A life less Ordinary

Once again I find myself starting a blog apologising for the lack of blog posts!

Truth is...Yes life has been busy. However I've also not been feeling myself. Someone described it as feeling flat!

Even by my standards the last few months has been MANIC! So I guess I can be excused for being a bit tired 

Decembeard ambassador

JFM digital campaign ambassador (A HUGE honour and when December is finished worthy of a whole blog post of its own)
Speaking for Convatec @ ASCN conference and multiple patient events

Coverage in multiple newspapers & websites

Decembeard pictures feature on L'Oréal Paris website....and I'm sure alot more that has blurred into this insane journey!

However it's days like today that consistently humble me. Today Nuclear races allowed us to set up a Decembeard dip. All money raised being donated to Decembeard.

Anyway..with most of my blogs they start as one idea...then turn into something else!

Id like to use this blog to acknowledge all the people I have had the honour of meeting this year.

Far too many to name!  However, there are a few people that I am especially lucky to of met this year. They will always remain very special to me for many many reasons.

Perhaps it's as I turn 37 in a few days? Getting sentimental in my old age?

But when I was diagnosed at 28 I didn't think I'd make my 30th birthday.  Over the last 9 years I have had lots of new experiences that were only part of my journey because of that crossroad. This has included meeting people I would never of met unless my life had taken this huge swerve!

I won't embarrass the hero's, the fighters, the humble survivors and the #weirdos I am referring to, but as they read this blog.... I hope they know who they are.

To appreciate how far you have come, you need only look to your past

Once again I find myself apologising for not writting a blog for over a month!

Once again a poor excuse is life has been so BUSY!!

The last few months have been mad! Speaking as a patient advocate for Convatec, speaking at ASCN (association of Stoma Care Nurses exhibition), being asked to be a 2015 #Decembeard Ambassador, attending some awesome events and beingnphotographed by @garconjon.  Then being able to work with Just For Men to accelerate this project! Wow! 

And that's just the really exciting stuff...include the (what has now become normal) numerous races and events, Nuclear Tasters  (sharing my love of mud with others). Again who would've thought that these activities would just be classed as my #normallife

Whilst recently talking to a good friend they asked how long I had been blogging. Seems it has been over 2 years. Time really does fly when you are having fun!

I looked back at some posts and found a post from October 2013. It was a milestone in my journey to that point. After finishing one of my first OCR'S I had walked back to the car 'bag out'

This may not sound like much compared to my 2015 exploits...but then, I assure you this was a big point in my life.

Take a read:

http://mudbagrunner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/back-from-trenches.html?m=1

What a difference time makes. In 2015 I write a blog post on National Ostomy Awareness day on how I was asked to be an Ostomist model...for UNDERWEAR! That photoshoot, what those images meant to me was another significant part of my journey!

Missed that one too??  😉

Have a read or reread

http://mudbagrunner.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/body-confidence.html?m=1

I never would of imagined this is where my journey would of taken me. I'm excited to see where my journey will take me in the next 2 years!

With the #decembeard Just For Men project about to start...HELL I'm excited what the next 2 weeks may bring!!!

Watch this space...It's going to be a MAD few weeks!!

Just For Men #Mantime

So...That's it. My fly on the wall videoing for Just for Men has finished.

I've submitted all my videos and so far feedback has been good. The agency are happy. :)

They have actually been great. No pressure but infinite support. I still can't believe that my Beardy journey is of interest to anyone.

Without giving too much away (cause you have to watch the campaign!) The videos document my journey regrow ing my beard and sharing my stories about beating bowel cancer.

I also got to try JFM Beard and moustache for the first time (FYI I'm a convert!)

I won't lie (I never do) some of the filming was tough. Bringing back some memories. Not memories I'd blocked but some I hadn't considered for the last 8 years.

I just hope that..well...me being me hits the spot for JFM. Having access to share my story and use their social network is HUGE!!

