We’re back with another packed episode of our Shout! Podcast and this month we’re taking a closer look at some of our online support services, available to all of our fire family.
Our host, Rebecca, chats to some of our service users who have taken part in our HOPE (Help Overcome Problems Effectively) Programme, online counselling and digital physiotherapy sessions, while discussing the benefits of taking care of your wellbeing at every stage of your life.
Listen to the episode:
Featuring heartfelt stories from Luke, Keith, and Ewan, we explore how online support pathways have made significant impacts on their wellbeing.
Join us as we highlight the importance of seeking help and the resources that can aid in overcoming personal challenges.
If these interviews resonate with you, remember our Support Line is always available: 0800 3898820. Be sure to follow or subscribe to the Shout!Podcast to stay updated with our latest episodes.
Read the full transcript:
Please note: This transcript has been AI-generated so there may be some errors.
Rebecca: Hi, everyone, and welcome back to another packed episode of the Shout! Podcast. It’s great to have you with us. I’m Rebecca, Content Editor here at Fire Fighters Charity, and in this episode we’re diving into the wide range of online support available to you. Support that’s right there at your fingertips wherever you are in the UK and beyond our three wonderful centres.
Firstly, I chatted to Luke Kavanagh a wholetime and on-call firefighter who took part in one of our online wellbeing courses. That experience later led him to access online counselling during what was a challenging period in his life.
Then I’ll be speaking to Keith, a firefighter from Northern Ireland, who found help and support through our online HOPE Programme. And finally, you’ll hear from Ewan a Scottish Crew Commander who accessed Physiotherapy support via video before heading to one of our centres to continue his recovery after an injury.
Please remember to rate, follow or subscribe to the show on your usual podcast platform to keep up to date with this and more of our episodes.
Now, over to Luke. Thank you so much, Luke, for chatting to me today. Just tell me a little bit about what your position is in the fire service?
Luke: I do two roles within the fire service. So my wholetime role, I’m a crew commander, within my wholetime role, that’s with Hereford and Worcester, and then I’m also a on-call or retained duty firefighter, with Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue.
Rebecca: So just tell me a little bit about your background and what kind of led you to seek support in the first place.
Luke: I was sort of having to think about this, not so long ago, actually, because it was sort of, you know, like replaying it m in my mind terms of what caused me to go down that route. And I remember sort of at the time was I was working at a different station for my, for my wholetime role. so I was travelling probably kind of about an hour or so to work, and then obviously during the working day and then the, the same coming back from work. So at the time it was kind of quite a lot of time alone with my thoughts. and we’d sort of been in and out of a lockdown. So that was sort of, you know, always playing on your mind and, and then you’re thinking about kind of what the future holds and everything like that. We’d obviously had sort of our second, child at the time. So again, you know, pressures were high with things like nursery and just trying to kind of obviously be the sort of best role model and provider that you can for your family. and I remember sort of coming home and talking to my wife and saying that I sort of was feeling a little bit low, and had been for some time. and that kind of drew me towards trying to seek some support, really. And I think I kind of wanted to try and deal with it. I mentioned it previously in talking around this. I wanted to deal with it before it became a big crisis. Because I was really conscious that if I kept going down the same path, it would. It would kind of, transpire into something that, you know, could affect family or relationships and everything like that. And I was really conscious that I didn’t want that to happen. so for me, it was kind of just tackling it as soon as I could. and then. And then, you know, trying to hopefully sort of, get things into a little bit of perspective to support me kind of moving forward. Really.
Rebecca: That’s really, really powerful. And what you were saying about, first of all, speaking to your wife, because that can be quite tricky, I imagine, and then to get that support as early as you can, it’s a key message for us at the chairs, he. To sort of reach out as soon as you possibly can before it escalates. So that’s. Yeah, that’s amazing.
I know you first connected with us through, an online course, didn’t you? Can you just share a little bit about how that came about and, what that experience was like?
