Welcome to my blog. It varies how regular I write posts here. I sustained a 'Traumatic Acquired Brain Injury', and a six month coma from a 'road traffic accident' whilst cycling, in October 2006. I spent the following 4 years (22-26yrs old), in a combination of hospitals and rehabilitation homes. Now, I have been living independently in Surbiton, England since October 2010. This blog begun life in December 2010, as i realised that there are many people worldwide that i want to share experiences with. I know that, as a wheelchair user, I am obviously not as mobile as i wish, so, use the internet to connect to you. I enjoy letting my thoughts represent through type. I type honestly. As numerous readers, as well as email recipients, will understand, I find typing to be very therapeutic. Thank you :)
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Friday, 1 February 2013

I'm not addicted, I just drink a lot...

...of coffee.

Right, friday it is, but i type this post earlier, in the afternoon, I am not accompanied by usual hit of caffeine. We shall see what the effects are. I start 'early' because i have a lot of notes to type about this week, you lucky, lucky folk.

First note refers to my 'wheelchair issue'. I am, and always have been in strong support of public transport. To start with I want to offer praise for London Transport, as I know that they consider cases of 'disabled accessibility', very importantly. Thank you. Therefore, when there are issues that force me to 'note', they stand out. I am such a regular user of London Buses, I have become an experienced user of 'the ramp'. Usually, a bus will stop after being hailed. The ramp will then shoot out (slowly), onto the pavement, allowing me to board the bus. Usually, as very rarely it fails, and the bus leaves. I am left to wait for another, should it fail.
Today I was in a rush, and forced to miss the bus. I was asked by the driver to wait for another as it already had 3 buggies, on board. Three! I had no choice.


I am left exasperated as i take the above photo (of the sign which is displayed on every bus). Fair enough, TFL  are asking the general public to consider wheelchair users. However they are not making rules, and not telling people what is going to happen. TFL have done their bit, but the truth is not everyone obeys. Hmmm.

I have made a note owning up to feeling the negative effects of coffee. Fair play, caffeine is a mighty fine stimulant, and without it people can notice negative effects. I have always claimed that whilst I enjoy it, I have never felt these negatives. Monday, it was, and unusually i drunk coffee in the morning. I had quite a lot. Carried it on, through midday,then stopped, as i knew that i had reached 4 shots-worth, by mid afternoon (a lot, for me). I then felt like another at about 5pm, but i restrained myself as i wanted to prove that i could. I got desperate  by 6, 'nope'. 7pm, i changed focus to dinner, but i really felt the need. Then, as usual, i had a coffee after dinner. I felt better immediately, which disappointed me (was i addicted?). Hmmm. I have not felt like this since and claim that it must have been a side-affect to the botox treatment i had last week (medical/physical).

Very slowly, I am reading the autobiography of Danish superstar/ex-cyclist/SaxoBank team manager, Bjarne Riis. One of the many self-confessed ex dopers, but he manages to explain the very simple attraction to cycling on page 2.

"As a rider, I used to spend hours in the saddle on training rides going through any problems I had in my head, coming up with solutions and forming plans to deal with it all."
  
Aside, obviously, from the physical activity, I enjoyed this and it is this which I am now forced to find in different ways. Oh, how i miss cycling!

I followed the professional sport very closely, and it is because of this that I feel very little pain when hearing all of the doping confessions. I never raced professionally, but I read a lot and followed the sport so closely.



I was never a fan of Mr Armstrong, as a cyclist. There he was, parading, arrogantly around his seven TDFs. Endless accusation, but forever denial. I couldn't stand him. To me, he denied but it was obvious that the whole thing was corrupt, including him. The truth always wins. 
He made his 'coming clean' quite smartly. Fair play to him, it can't have been nice, after living a fake life. For me, nothing has changed, he always was a cheat. Everyone was, he was the best at it. It is an endurance sport, and therefore deeply troubled. What we  should gain from Lance is the lesson 'if you are going to cheat, cheat well. The truth will always win.'
By admitting, he is just proving that he is human.

Unrelated to Mr Armstrong, but 
A link well worth a visit:



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