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| It's all about Fordy |
| 08-Jun-2009 02:31:27 AM [(GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi] |
Well, I just posted a
very long blog thanking
everyone who's helped me
and explaining what's
been going on since we
left the hospital in
Namibia, got to the end
and the website deleted
the whole thing, so here
we go again!!!
My wife often gives me
stick about being a
little self centred.
"It's all about
you, isn't it
Fordy?!" she often
says. To which I usually
reply, "Well,
yeah." The last two
weeks really have been
all about me, and I'm
starting to get a bit
sick of it. Lying in bed
being waited on hand and
foot sounds good, but
when most of the
attention involves
people sticking needles
in you, cutting you open
and sticking a vacuum
into your knee, and
enquiring about your
bowel movements, it
starts to wear thin.
Maybe I don't really
want it to be about me
any more. Well, at least
for a little while.
We got back from
Namibia exactly a week
after the race, having
spent some time in
Windhoek Roman Catholic
Hospital, had the
weekend at home and then
went to see the
specialist on Monday,
who admitted me to Mt
Elizabeth Hospital on
Tuesday to get the last
of the infection out of
my knee (surgery plus
more antibiotics and
more painkillers). I
finally got out of there
on Friday and have been
recuperating at home
ever since. I still
can't walk as well as I
did when I finished the
race, partly because my
knee is still swollen
from the surgery and
partly because the
muscles in my right leg
have atrophied to the
point where I can't bend
my leg any more.
There are a large
number of people to
thank who have inspired
and helped me throughout
this event and
afterwards:
Sharon Ford - babe, I
don't know what I would
have done if you hadn't
come to see me cross the
line. First up I probably
wouldn't have kept going
on the last day, and
secondly I probably
would have tried to go
straight home instead of
going to hospital. All
the work you did keeping
people up to date and
following up on the
fundraising - you are my
rock, and I love you.
Boof and Floss - just
by being you you inspire
me to do great things
kids. Part of the reason
I did this was to show
you what you can achieve
if you put your mind to
it and don't back down,
so I HAD to finish,
right? I love you
guys.
My fellow
competitors - there is
so much to be inspired
about when you meet
people of this calibre.
Whether it's sharing
food or water, or
helping someone who's in
a spot of trouble, or
just watching someone
run 100km in 11 hours
after running a marathon
a day for three days, or
just having a laugh with
someone out on the trail,
these are some of the
best people in the world
you could ever hope to
meet. I am just blown
away.
Phil and
Bonnie (Shaz's mum and
dad) and my Mum - thanks
to all of you for coming
up to Singapore to look
after the kids while I
have been in my
different hospitals and
for your unflinching
support while I've been
in the race.
The
Fab Five Families -
thanks for the lollies,
chocolate, beers,
supporting Sharon, and
especially for the
little notes in my daily
food rations; sometimes
humour, sometimes
inspiration, both just
when I needed them.
ACE Insurance - this
whole exercise has been
a testament to buying
travel insurance folks!
And ACE came to the
rescue - along with
International SOS they
sorted out flights home
and made sure all bills
were paid with alacrity.
Special thanks to Ken
Brown and Juane Lim at
ACE Singapore, who
really pulled out the
stops.
Team
Flamingo - Julian,
Frenchy, Peter, Ian,
Nick, Joe and Alex - the
boys in tent six, who
really helped me get
over the line. I
couldn't have done it
without you fellas.
Clinton and Jimmy from
the support crew - ditto
on that last remark,
thanks guys for pushing
me that last six km's
when I really thought
all was lost.
To
the unbelievable number
of sponsors who donated
money for Tabitha. There
are too many of you to
list, but if you go to
www.sponsorme.com.au,
you can scroll through
and see just how many
generous people there
are out there. Special
mention to the people I
don't even know who
somehow found the
website and donated.
The staff at Windhoek
Roman Catholic Hospital
Namibia and Mt Elizabeth
Hospital Singapore - the
friendly faces (even
when bearing big long
needles) helped make a
tough time a little
better.
The team at
Racing The Planet - I
cursed you (especially
course director Dave
Annandale) continually
during the race, but you
provided me with the
experience of a
lifetime. Special thanks
to Zac Addorisio and Sam
Fanshawe for everything
under pretty tough
circumstances.
My
new employer, Allied
World, who have been
incredibly understanding
throughout the whole
thing, firstly in
allowing me the time off
to compete after only
being there a month, and
then being even more
understanding these last
two weeks when I have
been out of action.
Special mention to
Billy and Godley from
SBA Broking Associates
and Robbo from BGC (both
from Perth). Always
reaching into their
pockets for even more
money, their generosity
knows no bounds. You
guys are absolute
champions - big beers
coming your way when I
get back to Perth
next.
To everyone
who commented on my
blogs - reading those
comments was the
highlight of my day
every day.
I'm sure there are
others that I've missed
out, but since this is
the second time I've
typed all this, I need
to get on with some
other stuff and then get
back to bed, but you know
who you are and you also
know that I appreciate
your support - it's just
that there have been so
many people supporting
me that it's hard to
recall everyone at once.
But thank you.
This is me signing off
for the last time - I
really mean it - don't
try and stop me - we
will be sending a last
email to our sponsors
shortly and will try to
find a way to put our
video/photos onto the
internet. If you'd like
to receive the sponsor
email but haven't
received any emails from
us before, just comment
on this blog and I will
be sure to send it to
you as well.
Cheers,
Fordy
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