Luke: Yeah, definitely. I think kind of. It pretty much came off the back of a conversation that I’d had with my wife. I think she sort of said, have you thought about seeking support? And I would honestly say at the time I sort of like, kind of umbrella supporters want. I need to sit in front of somebody and I need to talk to someone or I need to kind of go to a group, and that’s kind of possibly longer, away from my family. And at that time I was conscious that I was sort of working quite a bit. So when I was home, I wanted to be. Trying to be as present as I possibly could. So I kind of just really sort of, you know, I knew that the charity are there and support a lot of firefighters across the fire and rescue service. And I’d had, obviously, discussions around the sort of mess table that, you know, the firefighter charity is there, and if you need them, you know, for anything that then, you know, they can. They can Support you. So for me it was just a sort of a kind of a Google search on the website really. I sort of went to the website and had a look round and see if there was anything and that was there to support. And if I’m probably being honest, I was looking for kind of like a phone number or an email address.
Luke: and obviously when you kind of navigate the website itself you can drop down and it, it kind of brought me to some online courses. so being a sort of digital world, I kind of clicked on a couple of the online courses that best suited me. and the one that I kind of did at the time was the Low Mood course. and I find it really useful. I think I’m somebody who tries to find an answer sometimes, maybe to my detriment as quickly as I possibly can. And yeah, the Low mood one kind of suited like what I was feeling at the time, and probably kind of summed up a lot of the characteristics that I was going through at that time in my life. so I sort of took myself through that online course and found it really useful.
Rebecca: Did did it kind of fit into quite a short space of time? Was it a fairly short course?
Luke: Yeah, so the beauty with it is you could choose a longer course and a bite sized course. so again, kind of going back to that, sort of trying to find an answer as quickly as possible. I went through this sort of bite sized course. again, you know, not through any reason that I thought you can I try and find some answers or just try and kind of clarify sort of how I’m feeling and what I’m thinking at this sort of current time. and try and make sense of it. so yeah, the bike size course was great because it was literally probably a, you know, I’m you know, being as literal as I can, two or three PowerPoint pages that kind of take you through maybe some of the thoughts that you’re going through and, and how to kind of maybe sort of like rationalise them and how to sort of help you to kind of understand them a little bit more. and then it almost kind of led you towards more information if you needed it.
Rebecca: What made you to decide to take the next step and try online counselling? Was there a moment that you maybe thought, you know, I’d really benefit from actually talking to someone now as well?
Luke: After that, what I found was the online course itself. It sort of prompts you towards further options. so it kind of almost, it kind of summarisees maybe what you’re feeling and how you might be feeling and, you know, you might not tick all the boxes, but there was definitely sort of some information that resonated towards me and then kind of when you finish that part of the course, it prompts you to further help and support should you need it. and I felt like I was kind of at that point where, yeah, I definitely need some further support. so I remember actually kind of going through the Contact Us, and you can kind of then send an email. So I kind of filled in the Contact Us and if anything, it was not necessarily kind of a can you help? It was almost like I tried to do it for my own benefit where itas like a reflection of how I felt at that point. So the email kind of probably almost read as, this is how I’m feeling. This is kind of why I think I’m feeling like this. Is there any way that I can kind of gain some support? And I remember then the charity phoned me back. the chap who I had a conversation with kind of almost sort of said some things. That was a bit of a eureka moment for me, and said, look, if you’re feeling like this, then maybe you can kind of think about some online counselling. and that was kind of what prompted me to do it, really. so having a conversation and thinking, you know, what this guy is saying is kind of absolutely sort of, 100% on the nail. and, yeah, I feel like, you know, he kind of understands me and that’s the best course of action.
Rebecca: That’s fantastic. did you find the process from there quite, straightforward? Was it quite accessible for you?
