Originally Posted by Redmayne

My sobriety dates from the 15th of Feb., 2008.

On the 8th of Sept., 2016 I was admitted to hospital where I underwent an emergency life saving operation,caused by a bacterial infection, followed by five weeks in a medically induced coma. Due to concerns over a line of sepsis. None of which I was expected to survive.

Recovery, for anyone spending a prolonged period in a medically induced coma, is a bit like. As a neurosurgeon described it due to the fact you lose all your physical abilities and suffer reduced mental ability. Turning a tv set on in which the fuse has already blown and expecting it to work again, not going to happen!

The good news is that you do eventually recover but no one can predict how long that will take or the quality of that recovery. In terms of how well, physically or mentally you will function, if at all? At one extreme some people remain in a vegetative state whilst others do regain a high percentage of their abilities.

For myself, since my early days spent after I regained consciousness. I've always been aware that whomever I was or thought I was, no longer exists. Along the lines of the saying,' Please don't judge me how I was. I don't live there anymore.' Aided by the fact that the surgeon told me, I had been through a very stressful, traumatic event.

I've also always believed in the saying that, recovery, from anything. Isn't about going back to your old life. It is about building a new one.

And Epictetus saying,' When we confront any situation, we must first decide what's up to us.' In other words what is and isn't under our control.

Echoed by Marcus Aurelius saying,' The only power you have is over your mind, all the rest is external. Remember this and you WILL gain strength.'

So,twelve years into my sobriety and three years after these events the most sensible thing to do now is to turn adversity into advantage. Build constructively on all my experience and use it,in a positive manner to help others whilst at the same time helping myself...