I have always been strong and enjoyed exercise. I taught Jeet Kune Do Martial Art for a while. I ran five miles a day. I loved to swim. I worked hard as a sea fisherman and then every ting went crazy. I was abused for 7 years by a woman I loved. I was stabbed, hit over the head with a lump of wood, had stuff thrown at me, was attacked while asleep, all my savings were stolen and on and on. I finally left her and lived alone in my rented house.

I thought I was going nuts because my nights were filled with horrific dreams and my days were loaded with savage panic attacks. I spent hours talking with a doctor who diagnosed me with PTSD. I spent years learning to manage it but became a virtual recluse in the process. Only leaving home when I absolutely had too.

A friend gave me a camera to encourage me to go out and take pictures and I started to get really interested in photography. Just as I was beginning to get my head around the subject disaster happened. I woke up early one morning and my right leg felt like the inside of it was on fire. I pulled back to quilt and was horrified to see my leg and foot had swollen to four times their normal size. I am 65 years old but I wanted to cry because of the pain.

It turns out I have what used to be called, Dropsy. My lymphatic system is in trouble and it pumps fluid into the leg. The resulting swelling causes the skin to stretch tighter and tighter. The nerves in the leg also react and the pain becomes intense. I take strong pain killers and have to sleep with my legs raised to alleviate the swelling. I also have to take a diuretic. Suddenly I could only walk short distances and my shoes and jeans no longer fitted. I was house bound. Going shopping at the end of my street is an agonising experience. I have got to get mobile again and the only way I can do it is to get a motorbility scooter. I need a shed for the front garden of my house to keep it in. It will need power, an alarm and a good secure door for insurance and to keep the scooter out of the weather and prevent it from being stolen.

If you would be willing to help me I may be able to finally leave this house and using the scooter and my new travel card which would let me travel on trains and buses in London for free, I can go out and take the photographs I have been longing to take. I would not feel so useless and helpless and I would be doing something I love. Thank you for reading this far. I appreciate it. If you can help, thank you so much and God bless you.

George