My life before stroke

I am a young 62-year-old. What I mean is that right up until when I had my stroke, I led an active lifestyle. I have worked without a break since I was 13, doing paper rounds and golf caddying. At 15, I left school and started full-time employment a week later. I flew to New York on my 16th birthday to join my first ship. Seventeen years later, after joining several ships and seeing most of the world, I came ashore to be with my family.

On my 16th birthday, I flew to New York to board my first ship, the Queen of Bermuda. The photo is at All Boys Point, Bermuda.

During my time in the Navy, I fell in love and married a beautiful young lady called Jeannie. 53 years later, we are still together and still madly in love. We have four lovely children: my oldest daughter Lila, my son John, my daughter Louise, and my youngest daughter Sarah, who lives in Australia. I have six granddaughters and one grandson, and they all played a vital part in my survival, especially during the first few months of my stroke. 

In 1982 I became a Christian, Jeannie was saved first then me, and in 1984 after a failed attempt of starting my own business I started work for YMCA Norfolk it was here that my life became very active i.e. I was introduced to hill walking and adventure caving by my old friend and colleague Cliff; we had some serious fun together and ended up taking groups of young men from the YMCA to Derbyshire or the Lakes and I fell in love with outdoor activities. I remember one time while caving in Bagshaw cavern Derbyshire I got stuck in what they called the letter box, Cliff and the others took the mickey then the guide told me that they would come back in a week when I would have lost enough weight to get out, this statement had me moving but my clothes were torn getting out. 

Eventually I qualified with the Mountain Leadership Board summer. I took up wild country camping group work and solo, Mountaineering, canoe instructing, skiing, (not very good at skiing but enjoyed the après bit) hill walking in winter, I love snow and ice, until recently I had a caravan in Edale and spent many winter weekends walking Kinder Scout etc. Only last year, 2011, I spent New Year's Day in the snow on Kinder Scout, one month before my stroke. I will refer to my outdoor pursuits as I go along, as my memories were part of my survival. 

In Christmas 2010, Jeannie and I visited my son and family in Gibraltar, where he was stationed. I ended up in bed all Christmas with swine flu. Three weeks later, we went to Australia for two weeks. Australia is sweltering at that time of the year, but I enjoyed it. We did all sorts of things, like feeding sting rays. They would swim around your feet while you fed them. I have never experienced anything like it. We had meals out and plenty of BBQS.

I had no idea of what was to take place.

My first ship, Queen of Bermuda. I joined in New York on my 16th Birthday 1966 as a Bell boy

Here I am serving afternoon tea on the left, and standing in front of the Queen of Bermuda on the right. The picture in the middle, gives you an idea of the uniforms we wore.

The Queen Elisabeth - Transatlantic. Southampton to New York

The Windsor Castle - Southampton to South Africa.

MV Glanelly which was a tramp steamer. I sailed Boxing Day 1967 and was away from Jeannie for nine months sailing around the world. We crossed the date line and had two Fridays. It was the first and last time I circumnavigated the world.

Skiing in Austria with Jeannie

Stannage Edge Derbyshire. Eddie and Sally climbing

Endeavour Challenge 1996. A 50 mile challenge on the Shropshire Union and Staffordshire-Worcester Canals.