Monthly Archives: November 2015

by - 8 Comments

At 38 a bright new start – thanks to Peedac, the Stroke Foundation & Australia!

Best to come

All my blogs combined could not come close to the excitement of today, and I’ve had some exciting changes through my fight back from a motionless slab of meat!! I was holding off this blog as I wasn’t sure if it was gonna happen! But it has….!!!

After my meeting with a lovely lady called Michelle Perry, an employment
consultant for Peedac, which helps people retrain through courses. Well, have they got a course for me!

You will not BELIEVE this! Only a course to assist therapists! It’s a health care assist course, but it lets me branch off if I choose to do that one day!  Imagine occupational therapy, or speech therapy, or assisting a physio department!! Oh my God!!! After my path! I didn’t see this coming in my life….38 years old and I’m going to be a student!! The course starts in January/Feb 2016, so we have to move quickly!

I am so happy with Australia right now for giving me this opportunity. They help pay for the course, guide me through the whole procedure, and give me some assistance while I study.

Wow this time next year I will have a fully-employed career in health care – as long as I can apply myself, of course! It’s been some years, since I last exercised my grey matter, which hasn’t been worked for a while! Actually, I never did try too hard at school…so many girls to look at, and I still say they stopped me becoming a doctor!

Got loads to sort out – but I’ve already got my office desk ready, so bring it on!!! This is my chance to care and really change lives. Imagine!!!! This is unbelievable! So incredibly happy tonight!!

Might have a cheeky red!! Here’s to the Stroke Foundation for the link they sent me. They really blew me away this time!!

Thank you!!!!

 

by - 0 comments

Dear Cheri…..this guy will never quit!!

This is for Cheri Truscott, my brilliant trainer at Goodlife Gym!

Cheri

Cheri, some times I feel like I am getting nowhere , I feel I will never get back to full strength!! It can be quite depressing , and I don’t always have the focus, as it’s been so long. I know next year I can improve more n more – I just have to BELIEVE it! – especially with your help. You lift my spirits and assess my weakness with such understanding, and you’re now a big part of my journey….so “Seems you’re stuck with me, mate!”

I know there are many years  ahead and for me the mountain is never ending. But, bit by bit, we will keep  making gains. I have come so far, I must not give up! This time next year I wanna be punching on mitts, buddy! With you on my team, I will not fail;  if it takes another 5 years to get to full strength then so be it, Cheri – this guy will never quit and I fully commit!

I must remember how far I have come and not be too hard on myself. To anyone out there who’s hitting a never ending row of walls, feeling shit, I know how mentally hard is is to continue!!! You need a good positive trainer with experience, like mine!

I feel really lucky to have Cheri Truscott in my corner. If she can train horses, she can train this stallion! Hahaha!
Thanks, mate! You’re amazing!

See you Monday !

by - 0 comments

DID IT!!! Up the Swanee – for the Big Walk!!!

marathon

Proud to say today was a great day to be alive, to walk around the beautiful Swan River and, in my opinion, one of the prettiest cities in the world!! Albeit that it’s “small”, Perth is in one of the biggest states in the world – so big, in fact, I think England would fit into Western Australia 36 times!!!

I could not BELIEVE how stunning the view was this morning for me and my Big Walk partner and neurologist Professor David Blacker. David got me into rehab on the strength of my first ‘flicker’ 5 years ago and, without him, I might not have been walking the walk or talking the talk as well as I can now!

I also have to thank my other two comrades, Peter Kirby and Martin Thorsden, who took some fantastic shots along the way as we put the world to rights!

Walking 15k on this truly stunning day was just magic! My leg was stiff for the first 4ks, then my tendon backed off and, although I tripped a couple of times, I didn’t go over!

The last 3k were the worst for me, as my knee was giving me grief, but we did it in a proud time of 4 hours 10 mins – only 10 over my target!! Was rewarded by a big hot dog at the end!

Bloody great challenge. And this time no blisters!! Yes!!!

marathon 2