Can I Travel With A Feeding Tube?

Howdy Everyone :)

Thanks for coming back to my blog!

This year I have been a very lucky girl and been away twice (but my bank is saying NO to anymore for now). Normally, when you book a holiday, you get a super excited feeling inside. The first holiday I booked, I was suddenly over come by huge amounts of anxiety!

Was I actually able/allowed to go away with a feeding tube? How would I get all my feed and medication and everything else that goes with it over there and across the boarder? Can the tube go in the pool? All these questions and more went through my head. I spent ages searching the internet to try and find answers. 

Now that I know ther answers and have travelled twice, I thought it would be a good idea to answer all these questions in one place for anyone else in that situation, or, maybe extra tips you never thought of or if you're just interested in it. :) I also made a video but I'm not too sure how much it helps as I just talk HAHA, so I decided to write it too!

The answer is, YES you can travel with a tube. It just requires a little more preparation than it would normally. But.... does that really matter if you get a great holiday out of it? ... I think not :) 

This is a little check list of things you gotta get/do if you want to be on your way to sun, sea and s..... sand of course. 

• Doctors letter confirming the medications you are taking, sterile water, the feed & pump you are taking, where you are going and the dates you are going. Get the to write on there that it is essential you have it with you in hand luggage as well.. that way they can't argue - well they could try but they'd have no chance :) 

• An adapter for your pump charger. If your pump got no juice.... you got no food pretty much! 

• Get yaself some form of case of bag to take on the plane for medication, giving sets, syringes, feed bottles and all that jazz. Always remember that when you work out how much medication and all the other bits and bobs you need, always take a little extra to allow for spillage's or breakage etc - this bag comes in real handy on the way home when you've used most the stuff and just end up with extra clothing space. Girllllll.... you got some major shopping to do (or guy)

• Depending on what type of tube you have but anything you use for it.... for me personally, I need good strong, waterproof tape for it which was awesome and my everyday tape anyway (Opsite Flexifix transparent tape) 

• Make sure your travel insurance covers Gastroparesis/ any condition you have. As tubies and people who don't have the best health, we are more likely to need medical help out there. Hopefully you never need to use it, but, it's better to be safe than sorry.... so I'm told! 

• Informed your airline and feed company. If you don't tell the airline... you aint getting the extra bag simple as pie. And, if you don't tell your feed company people.... you are either going to have to take all the bottles and supplies yourself or..... you aint getting NOTHING! :)

• A travel kettle if your destination doesn't have a kettle for your sterile water.

• Last but not least, don't forget to take yourself..... that is usually quite helpful when going on holiday!! 

Travelling with a tube isn't all that hard once you've figured it out. 

I have also made a video to go along with this post going into a lil' more detail about travelling with a tube. So, I really hope that between the two of these things, it helps you feel a bit more at ease about your holidays. Check out the video by clicking right HERE :)

Any questions? Just ask... I don't bite.... OR do I?

Enjoy your Summer holidays from wherever you are or are travelling to in the world! 

Stay Strong 

& Travel Safe

<3

Rockin' Rollercoaster!!

Hello Hello Hello

It has been so long since I last was on here. There have been so many ups and downs and upside downs for that matter! There are a few reasons why I have taken a little break or not been able to be on here. That also means, lots to update you all with. This could be a long one, so grab a cuppa and a biscuit (or set up a feed if you're a tubie like me haha) and get comfy.

Let's go right back to the first reason I hadn't posted anything. I wrote a blog post and deleted it, then rewrote it and deleted it again. I then wrote a post that when I read it back, I realised that maybe it was too much. I'm honest and open with what I say, but sometimes there are things that are better kept quiet. As you may or may not have realised, I had got myself into a bad, low place both mentally and physically once again. It's normal to have high and lows in life and especially when living with a chronic illness and chronic pain. 

I just couldn't seem to write anything that wasn't full on that it could upset people or just ... Not be appropriate. Everytime I tried to write a post, I went blank or into depressing mode. I don't want to go fully into it as I still can't figure out how I would explain it properly. Let's just say, I had pretty much given up on life and was ready to visit another world. I was fed up of being ill, of being in pain and not being able to live a "normal" life. 

