Daniel shares how exercise improved his physical and mental health, and helped him on his recovery journey.
I had a serious accident over 10 years ago and was paralysed down my right side. I was determined to get back functioning and active again. I went to physiotherapy. They used to come and get me to go to my appointments. I was ashamed of people seeing me the way I was. People made fun of me.
Eventually, I started doing exercises in the house after going to physio. I kept on doing my exercises every day. Butterflies and half butterflies. Shadow boxing. Knee bends. Building up all of them to twenty repetitions each, twice a day. This helped with my counting as well.
I started feeling a bit of a difference, could see I was getting stronger.
My partner bought me two TENS whole body vibration machines. Big things they were and she carried them all the way up the street on her own! What a change in me after I’d been using them for a while. The vibrations helped with my balance – and with my anxiety. There’s different things that’ve helped me along the way.
During this time I was also in recovery from addiction and dealing with lots of personal issues but I kept exercising all the way through it. Over time, I was able to use a mobility scooter to get back out and about. Then I got a dog and that kept me going too.
Eventually, after Covid, and when I started with Future Pathways, I also started going to the local Recovery Cafe. We were all talking about the nervous system and how exercise is good for improving it. From there I thought I would give swimming a try. Swimming started it all.
Some friends started encouraging me to do a round of golf – I’m now able to hit every single ball when at first the club used to go flying and my pals had to go and get it back for me! There’s been people encouraging me and I really appreciate that when I look back.
I try to encourage other people in recovery to go swimming and to take up golf and other exercise because of how it’s helped me.
I enjoyed doing all of these things but I also wanted to be able to do something on my own. I wanted to go out when I felt like it to exercise and not be dependent on recovery groups, or other groups or other people; just to have the freedom to exercise like everybody else. I’d starting thinking about cycling when I got my mobility scooter. Once I felt stronger, I bought a bike but I kept falling off because of my balance. I tried to get stabilisers put on my bike too. I wanted freedom and fresh air.
I talked to my worker at Future Pathways about options for cycling and we thought about a trike/recumbent bike. We went through to Edinburgh to try some out. The boy in the shop ran along the street beside me when I had a go. I thought to myself, this is it, this is what I want, this is what I’d like to do.
It made me feel good, gave me a sense of freedom and enjoyment.
After that we had to do the funding application. I was dead worried I wouldn’t get it – I just felt like things like this doesn’t happen to people like us, people down in the dumps all the time and thinking about the worst things happening; not thinking anything good can happen in your life.
Then, when I realised I was getting it, I didn’t know if I was excited or worried! I was thinking about the security. What if I leave it somewhere? But I realise now I can take the battery out it. The computer out of it. And the shop guy gave me a good security lock for free too.
The day I got the bike, I cycled back to the train station on it and my worker walked alongside me. I was a bit anxious getting it on to the train. I couldn’t believe it. I really couldn’t believe it. Things like that don’t happen to people like us. Anything good, people usually take it away from you.
On my street on that day, people from my local town were giving me encouragement, smiling and laughing with me. That was different – laughing with me and not at me. People were happy for me.
People have told me I’m a miracle. I’ve walked from Bathgate to Whitburn – that’s because of building up my strength on the bike. I want to keep building up my walking too.
The bike has been a godsend. I’ve done over 200 miles on it now. I’ve been to Bathgate and back. Whitburn, Blackburn, Bathgate, Armadale and back to Whitburn. I’ve also been to Harthill from Whitburn, up to Fauldhouse, Longridge and back to Whitburn. When I’m out I see people smile and cars going by give me a wee toot.
Physically, it’s amazing. When you’re sitting on it, it feels so much easier because of your balance being sorted by sitting down. You’re not on a two wheeler. It’s not just made a difference, it’s made a life changing difference. My physicality is developing, my confidence has grown and I’m hoping it will grow more.
I find it hard to talk to people. I’m practicing this and sometimes the bike helps with having something to talk about when I’m out.
I think it helps with different things. I’m getting buses myself – I wasn’t able to do that alone before. I went to see Rangers again. I think that was partly because of the bike too. The bike helps my mobility and feeling more confident in my mobility and physicality. And fresh air – it’s a better tablet than anything off the doctor. You’ll never get a better tablet than that.
It’s given me ideas for doing more. I’d like to do a Glasgow or Edinburgh cycle to raise money for a parachute jump. It’s got me thinking of what else I can do. I want to get other people into recovery. It’s gave me ideas of what else might be possible. Maybe even volunteering one day.
I’m looking for contentment and to be stress free. I’ve been in trouble all my life. The bike puts a smile on everybody’s face – that makes me feel a bit happier as well.
