Life//Adventures

OK I definitely didn’t but I couldn’t resist a little Busted reference and I did go on a tour around Terminal 2A which is currently being constructed… so that’s basically the same right? 

Just before Christmas my incredible friend and designer of the ‘Superstar’ jewellery range Jordanne Cliffe told me that her Dad had put Different Strokes forward to be one of the charities at Hetco, the company he works for’s Christmas Raffle. DS were accepted along with a local charity for disabled children. Then, In January, Jordanne sent me a message to say that the company had raised around £2000 for the charity and that they wanted me and Jordanne to collect the cheque to give to Different Strokes. On Feb 25th we were presented with the cheque, had a tour around the construction site and watched a few planes taking off. All in all it was an interesting way to spend a monday morning and I was very greatful on behalf of DS for the money they had raised and I know that the money will mean so much to everyone involved with the charity. 

The best (or worst ;) ) thing about the day was that when we were taking our safety gear off we went into a room where a boy, Simon, was sat working. When Jordannes dad came in Simon asked what was going on and he explained that we were there for the charity and that I’d had a stroke when I was 21. Simon’s reply was ‘I had a stroke when I was 17’ I was genuinely shocked, although I know a few people, I’ve never coincidently met someone my age(ish) who it had happened too. We chatted for a bit and he mentioned that he had met Sarah, ‘the girl from the undateables’ at a Connect meeting the week before which just seemed ridiculous, maybe I do know everyone who has had a stroke after all? Paha…

Anyway we swapped numbers and as it was my two year ‘celebration’ coming up Simon suggested the we got together with Sarah and Jordanne in London at the weekend, we went for dinner and drinks at Tottenham Court Rd and then to Covent Garden for a comedy show which was strange but fun, It was a very lovely way to look at the positives of what I’ve been through and think about all the great things that have come from it, especially all the new people I have met and continue to meet. 

“NEW FRIENDS!”

I can’t believe how fast 2013 is going, It’s february 26th already and tomorrow it will be two years since my stroke. At times it feels like it has flown by and at others it feels like it was forever ago. So much has happened between then and now. I’ve gone from not being able to sit up or smile, to going to the gym 3 times a week and having my smile back, Not that I didnt have plenty to smile about when it happened, strangely I did. I just physically couldn’t. 

I went from not knowing if or when I would be able to travel or finish uni to less than two years later - graduating with a first and ‘backpacking’ (dragging a suitcase) around Thailand and FINALLY I will be starting a new job as a marketing assistant on March 4th. With a training evening tomorrow, what better way to look to the future instead of the past on my stroke anniversary? 

There was a time last year that I worried if staying in Brighton was the right choice for me, I hardly knew anyone and was starting to feel lonely, re-finding my confidence has meant that over the last 6 months I have started to meet lots of new people, am constantly busy and can’t imagine leaving this city for quite some time.

Having a stroke is life changing and in many ways devastating  but that isn’t to say that there isn’t a life after stroke, you might have to do things a little differently and your journey might take a different route than you had expected but you can and will get there. It’s hard work, it’s tiring and it will have its massive highs and huge lows… Just take each day at a time, embrace any new doors it may open and don’t listen to any negativity. Had I listened to my negative drs/physios/occupational therapists then I would have never walked again, been how I was at 3 months for the rest of my life, slept through the whole of glastonbury festival and never have graduated without getting an electric wheelchair. I dread to think what they would have said about my trip to Thailand! Keep on keeping on and find a team of proffessionals who will push you not hold you back…

This video should show how the new movement differs from the other movement I have and how its the closest thing to extension i’ve got! SO HAPPY

Wahoooo! I finally graduated! I am so so proud of myself for finishing my degree just one academic year later than I was supposed too and I still can’t believe that I graduated with a first class honours, I’m so so happy it is unreal. Graduation day was lovely, a little stressful at points but the sun shone and the vibe was fantastic. As nice as it was it was also very difficult for me, throughout the ceremony I was sat in between two girls I had never spoken too and although they were friendly it was difficult for me knowing that had I graduated last year I would have known pretty much everyone around me, It was hard not to be surrounded by my best friends in the ceremony and I HATED  walking across the stage, with all thoses eyes on me I felt like my walking was awful and was desperate to get across the stage and back to my seat. My brother filmed me receiving my award and my walking was actually fine but I guess I’m just not used to being that nervous and walking! It was really lovely after the ceremony, having photos with new friends but it also made me a little sad that I hadn’t gotten to know some of them as well as I would like and now most of them are moving home I might not get the chance…welcome to the big wide world