So much has happened since last time, a lot of it actually being positive for a change. I am in a way better place with so much going on that I'm trying to find time to breathe haha. 

Gastroparesis ..... Let's start with what's happened with all that. I've had two injections in my back straight into one of my nerves he believed is spasming and causing me pain. He did a 'Modified Celiac Plexus Block' - at least, I think that's what it was!! It's forms of anesthetic being put into the nerve under X-Ray. I might do a separate post purely all about the injection. The first one I had around a month ago and wait for it...... It actually did something! This rarely happens. It took away all the pain I get on a day to day basis basically and I was able to eat. I wasn't having 4 course meals mind you but I was able to est and not be in horrendous pain. I had some pain but it was totally barable and barely noticeable. It was great. I was able to eat and then stand up and move around.... Like what?!! This never happens. I was in heaven. I even started cheerleading. Not the pom poms and cheering..... The full on sport where you are doing flips and stunts and flying in the air. 

I have always wanted to do cheerleading since school but never did it. Something in my head flipped again and I decided.... Screw it..... It's my life, Gastroparesis can do one because I'm doing what I want for a change. So, I did.... I've joined a group and hopefully will make the team when they have the tryouts in a few weeks times. My first time there and they had me learning how to do back handsprings. It was soooo freaking amazing!!!!, I'm literally cheer (and bow) obsessed now :)

After a few weeks, the injection started wearing off... And pretty fast! So, we went back and my pain specialist did another injection. I know that there was no guarantee it would have the same affect again. There's always a chance it could do the same, better or not as good. However, it's one of the first and only things to work in a positive way. It was a sure thing to have it again. It's been a week now since the injection. It definitely hasn't worked in the same way as last time but it's definitely helped. I'm still having pain so not eating as much. Kinda sucks but will see how it goes as some days it works great and others not so good. It definalty is doing something though. Fingers crossed. 

I've also been away to Salou in Spain. it was a nice relaxing, lay by the pool kind of holiday. We went to Barcelona for a day, went to a theme park and got in the water with DOLPHINS!! One of my dreams from when I was like 10 maybe?! It was amazing. Such a fun holiday and I even got a really nice tan rather than turning Lobster and then back to white haha! 

I think another thing we need to start thinking about getting back to the health side is what is going to happen with my tube and medicines. It's clear that my medicines only seem to work when they going directly through the tube. If they're being taken by mouth it doesn't work and I just seem to end up going back down and getting unwell again. My pain specialist suggested a few options one being medicine being put up my ...... Haha getting the picture? I did reply by saying if he wants to come over and do it every day then it's a deal. I don't plan on sticking anything up there anytime soon thank you very much. 

Another suggestion he made was injecting my medicines. Now that would mean reviewing and changing my medicines and mixing things so it doesn't end up with like 50 injections a day. Another thing would be that, I don't like needles so not entirely sure how I was inject myself every day or every few days depending when it needs doing! I'm on my way to my specialist who deals with my pacer and all that jazz as we speak so that's a question we are going to ask him. We are also going to see how the battery is doing on the pacer and what the deal is with when it needs replacing as the NHS have stop funding the procedure and funny enough.... I don't have a spare £22,500 or whatever it is every few years. I'll keep you all updated after I've been and found out myself.

Oo I forgot to ask, have you seen my video on tube feeding and how to set it up yet?? If not, be sure to head over to www.youtube.com/thedramaqueensoph and let me know what you think? I've had a great response to it which is great and makes me feel so amazing knowing it helped people and show people what actually goes into it and stuff like that.

Right, I think that's covers everything in the shortest way I can so I don't bore you to tears or anything.

I've missed writing all my posts so, as they say, I'm back in the building!! Least that's what I think they say or I've just totally made an idiot of myself....again!!

Hope you are all well... Any plans for the summer??

Stay Strong

<3

Birthday Balancing - Gastroparesis (Strikes Again)

Hey Hey Hey.... 

It's a 22 year old now talking to you! Does that make me more mature now I'm a year older? 

HAHAHAHA Doubtful! 

