I had a spinal cord injury when I was 25 in 1999, I was a passenger in a car with my partner at the time, and we had an accident. I was taken into Cardiff where I had to have some scans. They operated on me and put a fixture in my spine, so I’m paralysed from I believe a T4/T5 level. I completely severed my spinal cord and it left me paraplegic. 

At first for the first 4 years, it took a lot to get over. It takes about that long to get over the trauma of such an accident. The first year or so after my accident I just couldn’t take it. I was so active before, I worked full time, had my own flat and my own car and I was independent. Because my mental health went so bad, I was made to officially retire before my 30s. That period of poor mental health went on for about 4 years, then a group of my friends dragged me out to a party because I just didn’t want to go out anywhere at the time. I didn’t want anyone to see me. They dragged me out to a party and that’s where I met my future husband. We were together 7 years before getting married. He took me for who I am and didn’t see the chair, he just saw me as I am. I Couldn’t have met a nicer man. 

After I left Rookwood hospital, I was going to a gym regularly about 3 times a week in Cardiff, my grandfather was pushing me because he knew it was important to keep fit. But after he passed away, I didn’t go anymore.

I drive now since my accident, the car sort of acts like my wings and gives me freedom to go places. I’m quite independent. I volunteered for the NHS for a while, I taught myself to crochet when I was bored and decided to begin teaching a group of ladies with mental health conditions to crochet then, because it’s a great distraction and keeps you busy, helps take your mind off things. You tend to overthink when you’re just sat in the chair.

I was at a desperate point in my life last year, I’d lost so much weight as a result of my mental health affecting my physical health. I was part of a SCI peer group that would meet up in Cardiff once a week for a while, we’d get together to talk. I was also in a WhatsApp group chat with someone from Rookwood hospital and I told him what I was going through and asked whether there was a gym or somewhere accessible we could all go to. He sent me the link to morrello, and I looked it up online. I knew Sam [SCI Specialist at morrello] from Rookwood too. I gave Sam a ring and we had a good chat about everything. Sam is so lovely.

After that I started going to morrello once a week and it made a hell of a difference. They’re so lovely down there and Sam is so knowledgeable about the spine, she took me under her wing for a bit. I had seen about Physio in a box online, but it took me a while to call up about it. I got in touch with Sam and she told me it was now at the end of the enrolment period, but she had a word with her colleague and recommended me for the project, and thankfully they still let me join.

I couldn’t believe it, it was unbelievable having such a nice bit of equipment in my home to exercise with, and Jon on the screen once a week for the virtual workouts and exercises. 

Unfortunately, I’d already had the bike for a few weeks before I was in the right frame of mind to be using it properly. I explained to Jon that I hadn’t been using it as much as I wanted. It was just a bad time for me to have it. But Jon let me have it for a couple weeks extra and that’s when I really used it then. When you start moving your body, and you have to push yourself to do it, I would really feel better then. 

You get your heart rate going which I hadn’t done for years and years. I really wanted to get better and feel well again. And it really did help, it gave me so much more energy after exercising. Going around town I just felt so much better, my spasms improved tremendously after getting my legs going. If I could, I would definitely buy one of the bikes. It’s so nice to be fit. My trouble is that I got lazy, but it did definitely improve my mental health and I felt much more comfortable in myself. It got me wanting to do more and gave me more energy to want to get up and do things. I found I was able to push myself more as time went on. There’s really not a bad thing to say about Physio in a box, it’s all positive. 

They were great – Jon really does push you. Online is just as good as in person! I’d still like to have the bike in the house AND go to the gym so I can have best of both worlds.