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned that I’m going to Thailand for 3 weeks in August with my old housemates Megan, Lis and Sarah? We are mostly island hopping and the thought of wearing my splint and trainers on the beach really was not a nice one, I can walk reasonably well bare foot around my flat and after paddling in Brighton see bare foot on pebbles my mum took me sandal shopping for my holiday, the sand is apparently far too hot too walk on in Thailand. I wasn’t that confident I would find something easy to walk in but The first pair I tried on we’re perfect and I think my walking is maybe even better with shoes on than bare foot? I’ll post some videos later. I will still need to wear my splint when walking around but to be able to wear them on chilled days on the beach will be incredible. The only problem is that once I had them on I never wanted to take them off. Still I feel one step closer to getting rid of the splint for good. Come on ankle!!

Yesterday I tried out a Lycra glove which is supposed to lower the tone & make the fingers looser. It works by sending a message to the brain about where your hand and arm is, it can send these messages because of the pressure that is being applied. the way it is stitched together also helps pull against the tone and helps the fingers to open. Its not something you would have to wear all day and the theory is that the affects carry over when you take it off. It’s an ugly glove but I think you can tell from this photo how much it helps!

I am currently experiencing a world of emotions, I genuinely had no idea I could do this and seeing it back on video is just incredible. My hand that I couldn’t do ANYTHING with after my stroke is now picking up and what I have been struggling with most - LETTING GO of objects. I still can’t extend my fingers although you can see the movement in the index and thumb when I pick up the yellow candle. Full extension must come next right?! I am too happy right now.

Buckingham Palace Picnic & Concert, Diamond Jubilee

Last Friday my friend Amy was having a leaving party and so I went to meet Alex for a couple of drinks before, I caught a bus to Churchill Square and began walking to the pub. As I was walking I heard a group of guys sniggering, I thought nothing of it and carried on walking. Next thing I knew two ‘lads’ who looked a couple of years older than me, a bit chavvy and sounded like they were down for a jolly from London were stood in front of me  whilst two were stood behind me. I stopped walking naively thinking maybe they wanted to chat but they didn’t, one of them said ‘you can walk’ kind of waving me along with his hands, I still stood there, now feeling confused. “Don’t worry my brothers disabled too”, I quickly realised where this was going but hoping that I had it wrong I said “Oh yeah, whats wrong with him” they all laughed and It didn’t take much to realise that his brother wasn’t disabled but that they perceived me to be. The next bit of the ‘conversation’ went a little like this “Where did you get your shoes from? Are the NHS prescription?” “yeah did you get them free from the NHS?” I have to admit that if i’d said this to one of my friends about myself I would probably have found it hilairious but coming from a group of guys i didn’t know, it was scary and offensive. “They’re not even reebok” No, they’re from shoezone, not that I told them this. I’m not going to waste my money on expensive trainers when my splint rips them to shreds and they need replacing every couple of months. I started to walk away and realising I wasn’t retaliating they walked too. “What happened to you then” they eventually asked. “I hope you all get hit by a bus” I replied still walking away. It was very hard to not cry as I walked to the pub but I knew that by crying they would have won, they didnt deserve my tears. In hindsight I wish I had said to them “Does it make you feel like men? Surrounding a girl who you perceive to be disabled and verbally abusing her?” and I also wish I’d called the police but at the time I just wanted to enjoy my night and forget about it. I know it sounds quite tame but I felt very vulnerable as im sure any girl would if they were surrounded by 4 guys. the fact that anyone took time out of there day to do this baffles me and I can only imagine it was because of their own fears about disabilities and i’m sure one day karma will bite them on the ass and they’ll look back to that day and realise what ignorant idiots they were.