I may be physically paying for the last few days now, but they sure were worth it! Our birthday only comes round once a year and I was going to make sure I had fun for my birthday. Gastroparesis can suck my ding dong to be polite! 

They even got the Spice Girls in there .... KINDA!

I've had a fun-filled 4 days of birthday goodness starting by going to see the #NoFilterShow with one of my bestest friends who lives all the way over in Scotland. It starred 3 hilarious Youtubers who I LOVE; Grace Helbig, Hannah Hart & Mamrie Hart. They created a comedy show and were kind enough to bring it over to the UK just in time for my birthday week. The show was absolutely hilarious and my cheeks and stomach were killing by the end of it. Definitely a good work out and they say laughing is the best exercise... don't they? I filmed the whole thing without even realising it because I was too busy wetting myself laughing which I'm uploading (or maybe even uploaded by the time you read this - who knows with Youtube Uploads haha) to Youtube. So if you would like to watch their London #NoFilterShow then head over to my Youtube channel by clicking HERE. 

"AIR" - I think we went on this about 4 times?

Next up was 2 days at Alton Towers Theme Park. I'd never been before and had wanted to for ages as I am an adrenaline junky! My best friend took me for part of my birthday present. She'd booked the hotel, the park tickets and even did the two and a half hour drive whilst I sat there half asleep from the night before. How lucky am I?! Although the weather was pretty darn - well.... shitty to be quite honest, we didn't let it stop us having an awesome time. Saying that, I must tell you that going on upside down or fast roller coasters whilst it is pouring with rain does feel a bit like you have daggers going into your eyes at times! OWCH! Weather aside, we had an amazing time and got on all the rides we did without almost any queues which was even better as I am VERY impatient. We got some hilarious pictures and have some amazing memories from it! I also have some very sore legs from it as Alton Towers seemed to be a very large park that was VERY hilly. There were definitely more hills than flat land which is great exercise but leads to a very achey Sophie. At least I walked off all those donuts I may or may not have eaten over the two days ;) Whoops. My tummy behaved itself relatively well which was the best birthday gift I could have asked for.

"THE SMILER" - It is a pretty epic ride thats for sure :)  

"NEMESIS" - one of my favourite rides for sure!!!

We came back just in time for my actual birthday! My birthday consisted of opening presents, shopping, eating donuts, eating frozen yoghurt, eating pizza and eating more donuts. I think I may have a donut problem. I have eaten and treated myself to way too much food and none of it being healthy or low in fat. Before anyone says anything like you don't need to lose weight... I am fully aware of that and don't look at fat content to make me slimmer but it is because fatty foods take longer to digest and therefore tend to block my inside up and cause more pain! But it was my birthday ... and I like donuts! My mum and I went shopping to the Stratford Westfield Shopping Centre to spend birthday money I was given and well... who am I kidding... we are female and do not need an excuse to go shopping! We spend around 5 hours wondering the shops and had nice girly time. I did very well in the end and got some nice things to go with all the amazing generous gifts I received! We tried crazy hats on and went crazy on the PinkBerry Frozen Yoghurt toppings. *Mouth watering just thinking about it*. I ate the whole pot and am still claiming that there was a hole in the bottom of it and it disappeared before our eyes.... my mum isn't buying it and reckons I pigged out. Then to finish the evening off, my brother created a lil' something for me. I have never particularly liked birthday cakes (yes, I know, I'm weird) even before all my health rubbish so he made something just for me out of a plain sugary donut I had bought back from Alton Towers. He added some jam and some icing sugar with a candle and BAMM..... my very own donacake? Or in English, a Donut Cake. That baby slid down very nicely may I add :P! 

The Dog Has NO Chance!! 