Luke: Yeah, very much so. literally, kind of from my point of view, a Google searched, then an email and everything was covered from there, so it wasn’t any hardship whatsoever. I think, you know, sort of the process from start to finish, it was literally just kind of you finding time in your day to set aside. And for me at the time, because it was quite a priority based on how I was feeling and sort of to help me to understand how I was feeling at the time, it was of like, well, this is, you know, a number one priority to me at this time.
Rebecca: Before that, that first session, do you remember how you were feeling? Were you apprehensive at all about what, what to expect and then did they kind of put you at ease quite quickly?
Luke: I remember feeling that kind of how I felt was, I’m not sure I’ve got to this point because at that point I definitely felt like well yeah, I’m now going into counselling. and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be at that point. so I was always thinking what, you know, what have I actually got to say? am I going toa sort of fil enough of the time for the professional obviously to kind of warrants their time that they spend with me? I sort of almost, I guess I’m not sure if it’s kind of a common comment Red, but I almost felt like a bit of a fraud at the time, to be brutally honest. because you know, my sort of perception as counsel at that time was maybe someone who’d been through kind of like, you know, mass trauma, what m. You know, a lot of kind of maybe depression in their lifestyle. And I felt like, you know, that the thoughts that I was feeling was probably something that you know, you could always kind of. It was something that maybe
Luke: everybody feels literally just around. Am I good enough to kind of support my family? Am I doing enough for this and everything like that? So definitely that kind of. I feel a bit of a fraud here. What am I going to talk about was, was definitely kind of the first things I felt. but then the, the counselling process really sort of put me at ease because it was very much sort of talking and there was a lot of open questions that were asked. So once, once I started talking it was kind of like I’ve opened some sort of kind of floodgate here really. and then you start to kind of, you know, to unpick things in your head then. And that was, that was really, really sort of really vital for me to kind of, you know, be able to understand how I’ve got to the point of where I have and just trying to understand the thoughts I had in my head and where it was really.
Rebecca: Did being able to access these sessions from home or wherever you were at the time make it easier for you to open up or sort of fit those sessions into your day to day life?
Luke: It works now, if you could see my sort of little setup I’ve got now. I mean it’s not sophisticated in any way, shape or form. It’s literally kind of I’m doing it through my phone and propped up against the sort of an iPad that’s leaning up against the book really. So I don’t have like know a, ah, sort of a monitor or a laptop or anything at home. I sort of generally tend to use kind of tablets or mobile devices. and that was the same setup in how I had so to be able to kind of, you know, sit at home, in a quiet space, you know, at a time that was convenient for me was perfect.
Rebecca: Looking back, do you think having the counselling helped you? Not kind of just in that moment, but also longer term. Do you, you still use some of those tools now at all?
Luke: Yeah, definitely. Maybe one or two sort of like short sessions or short bursts, you know, whether it be two or three sessions of caps and then sy. and I just kind of almost use it as a bit of a check in with a professional. you know, mental health is something that’s, I say growing, you know what I mean by growing? We’re becoming a lot more aware of it and how to deal with it. And you know, the kind of the headline messages are talk to people, check in with people, whether it be friends and family. And I certainly find kind of even talking to a professional, is supportive because they can kind of understand how you’re feeling, but also they don’t have that kind of emotional bond to you as well. Which I know it seems strange that personally helps me, because I’ve sort of, you know, I’ve been in sessions where I’ve almost needed a bit of a telling off, to go look, you know, stuff that you’re telling me is normal things. You know, you need to kind of put this into perspective and, and think kind of a bit sort of wider and maybe however people’feeling and that’s, that’s been as helpful to me as it has somebody kind of almost sort of putting an arm on my shoulder and giving me kind of a bit of a sort of emotional support that way and trying to kind of further, develop your understanding and using more resources like the online support. I definitely felt like doing a little bit of having some support, then sort of moving away and trying to sort of, you know, rationalise that and deal with that on my own and then coming back to kind of have a little bit more support is definitely kind of the route for me. And I probably kind of, I wouldn’t rule it out for doing more in the future and also, you know, encourage other people to do it as well, whether it be through the sort of firefighter charity that I’ve done and supported me or you know, from your own service, to do a similar thing if it’s provided for you.
