Coffee Morning 1st September raised £570 thanks to all who supported the event.

Special thanks to Mark Eggleston who has currently raised over £1500 through sponsorship and lottery ticket sales.

 

LONDON TRIATHLON RESULTS

Paul completed the Olympic Distance on Sunday 8th August in 3hrs and 19 minutes

 

Driffield Triathlon 16th May - Completed in 1 hr 28 mins (half distance of London). Special thanks to Kath Sanders also completing triathlon and raising £110.00 towards the cause.

My Story

Everyone knows that I have always lived life at the fastest pace.  I will admit that I am a workaholic, but like to play and party hard too and I could never have imagined developing a rare neurological condition that would leave me totally paralyzed and in hospital for 14 weeks from December 2008 to March 2009.

My wife and I had been hosting a party at home the evening the illness began. It started with a pain in my right shoulder and at the time I put it down to lifting heavy furniture.  By the following evening I wasn’t able to walk properly, my skin felt cold and clammy, but I was still convinced that an early night  was all I needed.  The following morning, on finding I was unable to lift my arm, my wife phoned an ambulance, believing I was suffering from a stroke.  Within a week my life was transformed from being the ambitious boss of an expanding business and a member of various committees, to being totally incapacitated, unable to control any bodily functions and paralyzed to the extent where I was completely dependent on the care of the hospital staff at Hull Royal Infirmary. 

Like many other sufferers of Guillain-Barre Syndrome http://www.gbs.org.uk I ended up spending time in intensive care. The paralysis spread rapidly throughout my body affecting all my limbs, my eyes, my core muscles, my ability to speak.  At its worst I had to be fed through a nasal gastro tube as I was unable to swallow.  After six weeks of being admitted to hospital I was stable enough to be transferred to a rehabilitation centre at Castle Hill Hospital Hull where the hard work to recovery began.  My family was warned that I may never regain use of my limbs and that my muscles would have to ‘relearn’ everything that a normal person takes for granted. I was supplied with special cutlery to learn to feed myself. Had to be taught to sit, to stand and after weeks of hard sweat and tears, to take a few steps. From being a fit and healthy person,  I had been transformed to a weak and feeble individual with no muscle tone and a weight loss of over three stone.

I spent a total of fourteen weeks in hospital and it was only with the care and attention of the staff at Castle Hill that I came home in such a relatively short  time.  Many other sufferers from GBS can spend many more months in rehabilitation.

Since my discharge from hospital I feel that I have been given a second chance at life.  Whilst  coming to terms and coping with the illness was an overwhelming experience for myself and my family, I have been determined that my recovery to full health would become a personal challenge too.  With the help of a private physiotherapist and  the support and encouragement of  staff at my local gym, family and friends, I have embarked on an intense fitness training program which will hopefully see me capable of undertaking the 2010 London Mazda Triathlon on August 8^th.www.thelondontriathlon.co.uk

My aim is not only to complete the Olympic Distance Triathlon in under three hours, but to raise ₤30,000  for the GBSSG and the rehabilitation unit at Castle Hill. Through their comprehensive website,  the GBSSG provided vital support and information for my family and friends and their help line, manned by volunteers, gave reassurance to my wife when she was most anxious. GBSSG also provides funds for research projects and support for those unfortunate sufferers of Guillain Barre Syndrome who, unlike me, are left permanently disabled by this illness. I would be grateful for any contribution you could make (no matter how large or small).  

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