What Happened?

In 2018 I was working as a Paramedic with the Welsh Ambulance Service (a job that I had loved for 20 years). During a shift between Christmas and New Year, I noticed that my knee had started to “play up” and I noticed that the 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers on my right hand had started to “feel full”? This feeling was getting progressively worse, reducing sensitivity in those fingers & my right hand, accompanied by an increasingly strange walk (staggering gait).

After various consultations and tests it was found that i was suffering with Cervical (neck) spinal cord compression due to a rare condition called OPLL . Whilst the compression was gradually progressing is was causing the same sort of damage that you would get from having a road traffic collision.

By the time I was being operated on (May 2019) my symptoms had worsened to the point where I had no feeling in my right arm, hand or fingers, my left arm was starting to show symptoms and I had a “pronounced, staggering, spastic gait”.

The Walton Centre, Liverpool, operated on me, where they performed an Anterior Cervical Discectomy at C4/5
, Corpectomy – C6
, Cage and Plate – C4/5, C5/6 & C6/7

 😱

The following day, even though the operation was non-curative (not to cure the symptoms), it was to stop progression, we found that I was able to stand
, I was able to take a few steps with crutches
, the feeling had returned in the index finger and thumb on my right hand
 and most of the feeling had returned in my left arm.
 Shout out to The Walton Centre, YOU ARE FANTASTIC, THANK YOU 😘



I know how lucky I am, things could have turned out much, much worse 😱

I am able to walk (kind of, I look a bit like Bambi on ice 😅) about 10 yards with crutches or sticks before the clonus becomes so bad that I can’t continue
 because I fall down; I have reduced movement in my right leg meaning that I use an adapted vehicle to drive
; I have continuous pain in my neck and back requiring lots of medications
; I still have a staggering gait and very poor balance causing falls so if I need to go further than about 10 yards I use a powered wheelchair or mobility scooter.

Then What?

At first I found adapting to my “new normal” really difficult. I was used to being the one that provided help, care, compassion, and being the person that people would depend on to be there, when life was at its very worst.

I am surrounded by the best support network ever. My wife, children, family and friends are the ABSOLUTE BEST, more than anyone could wish for, but for a while I was mentallly at my ABSOLUTE WORST and couldnt picture myself in the future. Thats when I discovered Archery or to be more precise, Para-Archery.

I joined “Colwyn Bowmen ” to see if i could meet a new challenge and compete on a “level playing field” with other able bodied people. I think I was really trying to see if i could compete with myself. As it happens, I took to archery quite well and started improving very quickly.

I decided to enter a local competition against other able bodied Archers and whilst there I ran into John Stubbs (Paralympic Archer and Gold Medalist). He approched me and I was blown away by the level of support he offered and has provided since that day, top bloke!

Now What?

I would dearly like to qualify for international competition and hopefully Team GB. To do so I need to be “classified” under the rules of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and show continued improvement and the ability to achieve scores at a level appropriate to that level of competion.

This entails travel accross the UK, Europe and the World to raise further awareness of Para archery, compete in events and evidence the elements mentioned above.

Unfortunately, this is expensive and beyond the means of many people. That’s why I need your help. Any funds raised will go to supporting Archery Development, Competition Entry, Travel and Accommodation costs.

Finally

I can honestly say that there are a group of people that I OWE MY LIFE TO. Those people have selflessly given their time, attention and love for no other reason than wanting to support me. You know who you are, but ESPECIALLY,

* Nicky, Erin, Will, Mum and the rest of my family

* Ian, Clare, Martin, Carmella, Harry and the rest of my friends

* Nick, Johnathan and the rest of Colwyn Bowmen

* Ian, Haf, Jason and the rest of ORMS

* John, the Worshipful Company of Fletchers and the GB Archery Community.

I know this isn’t the future I planned for, but it is the one that I’ve got and I intend to make it a future where I can “GIVE BACK” to others, like I did as a Paramedic.

I WILL RAISE AWARENESS OF PARA-ARCHERY, and the positive benefits that come from re-focussing on the devemopment of new knowledge and skills, wether it is through any sport or other hobby.

I WANT TO REPRESENT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY, who find themselves lost and unsure of what the future holds and are mourning their own percieved loss of identity. I will offer support in any way that I can to help people.

I WILL PAY FORWARD THE LOVE I’ve received to other people who may find themselves lost and in need of support. I WILL BE AN INSPIRATION to others as they have been to me.