You may have noticed that I’m rather quiet these days… I’m sorry… I am actually drowning under a sea of research papers, assignments and conferences!

Yesterday I finished a 4,000 word literature review on “How does the historical stigma of hyperemesis gravidarum impact healthcare professional’s attitudes and treatment towards women with the condition today?”. Once it’s been marked (assuming I pass) then I’ll be looking to publish and will also write a lay version as a blog post here for you all. Today I’m working on my research proposal and another literature review of the methods I’ll be employing for the research I’m launching in the new year… watch this space as I’ll need lots of you to participate in it!

In addition to the full on MSc work I’ve had an incredibly busy autumn attending award dos and conferences. I was utterly honoured to be awarded Chair Person of the Year at the Third Sector Awards. I truly did not expect it and was up against some actual heroes of mine! Pregnancy Sickness Support was also recognised in the shortlist for “Small Charity, Big Achiever” and “Charity Partnership” for the work we did with bpas earlier this year shedding light on the unwanted terminations for women with hyperemesis.

The following week I attended an event held by the Nursing Times to recognise the UK’s Inspirational Nurse Leaders 2015… Another honour I never, in my wildest dreams, imagined I would feature in! (more pictures below)

That same week I presented at an international pregnancy summit in London on IV day care rehydration for women with hyperemesis and presented two scientific posters on HG (the Ginger research being published in December and the Termination research).

The following week I worked intensively on my college work and commuted back and forth to Uni (a good 3 hour round trip) and the following week I flew to Bergen in Norway for the first International Colloquium on Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Apparently I’ve still got 3 kids at home somewhere!!

The Noway conference was the most exciting of all… experts from organisations around the world including The HER Foundation in America and the Motherisk Program in Canada attended with the intention of establishing an international research body for Hyperemesis, of which I too hope to be a part!

The next International Colloquium will be in 2017 and it is my hope that it will be here in the UK headed by PSS.

I’m not sure I deserve the final two honours I received this Autumn as I’m well aware that my blogging prowess has taken a back seat in the last few months. But I’m honoured none the less. Firstly I was up for Outstanding Contribution at the MAD Blog awards again this year which was a great fun night with lots of other inspirational bloggers. Secondly I received this infographic this week listing me in the top 50 mummy bloggers in the UK along with load of other brilliant mums!

Next week myself and Dr Margaret O’Hara are attending the Association of Early Pregnancy Unit’s annual conference and the first 3 morning sessions are on Hyperemesis Gravidarum, including a talk by Margaret on the patient’s experience. We’ll also be showing off our posters again. Then the following week we’ll be at the RCM Conference in Telford giving out “ward packs” of posters and leaflets and lots on information about how midwives can support women with HG.

It’s so great that hyperemesis gravidarum is finally getting the recognition it deserves and the charity is driving forward research and service development… I couldn’t keep going if it weren’t for the support of the HG Community.

I’ll try my best to blog more often but for now I need to return to my assignments… just another 4,000 words to write (and to put that in perspective this post is 640 words).

Pictures from this Autumn:

The certificates and award we brought home from the Third SectorAwards

 

Me Giving an interview on Hyperemesis Gravidarum for Safe Motherhood Week

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Displaying our research posters at the Pregnancy Summit 2015 and the International No Hype Conference in Norway. They'll be in Newcastle next week and Telford the week after!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me and Hyperemesis Hero Marlena Fejzo in Norway further securing international relationships between leading HG organisations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receiving my Nursing Times Inspirational Nurse Leader 2015 certificate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My kids do still exist... we flew a kite on the beach last weekend

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And we went to St Michael's Mount this Autumn too...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But now I need to get back to work...