Cath’s Blog

cath atkin

Hi and welcome to my blog. My blog dates back to early 2013 when I suffered a stroke and records my journey and experiences as I progressed through my recovery and beyond. I have tried to share my thoughts and feelings and convey the highs and lows of life after stroke and coming to terms with a serious health condition. I hope my writing manages to inspire you in some small way and you continue to enjoy following my journey as it unfolds ……….

Aaaaggghhhhhh it’s dentist time…

Aaaaggghhhhhh it’s dentist time…

July 9, 2015
Aaaaggghhhhhh it’s dentist time… Normally I am okay with going to the dentist but since being put on Warfarin I haven’t been so keen. My previous dentist, whom I used to see when abroad on holiday, preferred that I be treated back in the UK after I started taking...
It’s arrived, woohoo!

It’s arrived, woohoo!

June 29, 2015
It’s arrived, woohoo! I believe that ‘unboxing’ of new products is a bit of a thing nowadays and there are so many videos out there which show people doing just that. Just as well I didn’t video myself, what a mess!  My new Fitbit Charge HR has just arrived! And it’s...
The gloves are off…..!!!

The gloves are off…..!!!

June 10, 2015
The gloves are off…..!!! At last! Summer may actually be reaching us.  I can’t believe it is the middle of June and this is the first day that I didn’t wear my gloves in the morning when walking the dog.  It’s been a combination of the strange cold weather we...
Launch day… Eat On Warfarin is live!

Launch day… Eat On Warfarin is live!

May 18, 2015
Launch day… Eat On Warfarin is live! Today Eat On Warfarin has gone live. The first book ‘Warfarin – an easy to follow guide from a patient’s perspective’ has been launched on Amazon and is available in paperback and Kindle.  Our website (mark 1) has also gone live. ...
Fifteen and fasting?

Fifteen and fasting?

April 24, 2015
Fifteen and fasting? Yup, my dose of warfarin was raised to 15mg per day today. Wow!  My INR result in the last month has been around 2.6 but today it was 2.2.  I have been playing around with my diet a bit recently. Sometimes, I struggle with the 5:2 fasting diet...
Passport – check,   Euros – check,   INR – oops!

Passport – check, Euros – check, INR – oops!

March 11, 2015
That’s me all ready for jetting off on holiday tomorrow. Back to see everyone at the Fortina Spa resort.  They helped me so much when I had the stroke while staying there.  They know us so well now that we are almost family. It all started off years ago when a few of...
It’s here, the letter has arrived…

It’s here, the letter has arrived…

February 24, 2015
At last I have my letter from Professor Khamashta explaining that I will get symptoms when my INR is low. So I have it confirmed - it is normal to get APS symptoms when INR is low!  So I took it into the docs today.  He is happy to work with this and increase my...
Drama queen……..

Drama queen……..

February 22, 2015
Oh dear, my head seems to be on overdrive at the moment. I keep getting really dramatic thoughts! I called my mentor, Martin, to see if I could have a session with him to try and address this.  I explained that it’s really weird but everything I think about has a...
Lucky for some…

Lucky for some…

February 13, 2015
Who says Friday 13th is unlucky?  Well, I was born on Friday 13th and I think it was the luckiest day ever (other people’s opinions may differ, chuckle).  So you can probably understand why I don’t get hung up on superstitious things. So, phoning on Friday 13th to set...
Phew, thank you – I’m not mad!

Phew, thank you – I’m not mad!

January 29, 2015
Phew, thank you – I’m not mad! I’m back down in London again. It’s been great to catch up with a few folk and get some appointments made.  I had also arranged to see Professor Khamashta at London Bridge Hospital again.  It’s been a year since I originally saw him so I...