Sick with Nerves

This week I am catching a plane to fly North of the border. I hate flying. 

I'm going to a large and beautiful city.
But I'm a country bumpkin who will find this daunting.

I'm taking Natty with me.
Now there we have added a whole new list of dimensions to consider, not least the extra on-board bag of entertainment and spare clothes. 
*rushes off to pack the spare clothes in the on-board bag, just in case of travel sickness*

Natty trains student midwives and nurses

I've been asked to be a keynote speaker at the NHS Education Scotland student nurse and midwife conference or #NESLDAN16

This is where we can create real change and work with medical professionals to ensure equal care and support for all. It is a huge honour and I am determined to get it right.

But 2 BBC crews are coming to film my talk. The talk I haven't quite finished writing.  I'll be interviewed by a famous comedian who has a son with Down's syndrome.

How did life become this surreal?

As if things weren't scary enough, now I feel the pressure to really get this right. I'm aware that what I say could be cut down to one phrase, so every phrase must count.

NESLDAN16

So I've been putting things aside to pack for a few days now, laying them out to see what I need, whilst adding to the talk here and there and getting on with normal life as well.

And then, the heart-stopping moment came last night.
The passports. The passports I'd squirrelled into the secret zippy pocket in the all important on-board bag. I went to put my hands on them for reassurance last night... and they'd gone. 

My heart sank. I tried the other pockets in case I was mistaken. No joy.

A frantic search revealed nothing other than the eldest child (who should have known better) had seen Natty with them earlier in the day but hadn't thought to alert me, or rescue them.

Needless to say, last night became a frantic whirl of desperate searching and trying to calmly bribe Natty into remembering where she'd put them. All to no avail.

Just when I should have been having an early night and honing my words, calming my nerves with herb tea, I was stressed to the point of tears, my chest so tight I couldn't breathe.

Would we be able to travel? Would I end up on a 20 hour train journey instead? Would I have to go without Natty, the all-important champion.

This morning a quick search revealed that I can take a domestic flight with a driving licence as ID and Natty doesn't need any. Apparently.

So I still have 2 lost passports,I still feel sick with nerves but at least I can put turning the house upside down off until we get home.

Wish us luck.

You might also like to read about the time Natty held Just Bring the Chocolate hostage by hiding their keys...