It is not the end, only another trying chapter

[dialahubby]

Firstly I would like to apologise to all my customers whom have used my services (Handyman) over the years, some of you know about my unfortunate circumstance concerning my spinal injury which has left me unable to work, the operation in which I hoped to fix the issue has only complicated matters further leaving me with partial paralysis to my right leg and nerve damage in my lumber. I've been told recently that I will never be able to do the physical work that I so enjoyed doing, and on top of that whilst I was in treatment and convalescing over the last four years some of you knew I was retraining to be a counsellor/psychotherapist, but the last year of my training I was unable to complete partly due to the time I took off for treatment though my college was very supportive with, and knew I was able to catch up with the theoretical work, but what broke the camel?s back (no pun intended) was during my work experience I was unable to sit through a 50 minute session with a client without constantly fidgeting to adjust myself to find a comfortable position. This of course led a to a fundamental question if I'm unable to nurture myself how am I expected to help others, it's also unethical for a client to see their therapist constantly fidgeting, and though I tried to disguise my pain unfortunately it was in vain.

Writing this as I am is quite cathartic as I often worried about my future and still do. As you can imagine I feel like all the good things I use to enjoy i.e. sports; particularly cycling, scuba diving (the jury is still out on the latter) dancing and of course my work and being a bachelor was everything to me being the creative person I am; whether it be through my art, writing, design, restoration, decorating, carpentry or even just fixing things, and dare I say cleaning, which has become one of the most challenges obstacles, having OCD.

As you can imagine my life has been turned upside down, and yes there are times when I feel sorry for myself, however all the operations and physical pain I go through pales into insignificance compared to my failure as a son to whom I made a promise to my mother who is in advance stages of MS that I would look after her when the time came instead of allowing her to go into a care home. She has suffered with it for about 30 years and now is bedridden, though we are waiting for a special adapting electric wheelchair.

I used to visit my parents whom live about two hours away in Buckinghamshire on a regular basis even after my operation and during treatment, but now my health has worsened to the point I am pretty much housebound especially over the last few months being unable to walk without being in extreme pain. I've been unable to visit my parents, whom both are only in their late 60's. My father does his best to care for my Mum, but though he won't admit it it's difficult for him as he also has a terminal illness, and when he has been rushed to hospital and spent months in ICU I was able to care for my mother at a place she feels comfortable in, her home.

Already over the last few months my Dad has needed some rest-bite of his own and my mother has had no option than to go into a home, and what makes it worse is that available rooms for specialist care that she needs are very few and far between. Often the home can be many miles away from my parents? home, making it difficult for my father to visit her. In turn this leaves my mother feeling somewhat isolated which brings me back to my failure as a son who has seen the struggles my mother has had to endure over the years of her debilitating illness, and I can't help remembering about all she has been though. I feel selfish even reflecting upon it as a comparison to what I've experienced over the recent years and it scares me to what I possible could expect.

I've digressed greatly to what I set out to write, but as previously mentioned this has been very cathartic and therapeutic. Writing somehow releases ones frustration and channels anger in a positive way.

To that end I'm not looking for any sympathy, far from it, for we all have a story and though many readers of this may empathise with my plight what I'm trying to convey is that I'm not giving up despite what the specialists say about my future work situation. Yes, I'm not as able to do the things I used to do, however I'm a creative person. I have an experienced managerial mind with a restless soul, I need a to be constantly challenged with a project or two, I will with a positive attitude strive to learn and adapt to a new order.

As an environmentalist I loathe unnecessary waste. We seem to live in a throwaway society, my perspective is 'if it's not broken don't fix it, or replace it' I've always striven to recycle, reuse, re-purpose materials even when I was working I would always fix something if it was possible rather than replace it with new.

So I've decided to occupy my time with a hobby to both take my mind off the pain and utilise my skills and creativity in recycling and re-purposing materials to create one off unique pieces of furniture.

No amount of money will pay for the time and effort gone into making the furniture as it can take many months of effort. That is when I?m able to have the strength to enjoy the process of designing and crafting such a piece from conception to completion. The point is I?ve achieved my ethos of being able to rescue, recycle, re-purpose unwanted broken furniture destined for landfill and create with a degree of passion something that I can be proud of.

Unique Handmade Four Drawer Storage Unit/TV stand/Dresser

The carcass was originally part of a welsh dresser which was donated to me made from Vietnamese hardwood. It had no worktop so I hand crafted one from an antique Victorian oak table, again donated. I?ve hand carved 4 matching pieces, bevelled edges all round, stripped the dark varnish and sanded it back to its original grain, which I have retained and given it coats of walnut protective stain to match the drawers. Of the latter each of drawers have safety locks to prevent them from being pulled out fully, though they can be turned for making easier transport.

A lot of time and effort has gone in to making this eco project, and has been finished to a professional standard as you will see from the photographs attached and below

L 110 x H 65 x D65 cm

?175

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?9,1701207

[dialahubby]

more pics

[dialahubby]

and more pics

[dialahubby]

To those of you that are wondering, yes it does have a bowed front shape, it's not an optical illusion from my camera lens

[dialahubby]

Thanks neighbours for your personal messages of support and the nice feedback of my furniture, it has been gratefully received

[joom]

Yoga❤️