I met my heroes

I'm in love ❤❤

The two most amazing critical care Drs..

wow GWAA thank you!!!  

Here is a link so you can give generously to this amazing charity, and here my story https://justgiving.com.gwaa 

My morning at GWAA (Great Weston Air ambulance) 

On Friday 17^th February it was arranged with the public relations and marketing team from the Gwaa charity that we would be able to visit the air base and meet the crew who attended my accident on 10^th October 2015. This has taken a little while to arrange as they had to go back over their records, and find out which members of the team were working that day and try and coordinate them being there to meet me. After a lot of sorting it out it was established that 3 critical care doctors were on shift that day!!! Ooooo lucky me!!. One of the team has since left but 2 memebers still work on the air ambulance and one was going to be working that day and one agreed to come in on his day off!

As it was half term I decided to take my daughter Stella as she was on holiday and my niece Jasmine, my dad and sister also attended with me. Both my dad and my sister (Vicky) were with me in the field following my accident as they had been called and as they don’t live too far from the venue where the accident happened they were able to get to me pretty quick.  They really wanted to come and meet the team who helped me on that day.

We pulled up at Filton where the air base is and were met by Becky Garland the GWAA charity PR coordinator. She explained what the visit would entail and showed us in to the air craft hanger. Becky explained before that if the crew get a call out they would have to go, which we fully understood. She said that 2 out of the 3 team members were here and looking forward to meeting me! It was at this point that I got a bit emotional and had a horrible lump in my throat and tears started welling up in my eyes!!  all of a sudden I realised I hadn’t had to think about the accident much and I think I had put it behind me. Probably all the counselling sessions had helped to deal with the trauma of the event and it now feels like something that could have happened to someone else.

When we walked through the door into the control hub all the feelings of anxiety vanished as we were met by the most amazing team of heroes you could ever imagine. I can’t say I recognised any of them!! Ha hah. We were introduced to critical care Dr Ed Valentine, Critical care Dr Greg Cranston both of who were in attendance at my accident. Also there today were critical care paramedics Matt and Dee. We all chatted a lot about the day and what happened and what happened after. Ed and Greg were the most amazing gentlemen. As I found out it was Dr Greg that held my hand and positioned himself in my line of vision all the time, giving me reassurance, it was this act of kindness that I will always remember as when I think back to that eventful day, I remember the extreme amount of pain I was in and someone being very close and reassuring all the time while things were going on around me. I now know what Dr Greg had shown me that this is what you need in times of trauma; I was so frightened he made me feel safe.

 Dr Ed and Dr Greg said that they probably have attended over 400 + call outs since my accident, but they remembered things about that particular day because I was fully conscious throughout the whole time. Normally a lot of accidents they attend either the patient are unconscious or they need to be ventilated due to their injuries. So this was something they remembered, me being awake!!!  They laughed and remembered me telling them how much morphine I had been given when they were talking amongst themselves; they remember me saying “I’ve had 15mg”.  I can’t believe how young they all are to be so senior in their jobs; Both Greg and Ed are consultants in emergency medicine full time at the Royal Gwent hospital in wales and work for GWAA charity on top of their normal hours, absolute heroes!!  

The team really welcomed me and my family and we chatted over coffee, they showed us the map and area they cover, they described what happens when a call comes in via Exeter ambulance call centre and how they triage the priority of the situation and if they should dispatch the helicopter. Every time they start to fly and the helicopter leaves the ground it cost £2000 just to start the engines, it actually costs the charity £3,000,000 per year to keep flying!!! Some support does come from the NHS in the form of all disposables carried on board and for treatment of patients.  The charity funds the lease of the helicopter as this is a more economical way of keeping a fully working helicopter, rather than owning it.

The charity has two permanent employed pilots and always requires a fully qualified paramedic to act as navigator when they get a call out. They work from 07.00-0100 as they don’t fly at night, but they also operate emergency critical care vehicles from this base. While we were there in 2 ½ hours they had 3 calls, where they dispatched the emergency vehicles to local situations. As Dr Greg had come in on his day off, he stayed with us throughout the visit... while Dr Ed valentine and the other members of the team went in and out to incidents.

After finding my place of injury on the map and Stella my daughter working out from the coordinates the estimated time of arrival it would take actually 5 mins to get to me over in Chipping Sodbury.  It takes the team 3 minutes from receiving the call till the helicopter leaves the ground. All in all it probably should only take about 8 minutes from receiving the call to actually finding me and landing in the field at Hollisters that day, it felt a lot longer than 8 minutes, it did feel like I was on the ground for ages though!!!