Rebecca: You can find a video we filmed with Luke along with links to our online courses and information about our online counselling in the show notes.
Next, I caught up with Keith Shields, a firefighter from Northern Ireland who took part in our HOPE Programme which stands for Help Overcome Problems Effectively. It’s a self-directed, flexible programme that you can work through at your own pace, designed for anyone who feels they could do with a boost to their wellbebeing, especially during times of change or uncertainty, no matter how big or small those challenges might feel.
Hi Keith, thank you so much for joining us. Could you just start by telling us a little bit about what you do for Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue service?
Keith: Yes. So I’m in the whole time in Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. At the present I’m a crew commander in our learning development centre. So I work in the incident command department as an instructor, but also I am BA instructor, road traffic collision instructor as well. So sort of do both sides of the coin here. I’ve been whole time now, nearly 12 years. I was on call previous and it was airport fire service as well. So I think a total of about 23, 24 years service combined now.
Rebecca: Wow, you must enjoy it.
Keith: Oh yes, I do indeed.
Rebecca: It’s more than just a job, it’s a passion. Had you always known about the charity and the kind of support that we offer? you had you heard about us previously?
Keith: I did, yes. Now the good thing about our service, when we first joined in the whole time we had representative from our service who deals a lot with the fire service firefighters charity. That would have been Noel McKee if I can remember his name rightly. And within the first two days it comes in, does a chat and then you’re welcome to sign up which we all did of course. listen to know and obviously I knew about the charity sort of previous to that and was very aware of the facilities in the say the mainland. But you go over with your family if you get injured, God for bid during on duty or even outside that the charity was there to help you with physio and getting yourself back to Judy again. So it was a no brainer, signed up straight away and there was 28 of us started that day and we all signed up and so I’ve always knew the charity was there for us.
Rebecca: Tell me then ahead of that, ah, 2022 when you did get in touch, just tell me how that sort of started and what the health challenges were that you were dealing with at the time?
Keith: Yeah. So the. It was during the second wave of COVID It went through our station quite badly and, unfortunately I was one of the ones that it hit. it led to being off for quite a few months with, say, severe Covid.
Rebecca: what kind of symptoms did you have?
Keith: Well, for about a week and a half, I don’t remember anything. It. Oh, gosh, it was like a walking zombie, my partner called it. and then once it sort of came round from that period, awful weight loss, couldn’t eat, couldn’t drink, terrible breathlessness. I couldn’t have went up the stairs without stopping and getting, my breath, brain, fog was horrendous. my partner would have said something and even half an hour be questioning, couldn’t remember what, what was going on. that led on for quite a few months. I think it was August that I picked that up and it was round about November time that I felt right, I could start rehabilitating and get back to the, you know, bit of exercise. my GP allowed that and unfortunately then in the December when I was starting to do a bit more work in the gym, I noticed heaviness in the chest. and was. It was progressively getting worse over the couple of weeks. And I think it was just before Christmas, speaking to my GP and explaining, and I’ll never forget the phone call that I asked, what’s the chest pain like? Is it sharp or is it heavy? And in my head, heavy was maybe the lesser of the two. And when I said heaviness, you know, wake up, I can feel this heaviness. And all I heard was, ‘oh’, and then that just led on then to, phone calls and from Rapid Angina Clinic, where then it was diagnosed with the unstable angina. that I was floored. I was utterly floored when I heard that news. career.
Rebecca: Did you, did you understand, like, what it meant and what for your life?
Keith: I did. and I thought then my career is over. I really did. I thought, how, how am I going to get fit enough to get back in operational duties? At the time I was a firefighter on the watch, so there was no chance of maybe another role within the service. You know, that was my job. So, for quite a few weeks after that, yeah, very, very much, in a bad place mentally. it was only then when I got a bit more support from the NHS and could say, right, I’m going for These tests and to say just sort of what state is the heart in? nobody could tell me what happened. It was quite. There was no symptoms beforehand before I got Covid Rebecca there was none. And it was only when I started coming round from the whole breathlessness, etc. Disappeared, which was quite. We’re in.
