The Cripple Chronicles

I didn't think this episode was going to be hard to record when I started thinking about the podcast but turns out I was wrong, I guess this stuff is still pretty raw.

Anything you would like to get in touch with:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://cripplechroniclespod.my.canva...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cripplechro...
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cripplechroni...

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
01:13 - Getting in contact with WestMARC
04:12 - Feelings before the pre-amputation appointment 
05:02 - Pre-amputation appointment physio side
09:07 - Pre-amputation appointment prosthetics side
13:08 - Questions I was asked at the appointment 
15:18 - Feelings I had after the appointment, getting told the frame could come off round 2
18:23 - Going to Inverness
19:45 - This is harder to talk about than I thought
21:44 - Frame removal process and leg re-breaking
28:44 - Being admitted to the ward to wait for a CT scan and amputation celebration
35:12 - Having to give up control if I might walk again
39:03 - Round up and outro

Trigger warning for alcoholism, topics of abuse. This is something I have put a lot of thought into for this weeks episode. Alcoholism can feel like a very shameful thing to talk about and share and I hope this helps it feel a little less shameful.

Links to help:

AA: https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/AA-Meetings/Find-a-Meeting/online
Al-Anon: https://meetings.al-anon.org/electronic-meeting-page/
Addiction services in your area: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/
Other useful contacts: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/recreational-drugs-alcohol-and-addiction/drug-and-alcohol-addiction-useful-contacts/

Anything you would like to get in touch with:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://cripplechroniclespod.my.canva...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cripplechro...
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cripplechroni...

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
Main section
Round up and outro

This episode of the podcast I chat about the first half of 2022, getting out of the house more. Feeling like I had to go down to Leeds to be near Eleanor and the lessons I learned from myself doing that. Moving house and the issues that I ran into with that as well as progressing with physio.

Anything you would like to get in touch with:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://cripplechroniclespod.my.canva...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cripplechro...
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cripplechroni...

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
01:34 - Applying for housing
04:29 - Getting out more
05:49 - Clinic appointment and amputation consideration
08:02 - New shoe and physio progress
13:45 - Going to Leeds
24:50 - Physical improvements after my trip
27:32 - Getting offered my flat and issues faced with that
31:07 - Moving house with the frame on
34:28 - Showering and bathroom needing adapting
35:47 - Using my wheelchair around the house
37:05 - Round up and outro

This episode of the podcast I simp over the friends that I made during covid and became a massive part in my life. The five mental health appointments I’ve had in total over 3 years. Some brief background of the relationship between me and the ex that was in the accident with me (more in ep 8), him helping me to get back out of the house more and accident anniversary number 2.

Anything you would like to get in touch with:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://cripplechroniclespod.my.canva...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cripplechro...

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cripplechroni...

Timestamps:

00:00: Introduction

01:52: Going out to the shop for the first time in a year and a half

03:39: Starting my Etsy store (BadBArt) and getting those first prints

05:35: making friends through a group chat, Bee getting one of my designs tattoo’d

11:23: Mental health input, gaps in my memory

19:37: identity crisis, not knowing who I was and gratitude for my friends

24:35: spirituality and how that has helped my recovery 

31:22: videos from sept/oct 2021 and next clinic appointment

47:09: meeting Eleanor for the first time and hanging out with my pals

50:46: Seeing my ex again, getting out of the house more 

56:23: Birthday clinic appointment and anniversary number 2 

59:26: Round up and outro

In this episode of The Cripple Chronicles I am back on schedule of recovery and talking about having my dream job terminated, another infection and hospital admission, issues with physio and how this time impacted me mentally.

Anything you would like to get in touch with:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://cripplechroniclespod.my.canva...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cripplechro...
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cripplechroni...

Timestamps:

00:00: Introduction
01:41: Moving my bones with the ilizarov frame
04:20: My contract being terminated from nursing
06:40: Being offered a date for my next surgery
08:21: The year anniversary of the accident
10:26: Bone graft surgery, festivities
17:42: Issues with physio, having another surgery and infection
24:08: Going to outpatient physio and starting to create digital art
29:22: struggling with suicidal thoughts
31:03: Going out for dinner and coming up to another anniversary
36:32: Videos from July 2021
38:22: Next clinic appointment and not hearing the news I needed
40:47: outro and round up

Taking a bit of a break from my planned schedule of posting. Quite a bit of swearing in this episode but I can't really help it from how I was feeling. Wanted to sit down and talk about how 'helpful' it is to push my wheelchair without my consent and the thought processes I had to work myself through. If you have experiences of similar things, please get in touch!

