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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Thursday, 19 May 2022

Turn the pedals

 People see first, then form opinions.

It may only be an instantaneous, millisecond view, but then


Open your mind…


  • There are always different ways of looking at everything. All views will have an opposing possibility. 
  • We must all recognise this, perhaps welcoming the possibility of the ‘alternative’.
  • Humans are all unique, and therefore we each can choose our viewpoint, but we must always remember that somewhere/somehow an opposite view has the potential to exist.
  • Be mentally prepared to experience this opposite extremity.
  • Warning! Live your life, but if you ignore this possibility, the future may hurt you, (or please you), even more. Mentally prepare yourself, just in case that swing is due!
  • Open your mind, and be ready!


I have long recognised this state of affairs. I have therefore been praised since my initial recovery, for having such a ‘strong mentality’.

NO!

No, this is just a basic fact of life, that I was able to recognise, reinforced at various points growing up throughout teenage years. Fortunately the hours the hours spent cycling, allowed me to think, to myself, very deeply. The activity, and the sport could relate to my whole life. I could develop analogies, which could help me psychologically with a wide range of issues that one faces in ‘the real world’. Growing up, as a teenager, this was essential! 

I used to be a skinny, tall, lightweight cyclist, whose face would light up if the road went up!

As a fan of the professional sport, I used to follow many Italian heroes of the time. Many would win, but only one rider wins in a race involving hundreds! Success or failure. Was life really this harsh? Fates of my heroes altered. Performance enhancers will always exist. There is a whole world of strong and difficult issues involved here. I was fortunate that I never travelled down the road, aiming to race seriously. 


I still consider myself ‘a cyclist’. An injured, physically disabled cyclist, that cannot ride a bike. A cyclist's mentality will always  be at the forefront of mine!



Turn the pedals.  As one reaches a high, the other reaches a low.



My photo of a broken cyclist shows Denis Menchov churning his pedals around, mid pedal-stroke, up the Alpe D'Huez in the 2006 Tour de France. A race that was hurting, as I was at a personal highpoint!  






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