We are only a few weeks away from Decembeard 2015 so my just giving page is set and ready.

However this year I am calling on my Beardy brothers to join 'My Team' so sign up raise some donations.

Someone is diagnosed with Bowel Cancer every 15 minutes, yet 90% of all cases diagnosed early are successfully treated. Proving that early diagnosis really does save lives....IT SAVED MINE!

So either sign up to my team or donate....either way you could be making a REAL difference in someone's life

https://www.justgiving.com/Mud-Bag-Runner-Decembeard-2015. 

Vanilla Blush photo shoot...more than just pictures

Saturday 3rd October is National Ostomy awareness day.

It seems almost fate that I am able to post this blog at such a special time.  One of the reasons I started this blog was to help spread awareness of what an Ostomy actually was.  What having a bag actually means.  This post, the pictures and the Vanilla Blush film definitely do that!

Most of the blog below started off as a status update in a closed Ostomy group.  As often happens the words flowed and before I knew it I had almost written this entire blog in an FB status update!  After the responses I received it seemed only right to use these words for a base for this blog post.

 As some of you may know a few months ago I was lucky enough to be asked to 'model' for Vanilla Blush.

Vanilla Blush are a company specializing in making underwear for Ostomists (people with bags similar to mine) However, they are not just functional pieces of underwear they are also designed (in my opinion) with the Ostomist in mind.

By this I mean yes they are functional. but they are also comfortable and fashionable.  When you look at the pics below they are also most importantly still sexy.  Their products offer support and confidence when undertaking every day activities to sport and even intimacy.  

I think the reason this shows is all of their garments are not only made for Ostomists, they are actually design by an Ostomist.  Nicola Dames CEO of Vanilla Blush is an Ostomist herself.  I think this shows in the products they produce.

Well, I was asked if Id like to be part of a photography shoot for some of the new Vanilla Blush range.

Initially let me explain that despite my perhaps 'perceived' confidence like many of us (Ostomist and non Ostomist alike) I still battle with body confidence issues.  Not just my bag, but normal everyday ones like hair loss or weight.  Well I believe it or not this photo shoot did put me outside of my comfort zone. Potentially exposing all of my personal body confidence issues for all to see.

But after seeing these pics and showing a few close friends the feedback made me look at myself in the mirror and give myself a good hard SLAP. A reminder of something I'd forgotten.

We all have body confidence 'challenges' the thing I'd forgotten is they are mine, I give them control and power. However, I also have the ability to overcome them.

I guess what I am saying is it has taken me a long time to get here, blood, sweat and tears, mentally and physically. We all have body confidence issues. We shouldn't hide from them. We should embrace them it's what makes us all such unique and special people :)

Whilst these images will hopefully help challenge some stoma stigmas I'm also grateful for this opportunity to take a look at myself as I'm seen by others. Not how I perhaps see myself :)

Check out the awesome teaser video released
 by Vanilla Blush

https://youtu.be/ppMbYAkmfbo

I’d also like to officially put in this blog my thanks.  My thanks to Vanilla Blush for allowing me to be part of this, but also for helping me to progress with my own body confidence issues. 

I don’t think these demons ever really fully go away but with their garments and the additional confidence this photo shoot gave me, they definitely make it harder for me to hear them.

Decembeard 2015

So Beating Bowel Cancers 2015 Decembeard launch party was last night. It means I can now reveal exactly what I am going to be doing this year for #Decembeard

Just for Men are proud to be a 'Major Partner' supporting Decembeard in 2015

I'm honoured to say I have been asked to play a key role in this campaign. Over the next month I'll be filming my bearded adventures and man time moments.

This will then be used throughout their social media and digital 2015 campaign in November and throughout December!

What an honour! What an opportunity to spread awareness about bowel cancer and make a real difference!

So watch this space for teasers as I show everyone what Decembeard is all about!

1st stage.....my beard is about to go! I start the journey like the thousands of other men...clean shaven... (ish)

#mantime #decembeard #beatingbowelcancer #realmengrowbeards #masterofmantime

We are all....Tea Bags????

