Remember the name Giles Duley. I'll come back to him later.
I've just been out in my garden for the first time today since slipping a disc at the beginning of February. The trees were in bud, the sun was shining and it felt more like summer than spring.
I remember my mother suffering a slipped disc when I was a young child. She was encased in 'Plaster of Paris,' from chest to thigh which was the only cure in those days. I had no idea what was wrong with her or where the mysterious disc was supposed to have slipped to, but oh, how different things are now. The physio comes to visit regularly, encouraging me to get up and walk a few steps each day.
Life's quite cushy , really. I lie in bed (to keep my spine horizontal) while 'Mr Guernsey Writer' dishes out tea, sympathy and usually a hot supper. Best of all, I have plenty of time to catch up on my reading.
Which brings me to the reason for this blog post. I've just read the most amazing account of a 40-year-old photographer, Giles Duley, who had three limbs blown off a year ago whilst working in Afghanistan. He was out on patrol with the US Army's 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment along with six Afghan National Army soldiers, when he stepped on a land mine. His career up to then had been spent in the fashion and music industries and he desperately wanted to do something more worthwhile.
He was left with only his right arm intact
.
Is he miserable? No, actually, he's very glad to be alive and determined to walk again. His girlfriend, whom he had known for just a short time before the tragedy, has stayed by his side throughout. The thought of her, he says, kept him going when life seemed impossible And now, back home and still adjusting to his new circumstances, he appreciates the small things he once took for granted. Like Spring, and the wonder of nature as every day new shoots push their way through the earth towards the sun.
Giles Duley has strength, willpower, compassion, forgiveness and love -all of it in bucket-loads. I wish him all the happiness he deserves
.
Ps - Did someone mention a slipped disc??
I've just been out in my garden for the first time today since slipping a disc at the beginning of February. The trees were in bud, the sun was shining and it felt more like summer than spring.
I remember my mother suffering a slipped disc when I was a young child. She was encased in 'Plaster of Paris,' from chest to thigh which was the only cure in those days. I had no idea what was wrong with her or where the mysterious disc was supposed to have slipped to, but oh, how different things are now. The physio comes to visit regularly, encouraging me to get up and walk a few steps each day.
Life's quite cushy , really. I lie in bed (to keep my spine horizontal) while 'Mr Guernsey Writer' dishes out tea, sympathy and usually a hot supper. Best of all, I have plenty of time to catch up on my reading.
Which brings me to the reason for this blog post. I've just read the most amazing account of a 40-year-old photographer, Giles Duley, who had three limbs blown off a year ago whilst working in Afghanistan. He was out on patrol with the US Army's 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment along with six Afghan National Army soldiers, when he stepped on a land mine. His career up to then had been spent in the fashion and music industries and he desperately wanted to do something more worthwhile.
He was left with only his right arm intact
.
Is he miserable? No, actually, he's very glad to be alive and determined to walk again. His girlfriend, whom he had known for just a short time before the tragedy, has stayed by his side throughout. The thought of her, he says, kept him going when life seemed impossible And now, back home and still adjusting to his new circumstances, he appreciates the small things he once took for granted. Like Spring, and the wonder of nature as every day new shoots push their way through the earth towards the sun.
Giles Duley has strength, willpower, compassion, forgiveness and love -all of it in bucket-loads. I wish him all the happiness he deserves
.
Ps - Did someone mention a slipped disc??
4 comments:
poignant post and for more reasons than one.
It never fails to amaze, stun and humble me whenever I read of the power of the human spirit.
Thats an amazing story mate. It shows how much we all take for granted every day, and no matter how we feel we dont need to look far to find someone who has far more to contend with and still manages to smile through it all
How are you GG? Hope you're not working MrGG too hard.
One good thing about being bed bound is that we get to read.
I'm not bb gg but do try to read a few pages at night..that's when mother allows:(
You may have a slipped disc gg,but you still appreciate the wonders of nature and also that there are always compassionate,brave people who are worse off than ourselves. I wish you a quick recovery and best wishes to mr gg.
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