 Then Dr Greg took us outside to look found the helicopter, this actual one is not the one I went in as its been updated since Oct 2015, but it was really interesting to actually see how small it is and to see how all the kit fits in and god knows where the team sit!! Good job Dr Ed is small….!!!!  We spent ages looking round the helicopter and Stella and Jasmine got to sit inside and get a real feel of how small the space is!! It doesn’t seem possible to fit me on a stretcher, all the equipment and 3 doctors and the pilot. We were allowed to take lots of photographs and ask all sorts of questions, well you know me of course we needed to find out if these amazing gentleman were married ~?? to the job? Ha haha ha. We all had such an amazing morning, and have come away inspired to how we can raise money for such an amazing charity. At the top of this blog is links to the charity page, where you can donate, attend a race, run, walk, bike ride all aid of GWAA. We have decided we want to do a fund raiser, so the children are looking into doing the muddy run in Bath and we are having a committee meeting next week to throw some ideas together. I did suggest I do a parachute jump!! But I hate heights and my children said no!!  

I have agreed to do a case study for the GWAA so they can use my story to raise awareness for the good charity work they do and help raise funds to keep the helicopter flying  

   

January what a busy start to the year

Hello Julia have you had your hair done??? Neigh  looks Nice...

January has been a bit of a slow month, the weather has been really getting me down and the mud!!! I can’t go anywhere in my wheelchair doing the things I love without getting covered in mud. I’ve had to dig out my over-the-top water proof trousers, to keep me clean, but let’s just say it’s not easy getting these on now!!!  As I mentioned last month I was so pleased to get my classification Grade, and I have been researching the dressage tests that I will have to be able to ride, let’s just say it’s the trot thing that’s concerning me… Ha ha  ha 

 I am still waiting for the hoist to be installed near the arena, As I have said before this will make it so much easier for me and also open up the possibilities for Beth Hobbs to welcome other para riders to her yard and individuals who may have difficulty perhaps mounting their horse to be able to come to her yard for teaching. The possibilities are endless and we are just at the beginning of the journey!! It’s very exciting.

Unfortunately my recent RDA session with Nick Rogers South West para coach was cancelled this month, but hopefully this session will be re scheduled soon, and I will look forward to this! I am trying to work with the instructors at the RDA regarding  them coming out to Beth’s yard to see how me and Flynn are getting on and we are also hoping to take Flynn up to the RDA to have some sessions in the indoor school. (This would be great as having an outdoor arena to ride in does make it difficult at times as it’s been so cold and wet recently, all these ideas are in the pipeline so fingers crossed)

I haven’t been successful in securing a dressage saddle yet, but I am still working within the leg up for talent scheme and am still looking at options that would work for me. The best thing this month is the partnership that is growing between me and Flynn. He defiantly has become a lot more forward with me, and accepting my aids and what I am asking of him, even when I do get a little bit excited with the whip... Bless him; he sort of does a little scurry away underneath me! I do find holding the whip difficult and they still twist in my hands, and I end up waiving them about sometimes. But Flynn has got used to seeing the whips and feeling them on his side, considering he was a bit whip shy before I started riding him he is so good now.

On Monday the 29th Jan it was arranged that Julia Mottram my equine physio would come out to the yard to do a ridden session with me and Flynn again. Well Monday morning didn’t go quite according to plan for me and some days just don’t!! I ended up at the vets with my dog Alfie as over the Weekend he managed to cut his lip/gum and after a weekend of muddy walks and lots of licking, by the time I saw it on Monday it looked pretty gunky! Well he had to have his beard trimmed and he was prodded and poked, he was so good. The area was infected so antibiotics and anti-inflammatories for a week for Alfie. The weather was really horrid and was raining and really windy so after a para team discussion about what we should do, we made an executive decision not to ride, this does disappoint me, as I really look forward to my lessons. It’s the only time every week I get out of the confines of my wheelchair and I feel free. You wouldn’t believe how it makes me feel.

We have been making really good progress with the riding so to keep things on a high; we decided using the hoist in the car park to mount in these winds was not a good idea. The wind may easily blow me in the hoist making it difficult to make a safe landing onto Flynn. Sometimes I forget that we must risk assess the situation before deciding to ride. The rain also doesn’t help.  It has been so cold lately that due to my injury I have been suffering with leg spasms also due to the very poor circulation from my waist down, I feel freezing to touch and my legs and feet are like ice which is not good for my muscles to be so cold. I don’t actually feel cold which is quite weird.  I wonder if thermal leggings/jodhpurs and socks would make me more comfortable??   Roll on the warmer weather that’s what I think...

