When I was 14, and spent all of my time in bed or hospital feeling extremely poorly I made a list of things that I wanted to do. It was sort of the opposite of a bucket list because it was things that I really wanted to get better and do. Some of the things on my list were as simple as going out with friends and I also had going on holiday, learning to walk again, getting my GCSE's, A-Levels, a degree (nearly there!), skydiving, going to Blue Planet. At the very top of my list was swimming with sharks. It was my absolute dream because I loved sharks. I would watch documentaries and youtube videos and read magazines all day and through the night when I was unwell. It started as something therapeutic, because, you know, sea is relaxing. And then just developed into a real interest and love for sharks. I joined the Sharks Trust and loads of people sent me videos of their captures swimming with all different kinds of sharks and relayed their stories to me and I couldn't get enough. I would always talk about swimming with them and people would say 'you wouldn't really do it though would you? Would you really do it?'
Yes - I would really do it and I would give my left leg (to the shark, obviously) to do it. If I could go back to my(younger)self, struggling through a rough night of being ill, with sharks on my TV, dosing in and out and show myself what happened on Saturday - I don't even know what I would have done.
It was touch and go up to the last minute, as head and safety decided to enter the occasion only four days before and request a doctors note if it were to go ahead. The lovely Steve, our favourite shark keeper, kept us in an 'unofficial slot' and said it was ours whether we used it or not, and if not he'd open up a new slot as soon as we had the go ahead. He was an absolute knight in shining armour and we wouldn't have even been in that tank if it wasn't for all his efforts. So, at the final hour Dr Jones and his secretary got all the relevant paperwork signed and whizzed it over to us in time for the dive! As soon as that was through, I could relax and look forward.
I was pretty tired the night before as I'd been at the PORT charity day but I was SO excited that I still struggled to sleep all night. The same goes for nights since - my brain has just been too buzzing from it all to switch off. We arrived nice and early, because... we were ready nice and early, obviously and went for a look round the Sealife Centre before our dive. It was really busy, as it was when we did our feed a few weeks ago, and so it was difficult to get round it properly. It's always busy this time of year because the illuminations are on, and with it being cold people who holiday in Blackpool want to do indoorsy things.
Anyway, we met Steve 15 minutes before we were due in, changed into our wetsuits and then headed through to the enclosure. I don't think I have ever climbed into cold water so quickly. The whole experience went so quick but I was absolutely ecstatic from start to finish. I wish I could breathe underwater because coming up for air was such a distraction. I was rubbish at holding my breath and got out of breath really quickly which meant I had to catch my breath before going down again but oh my word, what an incredible experience I had. Seeing the sharks so close - they came right up to the net - was absolutely breathtaking (y'know, if I wasn't already holding my breath). Seeing them up close is such a different experience to seeing them through the glass. The feel of them brushing past and the waves and vibrations of them being right there, in the same water as me. It was so amazing. Boris the bowmouth shark was absolutely enormous and extremely curious. I think seeing him up close was my favourite part, and I think I'm going to say the bowmouth might be my new favourite shark. Most people only get 15 minutes on the swimming experience but Steve had given us a special slot and we were allowed to stay in for 40 minutes! I really don't know where the time went - it was the most amazing 40 minutes of my life. All that I imagined and more and I am even more in love with sharks than I ever was. If you ever get the opportunity, please do it - you will not regret it. The sharks are really graceful, and curious things and it is such an awesome thing to do.
By the time our 40 minutes was up, I was absolutely freezing but I still did not want to get out. When Steve said that the next bunch of swimmers would be arriving soon Sam and I took a big breath and went and sat on the bottom of the cage one last time - I held my breath for as long as I possibly could and tried to savour every view of the tank and all the sharks. It was absolutely wonderful.
When I got out, Mum kept asking me - 'What next?' - well it's going to take some topping, that's for sure. It doesn't matter so much what is next, because right now I am the happiest, luckiest girl in the world. I've achieved my biggest dream and there really is no better feeling - there isn't really anywhere you can go from there. It's just the best place to be. I haven't stopped watching the videos and looking at the pictures and I've just generally been trying to relive it all every moment since then.
I really do wish I could show 14 year old me these pictures because I would have cried. Here is a short video that my Grandad took from the shark tunnel. I love the moment where my Grandma tells a stranger 'That's my Grandaughter! And her boyfriend!'
On Friday I went to a PORT charity day - the amazing charity that Sam and I fund raised for back in July - and I got to meet lots of lovely new people suffering from rare bowel disorders like me. There are only a small handful of us and there was a wonderful atmosphere of understanding and empathy. Everyone in the room knew themselves or had witnessed what it was like to be 'someone like me'. I had gone down on my own, with an early morning and some stressful trains and so I was a little tired and didn't manage to get round and socialise as much as I would have liked but it was still really great to be a part of their first education and support day and it was also wonderful to meet Sue, who runs the charity and also Adam and Lesley, who I've known for about 7 years but never met. The talks given by the consultants were really good and informative and I learned an awful lot from the day. Sue put a huge amount of work into organising it, so I'm sure she was relieved to have a 'sit down' when it was all over but it really paid off and it was a very successful day! I hope there is another one again at some point.
I had a rest day on Sunday as the horse riding was booked up - we're now going on Wednesday. It was a much needed rest day though as I was absolutely exhausted. Sam and I went into Southport to pick up some 'gender specific' (Shhh!) items for Emily's baby from click&collect and we had a little mooch around the shops. I picked up an enormous batch of soup from Sophie who has basically, been providing all of my food since I went liquid and it is delicious.
