very fair at that time did not care really. I was unaware/did not register at that time that my Diabetic results were very poor and Lorraine knew I was clearly saying one thing and doing another. Yet she kept on seeing me always trying to help me offering help trying different things to try and get me to change my ways to have pride in myself to make myself better in the long term. 

I would just like to add that writing that paragraph it looks like everything Lorraine tried failed nothing could be further from the truth, how can you change someone like me (at that time) who does not want to even help myself its impossible to do, just by keeping going never giving up on me that was the true work of a Doctor who cares about her profession and her field of expertise. 

Moving on and this is a good time to set the record straight about the publicity that happened in February 2010 I think that I first spoke with Lorraine about Bariatric banding/surgery in 2008/9 I had done an enormous amount of research on the internet before I mentioned to Lorraine about the possibility's of surgery and the benefits or not of  looking down the route. At the time I was not fitting the criteria but banding/surgery was an option in the future I also had two co-morbidity's so this was not for me a weight loss method but an opportunity to be free of Diabetes of sticking needles in me which I really really hated. In 2009 Lorraine applied for funding for the surgery if I lived 8 miles away in West Sussex I qualified for surgery on all levels living in Portsmouth the obesity level was higher. I fought the PCT solely on that fact and none other for a whole year. 

Realizing that I was not going to get the surgery I went to the The News with me story what happen after that was unexpected and tough The News run a front page which was a shock but not as much as the following few days as the story went around the world not just in print but the internet, national radio and television unfortunately the story was run on sensationalism side rather than the human side. Do I regret what happened at the time yes some of the comments were down right evil and not helpful at all. From that bad press I got the help I needed from Thinking Slimmer so I don't regret anything sometimes you have to go though tough times to reach the good times and appreciate more what you have. All through this period I had the support from Lorraine that I needed knowing that the whole process was being done on medical advice helped me through the process. People need to realize that decisions can only be made at any given time on the information that is available at that time which it was.

Thinking Slimmer did something amazing it worked 46 years of diets trying and failing something was finally working and yet again Lorraine stepped up seeing that I was losing some weight and before I had even started doing some exercise she said those immortal words that I first choose to ignore in the vain hope Lorraine would never ask again you can do the Great South Run 10 miles I think not. Things have now changed I am different Lorraine had planted a seed without me realizing it, I then started doing x box fitness training in doors way to embarrassed to go to a gym plus I hate them. 

So I have another chat with Lorraine the conversation goes like this "you really could do the the Great South Run you only have to walk one minute and jog one minute that will get you to the finish. Me in my head "Oh my god, Lorraine did not forget I'm in trouble now I have not run since I was 18 years old" Lorraine carries on with with her conversation and the killer sentence that means there is no escape no excuse "I will run it with you." Bombshell right there bang caught out how on earth do you say no thanks to be fair I sort of knew Lorraine would mention it again. Three hours after that chat I am signed up for my first ever run and its not a small one either 10 miles later to be 10 glorious miles around my home city. The rest as they say is history a running machine is born. 

Lorraine offered loads of help and support and we ran the the Great South Run after that race I had entered the Brighton Half Marathon and the The London Marathon Lorraine and I have also trained several times together and we will run together again in the future. Lorraine did not have to do any of this and bearing in mind how bad a patient I used to be this is even more amazing that people have faith in me to change my life for the better because I had my doubts that I had it in me to make this work for the rest of my life. 

Nominations Doctor of the Year. 

Having nominated Lorraine and only having two hundred and fifty words to use I was glad to have nominated Lorraine for me just doing this was my way of saying thank you. Knowing what great Doctors work in the local area I was only hoping to get Lorraine on the shortlist which I had achieved so we both went in to the evening to enjoy the meal and celebrate the great work that others do. Of course I wanted Lorraine to win but one of the great things I have learnt is to manage is expectations not every one can win I was happy with the nomination.

Another Goal reached wearing a dinner suit and being comfortable.

 There were twelve categories and the Doctor of the year was the second to last there was a runner up and a winner in each category. Its now time and the all names get read out I lean across and whisper in Lorraine's ear good luck. The name of the runner up gets announced and flashed up on the big screen on the stage DR LORRAINE ALBON.   

And the winners are

Off Lorraine goes up on to the stage to receive her well deserved award and get interviewed by Fred Dinenage I shed a tear or two I cannot begin to tell you how proud I feel and shocked to be honest. Lorraine gives a great interview and gets another round of applause and goes back stage for a quick interview with the The News and comes back to our table. 

This award is not just about me nominating Lorraine but about the way Lorraine carries out her duties as a Doctor she is not afraid to challenge, ask questions, make difficult decisions that need to be taken. I am not the only person that Lorraine goes the extra mile for there are many patients in the past present and future and the most important thing about Lorraine is that she cares very deeply about her patients even useless patients like me, the fact that Lorraine never gave up on me is a big part of who and where I am today. I will be eternally grateful to Lorraine and look forward to helping to inspire and encourage others in the future.

To everyone who has and will follow my journey in the future the running was started because Dr Lorraine Albon saw something in me that I did not. And every glorious step has and will be worth it for the rest of my life.