 Julia asked to see Flynn on the lunge, Good job Beth was around as I haven’t ventured into the arena in my wheelchair! Due to the dip down into it. I would probably tip out my wheelchair at that bit. Not sure I would do well lunging, (but it’s something to think about having a go at??) Beth said Flynn doesn’t really like being lunged and he was quite lazy today. Beth had to get the schooling whip and chase after him!!  Julia wanted to see Flynn walk, trot and canter on both reins so she could watch his movements and assess him. 

For today’s session we normally allocate about 60-90 minutes, so he can be treated and we can talk through what Julia does and why it’s necessary and discuss homework and how we can help improve Flynn’s stiffness and maintain the work Julia does with him .Julia suggests regular physiotherapy, check-ups and treatment can improve the comfort, behaviour and performance of the horse. By having regular maintenance physio it improves muscle balance and symmetry. This is something that is proving to be really important for me due to my balance being poor, I think Flynn looks to help me and this probably compromises his symmetry. Once the initial assessment of Flynn’s movements was done, it was back onto the yard for Julia’s verdict and treatment.  

Julia palpated the muscles and landmarks across Flynn’s spine looking for irregularities and signs of dysfunction. Flynn looked to be showing signs of being stiff on the left side, and all up through his neck.  Julia worked through a combination of physiotherapy, massage and trigger point release. Paying particular attention to the myofascial release.  Myofascial release uses sustained hands on pressure into a fascial restriction for several minutes in one area. Myo means muscles and fascia means the connective tissue of the bones, nerves, organs and muscle’s. This treatment benefits Flynn with any inflammation, muscle and nerve pain he might have, by using the heat from the hands to create change, it can help to reduce inflammation, strengthen and elongate tissues, which will help increase power, strength, endurance and metabolic efficiency.

I think Flynn is starting to enjoy his sessions with Julia. And after a while he looked like he’s falling asleep. After the session we debrief and have been given some homework to do of carrot stretches and work on   schooling with lots of bending. I think Beth will have to school Flynn to get him working and bending, and let’s see if she can get him a little suppler.

 Today my daughters horse Spot was going to start sessions with Julia as well.  Beth was worried that spot’s pelvis could have been out of alignment, as she felt unbalanced under the saddle when she had ridden Spot, but lucky for Spot all was ok, and she too enjoyed a physio session. Spot is 22 so she is allowed to be a little stiff. Stella absolutely adores Spot; Riding has really helped Stella come to terms with my accident and how life changing a spinal injury is. The accident has caused a huge ripple effect with so many family and friends being affected. Being around horses again has helped Stella and me come to terms with me being in a wheelchair. (EAT equine assisted therapy is a treatment that uses equine environment or activities in order to promote physical and emotional growth in people suffering from trauma, anxiety and depression) This environment is helping Stella so much.  

 My daughter Stella is really keen to see what Julia’s Job entails and has arranged a week’s work experience and is really looking forward to this later on in the year.  Julia is very knowledgeable and excellent at what she does. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her. The fact that Julia is trained in human physiotherapy and equine allows her to tailor the requirements to you and your horse and set specific achievable goals. Flynn and I can’t wait till our next session; we have so much to work on. Thanks Julia your amazing. 

Lots of things are progressing on the home front, I have taken delivery of a skip to sort out the last 10years of junk that I don’t need in the house anymore and am sorting things out to keep or throw away. Let’s be honest most things can go into to skip as if I haven’t needed them in the last 2 years I don’t need it!!! I am cleaning out the garage and getting rid of the furniture so we can start the big build in early 2018.

OMG where to start!!!

I am extremely appreciative of every single person who over the last 18 months has helped with some form of fund raising. They have all contributed to making my home a more accessible place and keeping my mental health intact. I have worked so hard at keeping it all together all be it sometimes this has proved rather difficult.  I have been able to tile and paint the en-suite, paint and carpet the hall, stairs and landing, build, decorate and floor an office space, Have an amazing holiday which after 25 years of working for the NHS was extremely necessary, and when you think what we have been through as a family, it’s a small price to pay to be together making new memories.

The help from friends and sponsors who have supported my para riding so far it has been fantastic. This  has provide me with a lorry hoist, hat, air jackets,  SW para training coaching sessions, BD classifications applications, Private consultations for spinal reviews and so many more amazing things to come. I can’t wait for the developments during 2018. Let’s just say when the chips are down you certainly know who your friends are!! So much is happening lately that I am here there and everywhere, and with the help from so many amazing friends there is actually no stopping me. Well I think you would agree January has been pretty busy. So let’s make sure this is the best start to the most amazing year as we go into 2018.

Bring it on!!!