Healthcare Heros!

I have had a really exciting week this past few weeks and something I never expected.

About a week after I got back from London I received an email to say that my name had been given to  another company who had been tasked with putting a book together containing stories from a variety of people from people who make prosthetic’s for people who have had an amputation and then there is me. They wanted to include my story and why I do what I do. They thought my story was inspirational because I spend my time working, volunteering, speaking all despite my asthma. I don’t think its anything that great but it does make me feel quite proud that there are people who admire what I do.

I didnt really know what to expect after my first conversation with the guys who are putting the bak together. I don’t think I realised how professional it was going to be. I have done interviews in the past and had photo’s taken for different things so I expected it to be the same. I was so wrong. They guys who turned u were great but I was taken a back a little by the amount of stuff. They told me about what they were going to do etc and I started to get a little bit nervous about the enormity of what I was actually doing.

We filmed the interview for the book sitting in George Square at Edinburgh University. I felt really self conscious at first because the park had lots of people in it and we moved people of a bench so we could use it and I was also had a mic. I soon settled in and it was all ok. The guys were great and it ended up just like a chat rather than an interview. I forgot all about the camera.

We also took lots of photos in all different places around George Square- we had lights and all sorts. It seemed really professional and I can’t wait to see the end result. It will be in a book which I think will be finished in January.

In the interview we talked about all sorts of things but the last question struck me and I have thought a lot about it recently. The guy interviewing me thought it might be a hard question to answer but he asks it to everyone he interviews so wanted to ask me. He asked me why I do what I do?

It was easy to answer. I do what I do because if I didnt I wold be lying in bed depressed, hating my life and thinking of all the things that my asthma is stopping me doing. Instead I have been given some wonderful opportunities to make the good out of the bad. When I dropped my hours at work AUKCAR came along at the right time. I don’t know where I would be had I not had that opportunity. I probably wouldn’t still be working because I would hate half doing a job because I can’t do it full time. But now I don’t feel like that. I work part time but put my all into it then I spend time resting doing research stuff. I almost think i do some of the things selfishly because I originally started doing it because it was a way to stop me being miserable and thinking of what I can’t do and doing something I can do. But now I love doing it (I always have) and have a renewed hope and positivity. The other oppertunies that come along as a result of different things are a bonus and if by me helping review PhD proposals, or patient information leaflets helps someone with their research study which may then change the life of someone with asthma then that is a huge bonus and well worth giving up the time to do what I do.

I guess in some ways it is inspiring but I don’t do it for that. I have had my life dictated by asthma too much recently and this I can very much do despite my asthma and it cannot dictate when I do or do not do the stuff I need to do for AUKCAR.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I am really honoured and touched that people find what I do inspiring but even if people didnt I would continue to do what I do.