Hi Everyone - at last the legs are steady - the heart is willing and 🤞fit enough for the challenge that my beautiful daughters and their wonderful other halves bought me as a Birthday surprise last May.

A Platinum Package Abseil down Spinnaker Tower on the 3rd May 25 at 4pm

As most people I know are aware, I owe my life to the amazing staff and care teams of QA ITU, who took me into their care back in Dec 20 due to COVID.

Check out extracts of my CC Diary - that helped me fill in some of the memory/time gaps.

However, before I could escape the ITU in Jan 21 - I had to be taught to stand, balance, walk, talk (sorry for that 🤪😳) and pretty much reset my body systems of coordination and functioning.

I wanted to get out of bed asap and I recall one member of staff saying if you can high five me - I’ll let you try and stand. I missed his hand by about 10 inches, knocked over countless jugs of water and being the only patient awake in the unit at that time (as no other beds were available to send me to) - I believe I caused the nurses so much pain and grief when I was imagining there was a Kebab rotisserie and Italian coffee machine across the ward that I desperately wanted to get too.

Of course it’s just the drugs doing there thing, however, my PTSD is so much better now; my neuropathy and skeletal aches and pains controlled sufficiently and mindset is very well focused towards Spinnaker abseil as my vertigo (I think) has now gone 😳 but I’ll find out on the day. 🤞🤞 if not I do it blindfolded. 🤣🤣

All proceeds from the abseil are to go to Portsmouth Hospitals Charity and will benefit the super hero staff and of course the unit.

On the day there will also be at least one possibly more collection buckets for any donations to go towards the West Kent Stroke Group - who provide support for stroke services of which my Heathers (my Wife) Uncle Andrew was one.

So sadly missed, loved by so many and always in the family’s heart. I recall telling him about my wish to raise money for the QA and group.

If I raise enough money - £750 will secure support to the group and its members for a year.

If you’d like to show your support on the day then I look forward so very much to seeing everyone! 😘.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

Sincerely grateful- best wishes

Barry