I’ve spent my whole life taking part in dangerous pursuits and volunteering for any job that looked interesting even if it looked dangerous. I’ve climbed mountains and sheer rock faces. Dived to dangerous depths and learned to handle explosives and took part in underwater demolition. I volunteered to take part in the Cold War, competing with the Russian Spetznav.
All this has outlined the plan of my life, I have a need to continue doing anything that will get my blood pumping and I continue to find myself asking the question “What the hell am I doing here? What was I thinking of?” On top of this I’ve also been incredibly lucky that I came out alive.
At the age of 84 I found myself still nearly in one piece having broken lots of my bones. I am at Last really am the “Last Man Standing “. We used to to joke about that title during my days in the SBS with our 8 man crew taking part in the Cold War. Old Father Time had taken his toll with Cancer, Heart Attacks, a Stroke, brain tumour and two road accidents. Four years ago there were just two of us left.
Paddy, (another of those those unfathomable Navy nicknames because he was from Plymouth) was shot in the stomach in the Malayan jungle, and invalided out. We spent our last meet up at the Special Forces Club in Knightsbridge, having a great catch-up. Less than five weeks later I learned from his son that I was now “Last Man Standing”. I didn’t feel like celebrating.
Last Summer with no warning I found myself lying on the floor and unable to get myself up, not unusual because some twenty years ago after abusing my body I had been fitted with two stainless steel knee joints and cannot kneel (incidentally three weeks after having the second operation I took my new knees for a hike up the special forces route up Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons I completed the Fan Dance without using a stick)
Anyway I’m lying on the floor and unable to get up, my wife cannot help so my grandson came, just put his arms under me and picked me up like a baby. Three falls and a submission sounds like a wrestling match but that’s what happened! After my Grandson was called to rescue me for the third time in a week, he insisted on calling an ambulance.
Long story, loads of tests including X-rays, MR scans and so on the diagnosis was a trapped nerve or Sciatica, no treatment just rest and time.
Months of rest and time have gone by. I’m bored and spending loads of time on line trying to resolve my trapped nerve problem. I fancied the webpage of Joel Kodasia from Newport Pagnell in Milton Keynes I originally had full body acupuncture in mind when I first spoke to him but quickly decided to put myself totally in his hands. Probably one of the best decisions I’ve made. Just last week I had my first treatment A one and a half hour session which included Deep Tissue Massage and Acupuncture. Astonishingly I was able to walk down to the entrance without any aid. Four days later I knew that a return visit for the full treatment. I just put myself totally in Joel’s professional hands I went through the full spectrum but highly geared to Gua Sha therapy is a traditional East Asian healing technique, where the body surface is press-stroked with a smooth-edged instrument. I can only say that the feeling in my body was like fireworks exploding deep in my body. On a par with all the dangerous experiences that I’ve spent myself seeking out. My head was asking “What the hell am I doing here? What was I thinking of ?” I tell you what I now know what Lazarus had in his mind when he stood up and chucked his bed away! I can walk! The fireworks aren’t going off in my body but they are still going of in my brain. Celebrating. My guru has advised a week easing back into my life and the back to the gym. Wheee!
