The wonderful Irina from Latvia. My eleventh smile.
Yet again I made the mistake of thinking that I was getting stronger so, feeling normal, I settled to an hour’s work at my desk before doing a shopping list and jumping on the bike for a shop. Half way through the shop I discovered that I was unable to make decisions again, and on calling Allie to get her help with making decisions, came to realise that I was completely disorientated in Sainsburys. As my speech started to become more laboured, as I tried to talk to Allie and orientate myself, I found myself turning around and around in this particular and peculiar aisle of the shop from which there seemed to be no way to orientate myself. As the fear of another neurological seizure within me rose, I had no idea which way to go until I eventually found myself by the checkouts and with tears glistening in my eyes, pulled over to a gap at the side, took a deep breath, looked at my list, looked around me and realising that I was now back, and as close to normal as I was going to get, I set off to finish the shop. It seemed to take for ever and required much help from the team to find the items I was looking for but find them I did and paid up, packed up, I was back on the bike for the ride home. I was exhausted after that for the remainder of the day and despite Allie’s delicious tea I could not sustain myself for an evening of Strictly. My legs started twitching viciously and my eyes kept drooping. I was good for nothing but sleep. Sunday morning I was up early to perform the welcome duty at church and as I walked for the bus felt deeply disappointed by my poor performance doing a simple task. I had struggled to complete a simple task and was struggling to see how I will ever be strong enough to be employable in some form of employment. Then I bumped into Irina at the bus stop. Her smile lit up my entire life at that point and I arrived at church buoyant, stronger and ready to greet all who came with a broad smile of welcome. I was able to help a lady who came to me, burst into tears and asked for a hug before the service and then after the service prayed with a couple for the life of a close relation of theirs who was losing his battle with a disease.
Irina’s smile helped me to bring comfort to the lady and comfort and hope to the couple.
Please send me your smiles either on this Facebook page, Instagram, or by email on archie@beatthebeastchallenge.co.uk and share my Facebook page to see if we can’t spread peace, joy and a love of thy neighbour around the United Kingdom, Europe and the world.
Please challenge me with your sponsorship of £1 per month for the Disasters Emergency Committee to beat my beast of Neurological Dysfunction so that I might one day work again and to try to prevent my brain tumour from returning as predicted, and if it does to beat it back again. In so doing you are encouraging me to keep fighting and helping me to save lives and improve life chances around the world through the Disasters Emergency Committee.
www.beatthebeastchallenge.co.uk/sponsor-archie
Thank you.
May you be blessed with health, happiness and smiles in every day of your long and fruitful life. Please bless me with your smile
Yours aye
Archie.