As the son of expatriate parents I was born in Trinidad and educated at Elizabeth College in Guernsey. I joined the British Army and served as both a soldier and an officer. The combination of expatriate parents and a military career meant that I have been lucky to have travelled extensively. My love for Guernsey drew me back to the island when I retired from the Army in 2003.
In August 2008 I was knocked from my bicycle on the way to work. This had a dramatic impact on my life forcing me from work and leaving me fighting to recover some semblance of my former life as I battled Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Derpression.
For the next 7 years I really struggled. I used a wheelchair and perscription drugs as tools to help manage pain and depression. Things finally came to a head following a failed operation to implant a spinal cord stimulator and I decided to stop relying on medical professionals, opiates and anti-depressants. Instead I hit the swimming pool, gym and cliff paths. In 2016 I completed a half Ironman triathlon in under 6 hours and returned to work.
Each year I set myself a goal which acts as both an incentive to keep pushing and a reward. These goals have included walking Hadrians Wall, barefoot waterski in Florida, and running 2,500 km on Guernsey's cliff paths in a calendar year.
I retired in 2024, but realised that I needed and could give more. So in 2026 I returned to work as an outdoor activities instructor, a role which involves teaching activities such as kayaking, coasteering, archery and high roping.
I still suffer from chronic pain and depression but I no longer let them get in the way, and most importantly, I'm still here.
The poems I write are part of my on-going mission to reinvent myself.
I hope you enjoy them.
Finally, please feel free to comment on my posts. Comments help me to develop my writing skills and also widen my outlook on the world. They also let me know that people are interested in my blog.
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