My name is Emma Rayner. I am a wife and a mother to two beautiful boys aged eight and four. I help run the Lucy Rayner Foundation- a charity particularly close to my heart. We raise awareness and provide support for young adults with mental health challenges. The charity offers services including; free counselling, support groups and monthly informal coffee mornings. No one should ever feel like they’re alone, so we do everything we can to make a difference in young individuals’ lives.
Living life to the fullest is something I strive to do – my passions include history, adventure, travelling and trying new things. In terms of my career, I have always found myself following the path of sales. However, I recently made the decision to work with the charity- an opportunity which has allowed me to travel, explore and meet new people.
In 2009, my life took a bit of turn. I started to feel like something was wrong, so upon talking to my parents, I decided to seek my doctors’ advice. My full blood count was tested and I was later diagnosed with Grave’s Disease- a thyroid condition. My symptoms are something I have to live with for the rest of my life, they include: palpitations, restless sleep, fast heart rate and eye bulging.
In 2010, I experienced a high-risk pregnancy as a result of the medication I was prescribed and my hormones constantly changing. I was delighted to welcome my first child into the world, however three months post-delivery, I was rushed into A&E for an emergency operation to remove my thyroid glands. Whilst the surgeon managed to keep my scaring to a minimal, my parathyroid glands were damaged during surgery. What was supposed to be a few days in hospital turned into two weeks. My calcium function was also affected and as a result I am calcium deficient. I now have to be on medication for both conditions for the rest of my life.
In September 2017, I began to experience the same symptoms again, such as painful headaches, palpitations, dizzy spells and panic attacks. After a thorough diagnosis I was told I had hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. I now take medication and beta-blockers to keep the condition under control.
I very much believe that life is what you make it. I refuse to let my medical conditions define who I am and control what I do. Something I have always loved is travel. Exploring new places, learning about new cultures and discovering historical landmarks all add to the exhilarating adventure that travel offers. However, having medical conditions can make finding affordable travel insurance difficult. That’s until I found Insurancewith. They have taken the stress away from finding travel insurance that meets my needs- so I can just relax, knowing that no matter my trip- I’m fully covered.