Thank him above, my stomach behaved pretty well for the most part over my birthday weekend/days! Now, I will suffer the consequences knowing that I had a pretty fantabulous birthday and spent it with the ones I love. What more could I ask for? Well, besides a nice big diamond but you know... I'll let that one slide this year :P 

On a serious note, even though I am most certainly suffering now with a very achey body, painful stomach and exhaustion, I had a really good time and am proud that I managed to walk round all the parks and then the shops. I had a great time and am very grateful for everything I received. As for Gastroparesis, I believe I won this battle so it can shove it where the sun don't shine! :D

I have an appointment with my pain specialist coming up this week so I'm hoping he has some sort of plan because although I did have a fab time, I am in a lot of pain now and struggling to eat a single thing now that every things builds back up. I know I ate all the wrong things and maybe too much and just had adrenaline making it feel like I wasn't in as much pain as I was, but I can't deal with this pain all the time. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't in anywhere near as much pain as I can be at times, but the pain was certainly there and did get quite bad at times. I was always thinking in my mind of what the consequences would be and trying to balance out everything in order to try and keep myself stable and not drop.

I'm trying to be more fit and active. Trying being the key word mind you. All the walking may have made me exhausted and achey, but it certainly helped my tummy when I did eat. Or at least I think it did. It may have been just a good period and luck or it may actually help the digestive system because of gravity and all that jazz. So, I've been doing some exercises and right after posting this will be going on a nice long walk with the dog and my bestie. I even did a handstand today!! Don't ask! I am most probably going to pay for this A LOT but I used to love dog walks and gymnastics and almost joined a cheerleading group twice. I love cheerleading and would love to join a group so that is my target. All be it potentially well out the question but I really want to so.. tummy... screw you. I don't mean cheerleading like 'give me an A.. A', I mean like the full on proper American flips and stunts and all that good stuff. I know, I know.... I'm mad and probably being totally unrealistic but it's good to set targets right? Besides, we only live once!!

Rightio, just before I go for now, I want to say a huge thank you for my family, my bestest friend and to everyone who made my birthday special. Thank you for the generous gifts and even just for the texts or Facebook comments wishing me a Happy Birthday because it means a lot that you would take the time to do it for me. 

My question for the post is, are you an adrenaline junkie and if so, what gets your adrenaline going?

Stay Strong

<3

6 Things About Chronic Pain You Didn't Know You Knew!

Hey Hey Hey

I want to share and adapt on a blog post I read that gives a great insight on what dealing with Chronic pain is like. What it is like to deal with Chronic Pain everyday, is something you can never fully understand unless you have experienced it. This post, will hopefully help you understand how it feels and affects people both physically and mentally! I know some of you may have seen a post like this already, but it never hurts to get it out more and more to try and explain in any way we can. 

-------------------------------------------

Chronic pain isn't just constant pain, though, that would be more than enough for anyone to handle. The truth is, chronic pain always brings 'friends' along. These added challenges are obvious when you think about it, but are rarely taken into consideration by "healthy" people unless it slaps them in the face. Remembering that like all bullies, chronic pain travels with a gang may help you better understand the life of someone in chronic pain.

Pain is exhausting. We have all had a bad headache, a twisted knee, period pain (assuming you're female..duh!), or a pulled muscle, and by the end of the day it is a monumental effort just to read a text message. You may not have consciously realised it, but the pain that has relentlessly nagged you through out the entire day has drained you as bad as any flu would. Even when you try to ignore the pain, it stays in the back of your mind, screaming for attention whilst draining away all of your energy. With chronic pain, this is amplified because it isn't just one day, it is months or even years of struggling to live with this very demanding money on your back. It all builds up and catches up with you BIG time. I'm tired just thinking about it to be honest.

I'm so tired... I'll don't mind where it is!

Pain causes poor sleep. You would think that after a long day of fighting with constant pain, sleep would be a great relief. Unfortunately, that is just a dream (pun intended). For starters, chronic pain can make it hard to even get to sleep let alone staying asleep. The pain will pul you right out of any deep sleep leaving you spending the rest of the night tossing and turning (and getting tangled in your duvet). Many pain patients take medications to sleep because of how vital sleep is to your health, with or without chronic pain or illnesses. Even when you do manage to sleep, the pain signals continue in your brain and can cause the sleep to be broken, restless and funnily enough, exhausting!

Pain makes you cranky. Chronic pain sufferers aren't (all) just cranky buggers by nature. Pain drains you physically and mentally. When you are in pain, even the simplest things feel overwhelming and people tend to react accordingly. You may have only asked your chronic pain spouse if they would like to go to a movie, but in their head they have considered if they can sit still that long, how much medication it would require, if they have the energy, if they will stay awake through the movie, how high their pain is now and how it might increase, if the go will it make getting through tomorrow harder, and most importantly, give all this, will it be any fun. They didn't grouch at you for the fun of it, pain just makes it very hard to remember that everyone else is coming from a totally different perspective, where a movie is just, well, a movie. 

