In January 2020 I had an ischemic stroke at the age of 57. The stroke occurred on the right side of my brain and has affected the left side of my body. I have since had to re-learn how to do all the things that each and every person does and takes for granted on a daily basis. BUT, it is what it is and I can’t change what happened, no point in looking back or dwelling on it, or feeling sorry for myself, the only way is forward, I am just grateful that I have been given a second chance at life. 

Rather than make this story all about me, myself and I, (how I hate that song), I would prefer to take this opportunity to say thank you to each and every one of you, yes YOU, the very same people who I am now asking for sponsorship. I have so many of you to thank. I make no apologies if this ends up sounding like the longest acceptance speech ever at the Oscars.

Firstly, thank you to my quick thinking neighbours/friends, Siobahn, Carolyn, Charlie and Natasha, I owe you my life, put quite simply, without your quick thinking actions on the evening I had the stroke, I probably would not be here now. 

Thank you to EVERYBODY on the 3 Stroke Wards that I resided on during my stay at Charing Cross Hospital. Many of you went way above and beyond the call of duty both during and after your long shifts. 

A HUGE THANK YOU to my hospital family, otherwise known as the entire team on the CNRU (Neuro Rehabilitation Unit) at Charing Cross Hospital, a ward where the physio timetable was so intense I thought I had joined the SAS 😳. Physios, Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, I remember each and every one of you, you were all equally involved in my rehabilitation and I look forward to seeing you all again soon (hopefully not as a patient). 

I want to give a special mention to Elise & Christalle who helped me take my very first tentative walking steps, to Speech Therapists, Charlie & Richard who helped me speak the cockney version of the Queen’s English again, to Milky (the therapy dog) whose cuddles encouraged me to unclench my fisted left hand & flex my fingers fully, to a therapist by the name of Yani who shared my excitement at me being able to do my bra up on my own for the very first time (HE said that he had the same problem on a daily basis too 😂).

A MASSIVE THANK YOU to my CNRU physio, Barry  “do it again” Garvey, whose tough Irish approach to physio I will never ever forget. I so love this man. At our first session he tied my hands to an exercise bike for “10 mins” he said - 45 mins later he came back to see how I was doing😂. I recall he also had a problem with counting, if he asked me to do 20 of something, he really meant 50 repetitions! Fortunately we shared a love of rugby, so he always got my full attention 😉. We also shared the same sick sense of humour, he thought it was a good idea having stroke patients try to play the game of Twister 😂 cruel but funny.

Another MASSIVE THANK YOU to my OT at home, Simone Welch, for all your help and encouragement when I had to face the big scary outside world again on my own and all of the day to day challenges that I faced when I left the hospital bubble.

Thank you to GP & Ella, both therapists of “On Track”, for allowing me to be part of your amazing trial and for all of your continued support.

Thank you to the Stroke Association for the financial support that you gave to me in the form of a grant to help with my rehabilitation at a time when it was very much needed.

Thank you to England rugby players past & present, Lewis Moody & Anthony Watson for taking the time to send me motivational videos and to wish me well in my recovery. Your good wishes meant the world to me and still do. Your words “keep battling you’ll get there” & “nothing good ever came easy” are listened to and repeated by me, to me, on a daily basis and have now become my mantra whenever the going gets tough.

To be honest though Lewis & Anthony it was probably the stress of watching numerous heart stopping, tense England matches over the years that made me have the stroke in the first place. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🏉 😉

Apart from COVID lockdown restrictions keeping me out of the rehab gym for a while, I have also had a couple of setbacks to deal with, I slipped on mud and fell when walking by the river (bloody ducks got in my way, I thought I had been blessed with webbed feet, but I was wrong), 3 months later I tripped on a pavement & fell & broke and fractured some fingers, ended up with a “Boxers break” (I was of course channelling my inner Rocky on this occasion), since my very public Rocky impression on New Year’s Eve, (I’m teetotal so I can’t blame the Holy Water), I have had fall/stroke related problems with my left shoulder, all resulting in me having to renew my season ticket to Charing Cross Hospital. (Update - Fingers are mended, so I can give all finger signals again 😂, the shoulder is taking it’s time but is improving slowly but surely, thanks to the efforts of a very patient Physio by the name of Annie. 