I've stayed in Ormskirk the past few days and commuted to work which in some ways was easier because it meant I wasn't living out a bag for two days, and some ways more tiring because... early mornings. I'm exhausted now. Beyond shattered. This actually seems to be the way I end most of my blog posts - y'know, just writing about how tired I am. I have loads of uni work to get done so I am going to try and rest and get that done this week. I'm in lectures tomorrow 9-1 and then I have the afternoon off so I plan to do nothing and catch up on all my uni work. For now though, bed time! Night night! xx
It was touch and go up to the last minute, as head and safety decided to enter the occasion only four days before and request a doctors note if it were to go ahead. The lovely Steve, our favourite shark keeper, kept us in an 'unofficial slot' and said it was ours whether we used it or not, and if not he'd open up a new slot as soon as we had the go ahead. He was an absolute knight in shining armour and we wouldn't have even been in that tank if it wasn't for all his efforts. So, at the final hour Dr Jones and his secretary got all the relevant paperwork signed and whizzed it over to us in time for the dive! As soon as that was through, I could relax and look forward.
I was pretty tired the night before as I'd been at the PORT charity day but I was SO excited that I still struggled to sleep all night. The same goes for nights since - my brain has just been too buzzing from it all to switch off. We arrived nice and early, because... we were ready nice and early, obviously and went for a look round the Sealife Centre before our dive. It was really busy, as it was when we did our feed a few weeks ago, and so it was difficult to get round it properly. It's always busy this time of year because the illuminations are on, and with it being cold people who holiday in Blackpool want to do indoorsy things.
Anyway, we met Steve 15 minutes before we were due in, changed into our wetsuits and then headed through to the enclosure. I don't think I have ever climbed into cold water so quickly. The whole experience went so quick but I was absolutely ecstatic from start to finish. I wish I could breathe underwater because coming up for air was such a distraction. I was rubbish at holding my breath and got out of breath really quickly which meant I had to catch my breath before going down again but oh my word, what an incredible experience I had. Seeing the sharks so close - they came right up to the net - was absolutely breathtaking (y'know, if I wasn't already holding my breath). Seeing them up close is such a different experience to seeing them through the glass. The feel of them brushing past and the waves and vibrations of them being right there, in the same water as me. It was so amazing. Boris the bowmouth shark was absolutely enormous and extremely curious. I think seeing him up close was my favourite part, and I think I'm going to say the bowmouth might be my new favourite shark. Most people only get 15 minutes on the swimming experience but Steve had given us a special slot and we were allowed to stay in for 40 minutes! I really don't know where the time went - it was the most amazing 40 minutes of my life. All that I imagined and more and I am even more in love with sharks than I ever was. If you ever get the opportunity, please do it - you will not regret it. The sharks are really graceful, and curious things and it is such an awesome thing to do.
By the time our 40 minutes was up, I was absolutely freezing but I still did not want to get out. When Steve said that the next bunch of swimmers would be arriving soon Sam and I took a big breath and went and sat on the bottom of the cage one last time - I held my breath for as long as I possibly could and tried to savour every view of the tank and all the sharks. It was absolutely wonderful.
When I got out, Mum kept asking me - 'What next?' - well it's going to take some topping, that's for sure. It doesn't matter so much what is next, because right now I am the happiest, luckiest girl in the world. I've achieved my biggest dream and there really is no better feeling - there isn't really anywhere you can go from there. It's just the best place to be. I haven't stopped watching the videos and looking at the pictures and I've just generally been trying to relive it all every moment since then.
I really do wish I could show 14 year old me these pictures because I would have cried. Here is a short video that my Grandad took from the shark tunnel. I love the moment where my Grandma tells a stranger 'That's my Grandaughter! And her boyfriend!'
On Friday I went to a PORT charity day - the amazing charity that Sam and I fund raised for back in July - and I got to meet lots of lovely new people suffering from rare bowel disorders like me. There are only a small handful of us and there was a wonderful atmosphere of understanding and empathy. Everyone in the room knew themselves or had witnessed what it was like to be 'someone like me'. I had gone down on my own, with an early morning and some stressful trains and so I was a little tired and didn't manage to get round and socialise as much as I would have liked but it was still really great to be a part of their first education and support day and it was also wonderful to meet Sue, who runs the charity and also Adam and Lesley, who I've known for about 7 years but never met. The talks given by the consultants were really good and informative and I learned an awful lot from the day. Sue put a huge amount of work into organising it, so I'm sure she was relieved to have a 'sit down' when it was all over but it really paid off and it was a very successful day! I hope there is another one again at some point.
I had a rest day on Sunday as the horse riding was booked up - we're now going on Wednesday. It was a much needed rest day though as I was absolutely exhausted. Sam and I went into Southport to pick up some 'gender specific' (Shhh!) items for Emily's baby from click&collect and we had a little mooch around the shops. I picked up an enormous batch of soup from Sophie who has basically, been providing all of my food since I went liquid and it is delicious.
I've stayed in Ormskirk the past few days and commuted to work which in some ways was easier because it meant I wasn't living out a bag for two days, and some ways more tiring because... early mornings. I'm exhausted now. Beyond shattered. This actually seems to be the way I end most of my blog posts - y'know, just writing about how tired I am. I have loads of uni work to get done so I am going to try and rest and get that done this week. I'm in lectures tomorrow 9-1 and then I have the afternoon off so I plan to do nothing and catch up on all my uni work. For now though, bed time! Night night! xx
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