I'm NOT cranky!

Pain kills your concentration. Most chronic pain patients fight like crazy to live a normal life. They try to ignore the pain and go about their days, but it's just not that easy. Even when you ignore pain, push it to the back of your brain and focus on, say, work, pain doesn't give up. You can sit at your desk working on your computer trying to concentrate, while your pain plays the part of a toddler or a dog, desperate for your attention. Pain will poke you, tug at your clothes, spill juice of your keyboard, scream your name and try to use you like a punch bag. No matter how hard you try and forget about it, part of your brain is always processing the pain and it often pull your concentration to terrifyingly low levels, or to no concentration at all.

Pain damages your self esteem. The pain has made you tired, cranky and killed your concentration. Being exhausted all the time makes everything more of a challenge than it should be, your quick temper has strained or destroyed a once strong interpersonal relationship and your inability to concentrate has hurt your job performance. You can't do what you want to do with your time, even when you try and it seems like everyone is mad or unhappy with you no matter your efforts. Life as you know it is crumbling and all because of.... you? Most pain sufferers blame themselves for these failing, remembering that they used to be able to do everything. They see chronic pain as a sign of weakness or a personal defect that they should be able to overcome. The end result is that on top of everything else, chronic pain damages your self esteem.

A smile & an appearance can be deceiving! 

Pain causes isolation. When you're in constant pain, the last thing you want to do is attend the company party, the neighbour's backyard barbecue, or even small gatherings with your closest friends and family. In fact, it's the last thing you'd even consider or think about. Your friends and family are still the light of your life, but the physical and mental energy it requires to go out and be social can just be too much to handle. You start to bow out of parties and cancel plans but not because you don't want to go, but because you just can't. Eventually people stop inviting you, calls to make plans decline and the scary thing is, you don't actually mind. The pain has slowly but surely isolated you.

What are some other affects of pain seem obvious, but aren't?

Remember, just because someone is smiling on the outside, it doesn't mean they are okay on the inside. Don't make assumptions that just because the person looks fine that they are not struggling!

Stay Strong

<3

Original Post/ Credit To:  

http://invisibleillnessbattle.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/6-things-about-chronic-pain-you-didnt-know-you-knew/

Flippin' Tube - Literally! | Gastroparesis

Hey Again,

Thanks for coming back to my blog!

Why is life never easy and always has one thing follow another to pee you off? Excuse my language. We found out why I've gone down hill when I was relatively 'stable'. My tube had flipped back into my stomach. So everything I was putting down it to avoid my stomach was, in fact, going directly into my stomach all at once. No wonder I was in so much pain. What's worse is that I had told the nutrition nurse about 4 times that something didn't feel right when I was putting stuff through it. Each time, she told me to wait it out and see if it improves. Another thing she said was that it was just the quantity of the liquid going through in one go when I do medication. She tried it again this time but I put my foot

What an x-ray of an NJ tube looks Like!
Not My X-Ray!
Would be pretty cool if it was though right?

down! It's my body and I knew something was not right! If she had just listened to me in the first place and boxed an x-ray for me, I might not have got as bad as I did and may have coped better with the horrific withdrawal symptoms I have suffered with this last medication.

It has kind of showed me though that without the medication going through the tube (when it's in the right place), I just can't cope and my regular medicines stops having any positive affect (all be it a little to start with)!!! Leaves me wondering whether I'll ever get red of the tube and be able to cope on my own!

I had an emergency appointment with my pain specialist on the same day that I had the x-rays done for the tube. Only, I've come out of it not really knowing what the point of it was. There's no plan in place for the next step. So now I have to wait until I see him again next month and hope something is put in place. I have told him I won't try anymore medications because I can't cope with the side effects and withdrawals of them all. It knocks me back both mentally and physically! It's so frustrating because it seems like such a waste of time not trying something. 