Rebecca: So you think it had been there before and it was just triggered almost m Possibly.
Keith: before that I was doing a lot of running training. There was never an issue.
Rebecca: Well, yeah, you have to be super fit for firefighting at the end of the day.
Keith: That’s it. As a sort of months went on and 20, 22. Then, I was rusheding the hospital twice. In between times I had an angiogram where they discovered I had three blocked arteries. So, yeah, two on the right side, one on the left and, the left was obviously the left coronary artery they called the widowmaker if it’s blocked. So I was then pencilled in and it was only after the second hospital visit in the August that it was in basically rushed through. You appreciate during the time the NHS was swamped, they were flooded. Even though while I was very, very. Yeah, very high priority re about it, it didn’t matter. I still had to wait and wait and wait. but funnily enough, the day that I actually was doing my day procedure to get the stance footed was the day the whole programme m started. Oh, really? Yeah. So I had found out about. I’d seen it on Facebook in the July. I just knew I said this, this. I remember saying that I going, right, this is meant to be. I’m saying no for this. I definitely think I need this. Didn’t actually realise that this was available. So the charity, and how come up my feed, I don’t know. But straight away I signed up, and the communication. Then over the next sort of month and a half through emails and all, to get you signed up very quick, very friendly. And I remember sitting in the hospital after having the procedure and the emails coming in to start and the panic because I was like, I can’t start this today. I remember reaching out to him on the day and straight away his response put me ease. So I sat in the hospital looking at that go, no Keith lesson, tThat’s six weeks. It’s modules each week you complete them at your own time.
Rebecca: I was going to say, did that attract you? To it, the fact that it was just self led and it was in your own time or had you not realise that at first?
Keith: I did, yes. But I think for myself at that time it was what starts in that day. So I start in that day, you know it must be completed each week and I kept thinking if I don’t then it’s going to overrun and overrun and I’m going to end up, you know, swamped. And believe or, or that’s one of the issues that I had was put myself under so much pressure. Things had to be done then they need to be done and if they don’t happen then I get swamped and then it’s almost like I don’t do anything. I’m crippled almost. But oh no, no pan.
Rebecca: It’s too much. You don’t know where to start.
Keith: Exactly, exactly.
Rebecca: That’s a really interesting misconception actually to highlight for anyone listening that doesn’t know that about the whole programme that can. You’ve got that freedom to take it at your own pace and it doesn’t have to be something that builds up.
Keith: Exactly. And made aware of that on day one especially where I was in the position I was in was fantastic. Straight away it took away that for me in a way it’s stress that I put on myself. So it was a big of deep breath and going oh that’s brilliant. That is brilliant. And even with Paul, Paul, even through the six weeks was fantastic. because I started, I think I started the, the first week on the second week I was a week behind. No issues, there was no issues. And even when it came to the end I remember receiving the email going now that’s the whole programme. It was a lovely email to say you know to all the participants and the progress that you had. And I think there was another three, two to three weeks at least after the programme had finished that you were given access to everything. So if you were behind.
Rebecca: Oh great, so you could go back over it.
Keith: You could go back over. But the position where I was and I hadn’t completed the programme, it took away that anxiety that. So that’s the final day you’re meant to be complete. No, you still had two to three weeks and you were able then to complete the programme. and as you said Rebecca, go back over things and say things that were required. And that’s what I did. So yeah and even, even the modules themselves, they were bite size you know, you could, you could complete them at their own time. They weren’t Heavy. Which is one thing I did enjoy loads of, as we know, everybody’s different learning styles. and so to be able to read information and then have a video, to me was brilliant. You were able to then read and then watch the video and then that sort of reinforced the points that they were putting across. so to me it was fantastic that way. And some of the videos I kept and screenshotted information as well. So yes, even though when the programme ended, you were able to have all that stuff saved, especially YouTube links, etc. And yeah, coming from the end of it, like, I have to admit, even now there’s actually something from the programme and this is now what I’m nearly three years down the line. Yeah. That it’s actually relevant to me now, but I still have that information and I’m able to look and go, right, remember this, remember that and go right, I need this now. Even though this time passed. Yeah. I still refer back to the information that I received from the whole programme.
