Change the Channel - Would you be prepared if your life as you know it changed overnight?

Would you be prepared if your life as you know it changed overnight?

How would you cope financially and emotionally?

Have you ever faced challenges you couldn’t deal with, or situations that just seemed impossible?

On a day, just like any other, Andrew Fleming’s life suddenly changed. He was returning from a regular daily task on the family farm and, because he didn’t want to open the six gates on the safe route, took a short cut up a hill. A gust of wind came along at the wrong time and flipped him, throwing him from the quad bike. Laying there in the paddock his mind raced as he thought he would die before anyone noticed he was missing. His recollection of those six hours, knowing he had to stay alert until the neighbour came out to milk his cows, is heart wrenching but as challenging as that day was it was only one of many to come — he was about to face bigger challenges than he could ever have imagined.

Andrew was a fit, active farmer, and an accomplished water skier and snow skier. But from that moment his life as he knew it was gone – he was paralysed. 

After three months in hospital and home for just a week his wife told him she was leaving which made things tricky – the family farm he worked on was the in-law’s sheep farm – so yet again his life spiralled downwards. However through the amazing support of his own family and friends he has gone on to make a success of his life, found a new partner and now enjoys life immensely and in some ways feels the accident actually gave him a life he wouldn’t have had otherwise. He plunged to the depths of despair in those early days but has bounced back to reclaim his life. He now speaks to groups about farm safety and the importance of having insurance (for anyone self-employed, not just farmers) for this type of situation and also highlights the problems with the ‘she’ll be right’ attitude. 

Andrew is very honest in Change the Channel. He talks about the day-to-day struggles even now. The things most people just don’t talk about, the physical problems, the issues with tasks we take for granted, the constant pain, the body functions that will just never be normal again, the constant changes in his condition, the harshness of thinking it is all under control and then something else gives out, the knowledge that many people in wheelchairs quite often don’t live a long life (without constant movement the body starts to close down). The list goes on.

But the main message of Change the Channel is that you can get through it. You change the channel on your thoughts and take opportunities when they present. It also stresses the importance of taking responsibility for your own future in case the unthinkable happens. Although he has had wonderful support from ACC with his physical needs he stresses that the income side of things for self-employed is not great. Readers need to think about whether they could live on $265 a week like Andrew had to? 

Change the Channel is a reminder to us all to take responsibility for our future but also not to give up when something seems impossible – there will always be a way to rise above the challenges. Andrew was recently awarded the NSANZ BrightStar Emerging Speaker of the Year for 2014 and enjoys being back on the slopes he loved so much in his specially made sit ski.

Change the Channel is available from selected PaperPlus stores or direct from www.speakerandrewfleming.com/shop  

RRP: $30.00