As many of you already know, I continue to have neuro/physio rehabilitation on a weekly basis at a rehab gym in Weybridge called Destination Fit with a man by the name of Mark Fricker (who is a stroke survivor himself and also a qualified ARNI rehab therapist). ARNI - Action for Rehabilitation from Neurological Injury. My mate, Simon Felger, (otherwise known as Vet of the Year, every year) is responsible for introducing this magician into my life and Mark has literally scraped me up off the floor and is trying to rebuild me again piece by piece. Stroke recovery is so irritatingly slow and in my case it continues to be a work in progress and my rehab sessions will continue for however long it takes. He knows exactly how having a stroke makes your entire body feel each and every single day and fully understands the day to day challenges that have to be faced. He is the most inspiring man I know. Thank you Mark for absolutely everything that you have done for me and continue to do for me & the challenges that you make me face. You have proved to me that magic really can happen if you work hard at your rehabilitation. As Lewis Moody & Anthony Watson both told me “it takes time, perseverance & hard work”.  

To my fellow stroke survivors at Destination Fit (both kids & adults & all at different stages of recovery), thank you for inspiring me with your determination. To Rufus & Frankie, the canine members of staff at Destination Fit - it’s great fun to have you both as gym buddies.

To the rest of my canine mates, Woody, Honey, Ossie, Viv, Ziggy, Bear, Rio, Cuba, (the one & only Nellie Collinson - very much loved & missed), Dio, Missy, Aquarius, Banksy, Sid, Bentley, Raven, Finn, Milly, Diablo & Greta  - thank you for the dog therapy, the laughs you have given me, your unconditional love, the furry cuddles and for being there & listening when the humans are getting on my wick a bit 🐶. 

Lastly, my sincere thanks to each and every one of my friends (c’mon, you know who you are) your love & support has been truly incredible. I am blessed to have you in my life. Thank you for being there for me through it all. You have shared “the happy high times” with me & have somehow got me through “the dark & scary low times”. Your thoughtfulness & kindness is beyond words. Equally as important, thank you for backing off a bit on the occasions when I’ve needed some space and a bit of “me time”.

Now that I have told you how wonderful you all are, if you can, please get the plastic money out and sponsor me and help me raise much needed funds for the Stroke Association. My Physio, Mark Fricker, is doing a 135 mile run for the Stroke Association in September, I am just doing a 26 mile stroll compared to him, "Mr Ironman". Mine is “a little warm up event” for future challenges. I put have my initial target at £500 but I would like to raise more if I can. £1,000 would be amazing (and might make me walk a bit extra every day & therefore complete it quicker, that’s the goal I have set myself). However, I appreciate that life has been so very tough for EVERYONE in one way or another, so please don’t feel under any pressure whatsoever to sponsor me, just wish me luck & keep your fingers crossed that I complete it (without falling on my arse). I will put an update on this page when I have started it and will add regular updates along the way.  

You all know how much I loved walking my dog and best mate, Alfie. Before having the stroke, walking was always my outlet and my way of winding down, switching off and recharging. These days, putting one foot in front of the other is a bit more of a challenge. Although Alfie is no longer by my side, I will be thinking of him every step of the way on this particular challenge.

Update

Walking Marathon Started on 28/06/21 (26.2 miles)

28/06/21 = 3.39 km (2.106 miles) 

29/06/21 = 8.05 km (5.002 miles) 

30/06/21 = 3.18 km (1.976 miles) 

01/07/21 = 7.91 km (4.915 miles)

02/07/21 = 4.45 km (2.765 miles) 

03/07/21 = 8.07 km (5.014 miles) 

04/07/21 = 8.8 km (5.47 miles)

Walking Marathon completed 04/07/21 - total miles walked = 27.248

HOWEVER.......one of my sponsors has challenged me to try and do 2 Walking Marathons in 2 weeks, so today 05/07/21 I have started Walking Marathon Number 2. To be continued..........

Walking Marathon Number 2 started on 05/07/07

05/07/07 = 5.52 km (3.43 miles)

06/07/21 = 3.15 km (1.957 miles)

07/07/21 = 7.09 km (4.406 miles) (walked in memory of canine brothers, Alfie & Webster’s birthday)

08/07/21 = 7.9 km (4.91 miles)

09/07/21 = 7.14 km (4.437 miles)

10/07/21 = 8.3 km (5.16 miles)

11/07/21 = 6.19 km (3.846 miles)

Second Walking Marathon completed 11/07/21 - total miles walked = 28.146.