I'm starting to get back to where I was of, well... I don't really know. Where was I? I'm not eating meals still. I might try little bits of things but it's just that... LITTLE. The pain is still horrible and my energy levels aren't great. I know everyone says that it'll get easier and to stay positive..... but to be quiet honest, it's not getting easier - it's getting harder and staying positive is hard when nothing is working and my friends who are suffering too are dying. Such little research is done on it as it is barely even heard of so there's only little chance of something being found to help. Sorry to be a Negative Nancy.. wait or is it Nelly? What's the saying?!?! :| That's awkward.

Please - Help us raise as much awareness as physically possible! You know you want to ;)

Well, thats all for today! 

Until next time.... 

Stay Strong

<3

Dips, Dives & Deaths | Gastroparesis

Helllooooo guys,

I am sorry that I have once again left it a while. So much has happened, unfortunately, primarily bad.

Last time I updated you all, I had just come back from holiday and was a day or so into my new job. The new job has been going really well. Now that I am taking all the information in rather than having it make my head spin that is anyway. I get on well with everyone else on the reception and am managing to guard the phones, answer the emails and check people in and out all at the same time... who'd have thunk it. It has been such a nice change to making people coffee all day everyday after 4 years. Fingers crossed it all stays that way :). 

Just after I came back from America, I was given another medication to once again, add on and see how it goes. As usual, I was started on such a low dose it couldn't really even be classed as a dose. All was ok for the first 5-7 days with no side effects good or bad. The dose was doubled and so were the problems. True to my normal body reactions, me and the new medication which was called Levetiracetam, did not get on and reacted badly to one another. Be it to another medication I am on or the medication itself, we do not know. Either way... it's another one down. It was messing with my mind and my body increasing the pain. Fear not, I have stopped it and won't be going back on it any time soon. I have however had enough of trying medication after medication and being stuck in this same cycle over and over of being thrown a new medication to stick down my body and pray for results. Often, being disappointed yet again along with suffering the consequences and side effects. NOT COOL!! I don't really know what the other options are to be honest but my feelings will be made very clear to my pain specialist when I next see him. How long am I seriously expected to just keep trying medication after medication in the hope that the next one is the one to work? How long am I expected to just suffer the side effects and end up worse? How long could you do it for? It's making me feel so down being in this cycle with no-one able to help and do anything about it besides sit there and tell you "It will get easier". Will it though? Will it really? I'm so fed up and just feel like completely giving up. How many times should I just sit there and pray someone comes across some amazing new thing that is going to cure or help me and many other Gastroparesis sufferers? It's easy for you to say "it will get better" or "you never know what doctors will find''... it's a whole other game to be the one to have to listen to it and just accept it. 

People are dying every day due to conditions, and unfortunately, this one included. So many people who were fighting Gastroparesis have lost their lives this year already. One of my good friends lost her battle yesterday. She was similar age to me and such an amazing, strong & brave young woman. Way too young to lose her life but yet she did. It is SOO scary but it is true and real and happening! There is such little research being done on Gastroparesis because it is not as known as cancer may be, but it doesn't make it any less fatal. They both can lead to the same ending! Yet, why is it, people are more understanding or willing to spend money to research into someone who has cancer. I have nothing but the up most respect for those suffering or who have suffered from cancer along with their friends & families. I know what it is like as 4 years ago my Grandma died from cancer. So many people with Gastroparesis are either ignored by professionals or denied treatment because it is simply to expensive or there isn't any due to lack or research. What about any of that is fair or anywhere near acceptable? I know there are thousands of other health conditions that don't have the research done for them too but right now, all I can focus on is the one that is basically killing me. Lets face it, without my tube.... I would certainly be in hospital close to dead if not already by now. It's horrible to say but it's the truth. I can't keep going round and round like this for 30/40/50 years.... would you?

Just before I go for today, I want to say R.I.P to my friend and fellow Gastroparesis sufferer Lucy Hanson. You will never be forgotten and hugely missed. My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this hard time. She was an amazing, brave young lady who is loved by many!! Another person to have received their wings far to young <3

Have a good day everyone. 

Stay Strong

<3

I'm Delighted To Invite You…

Hey Hey Hey

How are you all?