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cripplechroniclespod/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D&fbclid=IwAR29vbUkzHmznwGcZTY3-9914BeTB_nk-xlyYzekSWLqOvuhxMSJ8Xn9z4o

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cripplechroniclespod?_t=8aRcnTw4j0n&_r=1&fbclid=IwAR1lKxVxJ1lTPQNVyViYuCh48MYFFB3J_KV629p29TM9xogAj2CRrPt1sw0

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
02:29 - First time someone touched my chair without me asking and feelings/conversations around that 
05:47 - Recent experience of someone pushing me and how I reacted 
08:30 - How I felt afterwards 
10:33 - I!! Didn't!! Ask!! For!! Your!! Help!! And rushing causes me to hurt myself
12:37 - The first Cripple Chronicles guest appearance. Questioning if my reaction was bad or not 
14:15 - I still have autonomy over my body and more positive story of the day. 
16:14 - Asking for help
20:12 - "These things happen"
21:11 - Outro

This was a hard episode for me to record, the moment in my journey when I realised there was no going back to the life I led before the accident. Real and raw emotions around osteomyelitis, the options I was given, emotionally reading through my citation for court. Please be kind.

Email: [email protected]
Website: https://cripplechroniclespod.my.canva.site
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cripplechroniclespod/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D&fbclid=IwAR29vbUkzHmznwGcZTY3-9914BeTB_nk-xlyYzekSWLqOvuhxMSJ8Xn9z4o
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cripplechroniclespod?_t=8aRcnTw4j0n&_r=1&fbclid=IwAR1lKxVxJ1lTPQNVyViYuCh48MYFFB3J_KV629p29TM9xogAj2CRrPt1sw0

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
03:01 - Having my frame removed in a private hospital and my feelings around that
13:17 - Getting home and being in denial about bone infection symptoms
19:14 - Antibiotics for bone infection, my options, frame 2 or amputation
26:19 - Being sued, reading through the citation I received 
35:17 - Using a machine to bend my left leg
37:32 - Getting my second frame and my emotions surrounding this
43:08 - Getting a 'little blood infection'
45:49 - Escaping from the hospital
49:47 - Round up and outro

This episode of The Cripple Chronicles I am talking about getting discharged from hospital, the support and equipment that I had in place, covid and my mental health through the 7 months I had my first ilizarov frame.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cripplechroniclespod/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D&fbclid=IwAR29vbUkzHmznwGcZTY3-9914BeTB_nk-xlyYzekSWLqOvuhxMSJ8Xn9z4o

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cripplechroniclespod?_t=8aRcnTw4j0n&_r=1&fbclid=IwAR1lKxVxJ1lTPQNVyViYuCh48MYFFB3J_KV629p29TM9xogAj2CRrPt1sw0

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction
01:02 - Equipment I had at home
05:32 - First day home after discharge, OT visit and community alarms
09:51 - Support from carers and issues with that
14:38 - Support from the re-enablement team and physiotherapy 
17:47 - Mental health support, limiting expectations and adaptions
22:37 - First clinic appointment since being home
24:33 - How my mental health was at home, family support
28:13 - What happened to my ex, other romantic relationships 
33:52 - Thoughts about my self-worth and covid
36:39 - Tips for cleaning pinsites and signs of an infection
41:00 - Timescales
44:21 - Finding comfort with the frame on
46:14 - Tips for showering/bathing with the frame on
49:06 - Moving around, mobility aids, comparing yourself and expectations
52:28 - Follow up clinic appointment and being told my first frame could be removed
56:57 - Round up and outro

The first episode of the Cripple Chronicles Podcast, is an introduction to the start of my journey, what I remember from my car accident, those first three months in hospital and how it impacted me. I hope if you are in a frame you find some comfort from listening, if you have any questions, anything you would like to share or for me to talk about:

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cripplechroniclespod/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D&fbclid=IwAR29vbUkzHmznwGcZTY3-9914BeTB_nk-xlyYzekSWLqOvuhxMSJ8Xn9z4o

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cripplechroniclespod?_t=8aRcnTw4j0n&_r=1&fbclid=IwAR1lKxVxJ1lTPQNVyViYuCh48MYFFB3J_KV629p29TM9xogAj2CRrPt1sw0

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
06:25 - My recollection of my car accident
15:51 - Post surgery, seeing my family, being in high dependancy
19:02 - My mental health after the accident
22:30 - Surgery and the feelings around surgery, moving wards and poor treatment
26:46 - Being fitted with my first ilizarov frame, information about what the frames are and do and talking briefly about healing times
32:01 - Christmas 2019, moving around and fighting against my anxiety
38:19 - Conversation with surgeon, moving hospitals and talking about more poor hospital care
43:31 - Pain management, physio and OT input, grief and carer support
52:02 - Frame issues, clinic appointment, follow up surgery and discharge date in place
55:31 - Round-up and outro

A teaser/introduction to the Cripple Chronicles Podcast. First episode coming 28/04/23