Imagine this - a 24 hour ski race in Switzerland, organised by the Formula One drivers’ charity and a bunch of beautiful Norland Nannies, one of which is my wife. The nannies had been invited to run a crèche for this international charity event in a tent at 1850m, in January, quite a challenge! I was lucky enough to be invited along as a keen motor racing enthusiast, skier and mountain lover – complete with CAPD equipment.
The journey started at 3am leaving Bath in a mini bus for Bristol airport, the four student nannies looking splendid in their formal uniforms of long coats, hats and gloves. The three slightly older nannies looked equally as smart, (my wife said I had to say that.) First dialysis was at the airport, in the cafeteria. This was carried out following instructions of careful preparation and cleanliness among the coffee stains and cake crumbs of an early morning airport departure lounge. Then through customs without a hitch despite my bag warmer and a range of fluids, but I did have my letter from the Kidney Department.
The flight on Easyjet was smooth and we were soon on our descent over Lake Geneva. Once we had landed and the girls had explained who they were and what they did to curious onlookers we got into our chauffeur driven Audi official cars and were whisked off to Villars, about an hour and a half away. On arrival I checked that the Baxter delivery was correct, joined the nannies for the lunchtime briefing and from then on it was all hands to the pumps to collect the equipment and prepare for the mountain in the morning. A long and full on day finishing with a cocktail party and the official celebrity launch of the charity weekend.
The next day it was up the mountain at the crack of dawn to set up the crèche. People can be very helpful with your dialysis and the café owner at the top of the mountain plugged my heater in for me while we were working so my bag was warm for the lunch time change – and what an experience that was!! – sitting on a toboggan in about 200mm of fresh snow with bright alpine sunshine and a cobalt blue sky watching people ski by.
By the end of the weekend we had raised over a £1000 for the Formula Charity which went in part to the UK charity the Teenage Cancer Trust, a French children’s charity Pa Touch and the World Food Programme.
When I started dialysis I thought my days of adventure were a thing of the past but I was wrong – with CAPD you Can Always Pursue Dreams.
The National Kidney Federation cannot accept responsibility for information provided. The above is for guidance only.
Page created: 8 July 2008
Last updated: 8 July 2008
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