Rebecca: That’s incredible. That’s the goal. At the end of the day, it needs to be long term change.
And were there any modules that really struck you as being particularly useful for you?
Keith: Oh, definitely. The first one, the first module, and it was all to do with goal setting, because yes, it is about mental wellbeing but you don’t realise how many sort of levels there are to that for human beings. And the like I said, the first week couldn’t have been any better goal setting because I was sort of panicking about getting this finished. The old sort of thoughts processes were coming in and then going through that first module, showing that do everything in small pieces, set yourself a realistic goal, don’t be sort of overexerting yourself. And so for me straight away was, right, this programme, I’m a week behind. Yes. But I have that safety sort of net that I can continue on, do it at my own pace. The old sort of thoughts were coming and going, panicking. No, no, I need to get this done. That first module just put me completely at ease and then I sat and up there and going, well, hold on, I can, I can apply that not only just to completing the whole programme, but my life and I just for me that was just an excellent start. Even now. So between goal setting, which I’ve applied ever since, that’s been a fantastic tool for me. I didn’t realise even for tiny things like doing jobs around the home, which there’s Plenty of. There’s always a list. I can sit down and actually go now hold on. I can plan, do this, this and this. I’ll do that then. And removes all the anxiety and the stress. I appl that in m my job as well. When I do feel those feelings of hold on, I’m going to get overwhelmed here. There’s so many things I need to do. I just sit, down and take a breath and go right goal setting. It just comes, always comes back. One of the things I always remember from the whole programme and I think it was one of the other the other participants said about, you know, just say, just o give thanks. Just, just stand there. Something to say. I am so thankful for this in my life and for that. Start as enough and that’ll lead on to more, more sort of realising what you have in your life. One of the other things I had was the mindfulness I got from that. and there was a Phoebe podcast I would listen to. Like sort of just sit outside, start the day either with a cup of coffee or a cup of lemon water or whatever and listen this sweet podcast. Maybe 10, maybe 10 minutes. But it’s just something just to give you that we lift and, and go. Your things aren’t as bad as what you think. and again there was two links that I had got from that and it led to a podcast on Spotify that I keep and listen to. And yeah, so sitting here, Rebecca it’I have mentioned that to certain people in work, if they’ve taken up, I don’t know but definitely for your mental health, without a doubt. I don’t think I would be in the position that I’m in now without it. 100% set of hand in heart. I know what I have around my, in my life but they have that the whole programme has given me those tools. One that sort of helped me from, from day one starting to right now, nearly three years down the line that I can look at another module and go, I need this now.
Rebecca: If the Hope programme sounds right for you, you’ll find all the details and a sign up link in the show notes.
Finally, I spoke to Ewan a crew commander from Scotland who accessed physiotherapy sessions over video after suffering a back injury. He shares how these sessions helped him regain strength and movement from the comfort of his own home before going on to receive further support at one of our centres.
So Ewan, just to start with the basics, what’s your role in the fire service and where do you call home at the moment?
Ewan: Yeah, so I’m a crew commander and a deputy volunteer leader on the west coast of Scotland.
Rebecca: Beautiful, I’m sure. And just casting your mind back then to I think it was 2022, wasn’t it, when you first reached out to us? Tell me a little bit about what led to that.