I know I am a little over due a new update and have got lots of stuff to update you with, but, before I do a post on all that, I wanted to share something with you all that could change your life.. maybe even the world :) 

Something for everyone and everything

We all at some point in our lives have parties, events and occasions that require invites, thank you cards, maybe even some place cards so we can keep the family members apart who we know are bound to cause a fuss if they're next to one another. Maybe it was a birthday card or New Baby card you were after or did you just want to say thank you to someone with a one of a kind card. Special occasions are ones that we are going to remember for the rest of our lives, so every detail counts AND gets noticed. You want it to be your invites or cards or function table stationary that everyone can't stop talking about! I'm sure you'll agree that everything we want all costs a ton of money and that's why it is so important to find amazing things that will stand out and be memorable for good prices and that is what I want to share with you. 

Without invitations, there would be no guests. Without guests, there would be no party to celebrate the special occasion. I know from past celebrations in my life that having the most unique invitation that everyone keeps asking where you got it because they absolutely love it is so super duper important. It'll be the first thing to catch your eye and the last thing your eye will capture of your occasion. That is where the amazing company 'Delighted To Invite' come in. Now, I might be biased (though I don't believe I am on this occasion) being that it is my mums company, but I would never lie (lying is bad kids). I see her working so hard all day everyday until the late hours of the night, making sure that family after family get the invitations of their dreams with all the matching bits and bobs that go with it. What makes her invitations, thank you cards, table plans table names and everything you could possibly think of so special, is that they are handmade and stunning that just blow you away. The are so unique and personal that you instantly fall in love with them. Everyday she is coming up with new designs be it from her own mind or a clients imagination and dreams. It is always something that will blow your mind. No matter what the occasion and what the theme…. some amazing magic will happen. TRUST ME! You get that magical feeling you get when you go to Disney World! Amazing right?

I want to share with you some of the amazing designs and products she creates to help make other peoples occasions have that extra special wow that their friends comment on and love just as much (if not more but shh don't tell the host) as the food or dresses or hall. Not only that but she does it for amazing affordable prices that really makes a difference!!

This was an actual invite…. a 3D box filled with M&M's
for a candy themed party…. AMAZING!!!

Want a different shape card to really blow your
friends & families mind? You said you wanted it
to be some unique and special!

Avoid the arguments and place everyone
in a seat with unique place cards perhaps

Normal invites are losers…. have an invite
that screams you by having a letter… now thats different!!

She is a home run business who's building up year after year, developing new designs and techniques (with the help of her lil helpers - the kids). She gets so much amazing feedback and clients sharing her name to all their friends who can't wait to get their own amazing handcrafted celebration items. All it takes is one person to keep sharing her name and it builds her up higher and higher. She is in a world where it is word by mouth so we all have to use our voices and share the talent! I want to see her achieve her dreams and build her business up to places she could never have imagined of. This is why I wanted to write this post. It may be cheesy because she's my mum, but her work…. it speaks for itself and quite honestly deserves more than a blog post by me. So…. should you or anyone you know now or in the future, ever need invitations or well… anything you need for your celebration…. PLEASE (with a cherry on the top) click on this WEBSITE and get in contact with her. She literally can make any invite from shapes to well…. everything's a shape …that's a little awkward!! You understand me though! 

She is constantly uploading some of her newest and coolest designs on her INSTAGRAM , so be sure to head over there to and see some awesome things #delightedtoinvite 

Need to thank someone in a way shop cards just
dont do…..#delightedtoinvite

Turn everyones eye from the new baby to your amazing
New Baby card?

An event she did to show off some of her work!
There's loads and loads to choose from or even get ideas from!! 

Lets spread her talent and make some amazing things. Visit her website for all her contact details and make an enquiry. WOW your friends and have the best in the business - all from your home and our good old trusted friend the internet! 

www.delightedtoinvite.co.uk

You know you want the best…. and if you can get the best in a way that doesn't hurt your pocket and means you can get that more expensive dress or pair of shoes…. then what on earth are you waiting for?! Lets get designing and creating together and let her and her talent make you products you are so extremely happy with! 

Happy Celebrations

Stay Strong

<3