So as some of you may know I had the luck of being asked to Abseil the Orbit Mital in The Olympic Park London a few weeks ago.

I was asked by Securicare as one of their resident bloggers.  Check out the blog I wrote for them all about the day:

Bowel Cancer, Adrenaline  & My Stoma
http://www.securicaremedical.co.uk/Menu/Securicare-Blog/ArtMID/15413/ArticleID/70/Bowel-Cancer-UK-abseiling-adrenaline-and-my-stoma.aspx

I was quite surprised on the lead up to the abseil. Many people who I considered to be adventurous said:

'you would never catch me doing that'  

People who in my opinion had far more confidence than I did.  Were far stronger physically than me?  Ill admit I have a fear of heights (well falling actually!) so for me this was probably the MOST extreme thing I had done sine my addiction to adrenaline. 

Side note: Is that it? Have I become an adrenaline junkie? Has my lack of bowel been replaced with an adrenaline addiction  ;) lol

It seems everyone has their 'limits' (as I mention in the blog for Securicare) beating Cancer and adapting to life with a stoma is what pushes me to continually challenge mine.

This has made me reflect on the last few years (youll notice I do alot of this!)  I recall alot of people commenting...............

"Im not sure I could cope with what you have been through"

or

"I don't now how you do it!"

The thing is I hope no one ever has to...

HOWEVER!

Never underestimate what you are capable of overcoming. So to explain the title of this blog. It is why:

We are all Tea Bags......None of us know how strong we are until we are in hot water!

Strength doesn't come from what you can do. It comes by overcoming the things you once thought you couldnt do!

So as some of you may of already seen me post…I wasn’t successful in making the final call back for Season 2 of Ninja Warrior UK 

I’m not going to lie, secretly I was hoping I had made it.  It would’ve been a great opportunity to raise awareness for Ostomists but also that you can still do mad things after having a bag and Cancer.  Let’s be honest I wasn’t good enough.  I attended the audition under prepared (as I didn’t expect Id get through, or that it would be such a quick call back!) plus I was still not fully recovered from a shoulder injury.  BTW I’m not making excuses, they are just facts!

I know, I know, I made the auditions from over 17500 people that applied.  I am proud I made it that far.  The audition was tough.  An hour of really testing grip and upper body strength. Not my strongest areas.

Whilst we are being honest, yes, my ego was a little bruised, whilst I did enter to raise awareness, I did also enter for me.  To prove to myself I could. To keep pushing myself outside my comfort zone.

For a few days I was feeling a bit down, then whilst working on another exciting project (yes I will tell you when I can)  I realised.  Ive come a long way!  In training, in running, in OCR, mentally, physically.  In almost all aspects I am ‘better’ than the person I was before my brush with Cancer.

  

Never Give Up!
While creating this presentation I added a video which was almost 12 months old.  I was invited to visit Doug ‘The Beard’ Spence of Dirty Dozen races to his well-known backyard playground. Literally in his back garden.  We focused on efficiently traversing walls. Vertical and inverted. (a consistent obstacle in almost all OCR events) Up to this point I had seriously struggled to complete these solo.

With some tuition from Doug I managed to make both the inverted and HUGE vertical wall solo…for me a MASSIVE achievement.  It involved a lot of core strength, however, the technique (once mastered) allowed me to traverse with ‘relative’ ease.

 


Reflecting on this: a lot was also confidence.  You really need to commit to get past the point of no return.

Flash Forward to 2015

After multiple OCR’s August was Nuclear Races Recent Summer party.  There I was an Ostomist, a Cancer survivor, a Team member of one of the biggests OCR's in the UK.  Here I was helping to teach others how to traverse inverted walls, my once nemesis.  

 


It was when I saw these photos that I finally realised that not making N.W. and feeling sorry for myself was just not productive!

