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!!

Do not underestimate the power of social media

Now when I used to think of Facebook and twitter I thought it was a great way to stretch your ego, share the cool things you were doing with people you used to go to school with, dated or dont even know!

Well over the last few years social media is becoming a powerful tool.  It has began to develop into a digital way to share information, meet like minded people.  Generally meet people of varying locations, culture and age.  People you would probably never meet in our day to day lives.

And in some instances, some very special instances it becomes so much more than this.

Click on the link below and have a read of my latest commissioned blog for Securicare and see what I mean ;)


http://www.securicaremedical.co.uk/Menu/Securicare-Blog/ArtMID/15413/ArticleID/57/The-ostomy-community-online.aspx

Never Judge a book by it's cover.

So as many of you know I have the priviledge of being a resident blogger for Clinimed/Securicare.

For those of you who don't know they are a medical supplier of my Ostomy supplies. Well actually they are more than that. They are a key a part of my journey over the last few years, giving me some awesome opportunities :)

Well I wanted to share with you one of my latest blogs for them.

After a trip to Tescos where I used the disabled toilet. I started these blogs to raise awareness and try and prevent ignorance towards Ostomys.

My journey has taught me we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. 

Have a read...see what you think

http://www.securicaremedical.co.uk/Menu/Securicare-Blog/ArtMID/15413/ArticleID/55/Should-People-With-Stomas-Use-Disabled-Toilets.aspx