When unexpected things happen!

This week has been a week I shall most definitely never forget!  It all started off as a usual one plagued by rubbish symptoms. At the start of the week a new account started floating about on Twitter called The Two Fairies. I had seen a few things about it but didn't really know what it was. But then suddenly, very randomly, when someone asked how I was I mentioned I had a cold & the fairies appeared asking if they could send me something! Lo & behold the following day I received a £50 spa voucher. How totally unexpected & lovely was that?!

As the week went on more & more people got wind of these fairies & they spent every day doing lovely things for people. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love random acts of kindness (RAOK's!) & the fairies were doing just that.  I had my suspicions about who was behind it & it was confirmed a few days ago when the fairies' identity was revealed.  They are called Magic & Sparkle & belong to M&S & their Chrismtas ad campaign! I love the advert, it is quite magical & they are as I write this still granting wishes & sending people gifts.

Anyway so that happened on Monday. Wednesday was bonfire night & I managed to make it out to take my daughter to watch fireworks at her school. Nearly didn't as had a wheelchair disaster which I won't talk about but all was ok in the end!

Thursday was a really really bad day with the M.E & I am ashamed to say my positivity (as per my previous post!) faltered a bit. I was waiting for bedtime so I could write it off & start again but things changed when I got a text from a friend.....

Now some people may laugh but I am a massive Keith Lemon fan. Not in a weird way but in a 'he cracks me up' kind of way! I was watching Celebrity Juice that very evening & laughing my head off as he always guarantees laughter.  My friends know how much I like him & I have been sent various Keith related items including cards, calendars & the best one was a lifesize cardboard cutout of him!!!!

So I had a text saying he was going to be in Leeds doing a book signing the following day. With how poorly I was feeling I thought that as much as I wanted to go I wouldn't be able to, as it said on the website queues were likely to be for upto 90 minutes. There was no way I could attempt that without it really affecting my health.

Then I had a moment of madness & wondered if I sent Leigh Francis who plays Keith a direct message on Twitter whether he would read it. You can only send messages on there if people follow you so I decided to be brave! He has tweeted me before but he replies to his fans all the time & has millions of followers so I am just one of many. I said in the message that I would like to try & go but wouldn't be up to queuing for long with my condition & asked him if there would be anything they could maybe do.  I didn't think he would read it. I was wrong, he did! And he replied saying if I spoke to WHSmith who were doing the signing then they should allow me to go to the front of the queue.

The fact he had replied was amazing in itself but I decided to be bold & ring WHSmith. The manager called me back & I explained my situation.  I told him I shouldn't even be contemplating going due to my health. Which I shouldn't have but when else would an opportunity like it occur!! He said although the access to the unit where the signing was would be fine he didn't like the idea of me having to battle through the crowds in the wheelchair. Then he said (& I am so so grateful) that if I went early he would take me to the Management Suite to meet Keith before he went to do the signing. Erm whaaaaat!?!? I started crying at this point & freaking out a bit.  A lot. A very lot.

Fast forward several hours of palpitations & adrenalin that got me through!  I was so nervous but it was brilliant. Keith was lovely, he knew who I was from my message! He took time to chat & have photos done. I asked if I could put my arm round him for some pictures (don't ask don't get)! He complimented me on my jacket which had full on sparkly sleeves & then got his phone to show me a similar jacket his stylist had sent him a picture of that day!  I clearly have good taste ;-)  I asked if I could take a selfie of us. I do love a selfie! He was just really nice & as funny as he is on TV. He wrote me a message in my book - he has a book out called Little Keith Lemon which is the story of his life so far. I was totally starstruck!

My daughter was a little bit shy, she didn't actually realise Keith Lemon was real bless her! She only knows of him from my cardboard cutout (which I hate to say is in the loft now)!!! But she had her photo taken with him & he signed his kids' book for her. It's called The Beaver & the Elephant & is very funny.  We read it tonight at bedtime & when I said goodnight to her she said Oooosh. You have to laugh! She is very chuffed she has a signed book with a message just for her. Especially now she knows he is real.

I am suffering very badly with my symptoms now but I expected it & I don't care as it was one of the best experiences ever & something I will never forget.  It will make me smile on my dark days & I would love for him to know how happy it made me. Chronic illness stops us from doing so much but I had a 'sod it' attitude & knew that despite the after effects it would be so worth it.  I read a newspaper article which he had done after we met him about being back in his hometown & he said that he had just met a lovely family. I wonder if he meant us, I shall just assume it was to make me happy!!

I never in a million years would have expected this to happen. I never imagined I would get the chance to see him in person never mind sit chatting with him like we were mates. I am still a bit in shock really but it just shows that you never know when fairies may be watching over you & they may totally unexpectedly grant your wishes one day :-)

☆ ☆ ☆ I believe ☆ ☆ ☆

ME Mummy A
xx