My journey is MY own. I shouldn’t compare it to others.  In all my events I have never worried about my finishing position.  Just that fact that I had tried.  We are all unique, all have our own challenges, our own limits to reinvent.

Looking back now…..WOW I really have come a long way.  I have no reason to feel ‘sorry for myself’ that I didn’t make the 3^rd and final stage of probably THE biggest challenges I had ever faced.

Anyway....there is always 2016!! ;)

#LIVELIFE  #LOVELIFE #BEUNBREAKABLE

Just another Ostomy challenge

As you know I have the priviledge of being a resident blogger for Securicare.

I'll be honest I still can't believe it myself! 

My friends family and various FB friends is one thing. But being paid for it??? Still feels a bit sureal.

Well here is the next one. An interesting topic...have a read ;)

http://www.securicaremedical.co.uk/Menu/Securicare-Blog/ArtMID/15413/ArticleID/64/Digesting-hard-medications-just-another-challenge-ostomates-must-put-up-with.aspx

Man in the mirror

Ever look in the mirror and wonder who the person looking back at you is?

We all wear so many faces so many different hats. The responsible adult, the corporate professional, a role model, a parent....is there enough time for me?

I'm eternally grateful for everything in my life. I'm incredibly lucky to have so many opportunities. A chance to wear so many hats have so many unique and new experiences. The only down side is when things get tough/busy I forget who I am. Forget to make some time for me.

Isn't it ironic as on reflection no a matter what face I 'wear' the one constant is I am always me!

I have a good 'armour' I have shields to raise when things get tough and I need to portray a "positive" face. This armour is what allows me to keep going

Well sometimes days like today I look at myself and wonder WTF..what am I doing?.... is this it?

It's days like these when a I'm reminded of my brush with my mortality. I'm not being dramatic, I was fortunate, however for the flip of a coin my cancer may not of been found and dealt with so early. I may not of been here to have these experiences. I remember not thinking I'd make 30!

Life is complicated, complex. I'm starting to realise there is no point trying to make sense of it. Just roll with the punches, make the most of the good, the bad, the ugly....and the random!

Even though sometimes I wish life has a reset button..... what does not kill me, makes me stronger....right ;)

A life less ordinary

So just when I start to worry that my blogs are becoming boring that I don't have much to write about anymore....... I have a week that just seemed to get better & better!

Started off badly. A shoulder injury that doesn't seem to be healing. It's still niggling after a month. One bad rep is all it took.

But enough negativity......

A friends was being interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live...the producers asked for another few Ostomists to be on the show. I volunteered and was invited to call in :)

Wow what an experience!! If you didn't catch it here is the link below (scroll forward to time stamp in the link)

Listen to my friend Sarah. Now she
INSPIRATIONAL!!

Radio 5 Live Interview - 2 hours 42 min

As if this wasn't enough I also received an email that my new Cycle at Work code had been approved. Meaning I was able to go pick up my new Specialized Sport Road bike!  This also means Im one step closer to my first Triathlon!!!

I have posted before you dont find the time to train, you make the time to train. Well with 2 people in our household trying to achieve this isnt always possible!  So I decided rather than buy a treadmill Id invest in a road bike that I can use a turbo trainer at home when I cant get out (or the British weather isnt great!)

Then just when things leveled off...I receive an email inviting me to a a 2nd stage Ninja Warrior UK audition!

Never heard of Ninja Warrior?  It's an ITV Saturday night prime time TV show! I know right! Check out the link
This guy SMASHED the course! I wish I was half the athlete he is!!

Ninja Warrior UK season 1 course

Could you imagine if I made the cut? I'd NEVER finish the course but could you imagine the opportunity to raise awareness for Bowel Cancer and Ostomists everywhere!

Someone who has faced cancer facing the Ninja Warrior course! The tag lines Al. Ostomy write themselves!

PLUS I have another opportunity to raise awareness. Question is now...how am I going to fit it all in!!!!

Watch this space!!