Ewan: I just had this lower niggling back pain and that I just couldn’t get rid of. So, you know, tried everything and then it was, I remember not long before we had representative from the firefighters charity had popped into the station actually to do a kind of little talk and presentation of the services that they offer. So I was a little bit hesitant to contact at first, but. But I reached out anyway. I was very quickly assigned with Katie and I’d actually had an appointment scheduled in and it was like within two weeks or something like that, which I thought was great. And then the weekend before my actual appointment, which was an online consultation, was doing a wee bit of trail running and I going downhill and my back just went like that. Had to get helped off down the hill and. Yeah, and that was me bed bound for the best part of four months.
Rebecca: Wow. You’re not actually able to sort of get up and walk around much.
Ewan: Yeah. So my very first consultation was me lying in bed. and I kind of thought it was a bit of a waste of, waste of time. Let’s, you know, let’s maybe reschedule. But the very light mobility techniques and just small hip rotations and that all kind of ease the pain, you know, to start with. U. Yeah, in the longer, the short. It turned out that I had herniated and prolapsed discs in my back and effectively that run I’d done before had just basically was the straw that broke the camel’s back so to speak.
Rebecca: I mean, you mentioned just briefly there that you, you weren’t sure if having the video consultation while you were all sort of lying in bed would be much use. Just being honest, do you think you were a bit sceptical when you heard that they’re remote sessions or did you think u what did you think or what did you expect from those?
Ewan: Do you know what? I was. I was just thankful to get quick help as well because when I’d. I was actually spent, it was like 24 hours in the hospital as well. because I’m going to take me in because I couldn’t move and they says okay, we’ll refer you to physio. Could be waiting up to two months for physio. I was just like, okay. So I was like no, I’m going to take the call. So to I was a little bit sceptical. I wouldn’t say sceptical. I was just thinking because of the condition I was in, I just didn’t think it was going to be any benefit because I was in so much pain. But clearly she was very well educated in her field because she told me exactly what she think was going on with me and that was exactly the results. When I eventually got the MRI that that was the case and the impingement of my nerve and causing the sciatic pain and whatnot and everything had just went into spasm at that point.
Rebecca: Just in terms of a typical session then for you and I’m sure as you got some mobility back they must have change. But just talk me through what a typical session in those early days might have included. Did she kind of ask you some questions to start with and then do some exercises or how did that work?
Ewan: Yeah, it basically it was me explaining everything that had happened. Everything what I do causes pain at that point just lying down was causing pain. It was very gentle techniques and it was very short sessions to do myself kind of three, four times a day just to try and get a little bit mobility because I found lying there didn’t really do it. Just kind of spasm bit Every now and again when I felt the spasm coming on I could do the mobility techniques that was. That they had shown me and that kind of alleviate the pain. So that was the kind of first. For the first kind of three months that was just slowly building up u doing it from there and then obviously the sessions is when I was improved, improving got a little bit more complex and a little bit more dynamic and u and was just basically to see how my body would, would cope to the, the increased loads and workload.
Rebecca: So did she kind of demonstrate some of the exercises on camera and then you were able to mirror those. Were you in front of it?
Ewan: Yes, yeah, exactly. It was all kind of basically copying from that and she gave me real good information online links to videos for particular exercises in particular mobility techniques.
Rebecca: Oh brilliant. So yeah, you could actually go away and keep practising them and doing some different ones after the session. Casting your mind back, do you think there was a turning point where you just thought actually this is really working now I am really seeing an improvement.
Ewan: The turning point was it was probably after the kind of two and a half month stage into three months where it was just all becoming ye this is a little bit better and I beginning, I was beginning to get some answers that this is definitely what’s happened. Now we’ve got them, you know, the proper tools to, to try and reduce it, reduce the pain effectively. And even they said if the surgery is like kind a 50, 50 chance whether it’s going to actually help you or not. And she kind of, she was just basically, you know, let’s, you’re making good progress, let’s just keep at it. And and then when I went down to Penrith, the centre there I think it was maybe kind of four months in, and I was just like this is. It was just next level and just yeah, it was great getting the actual one on one and hands on when you were there.
Rebecca: I was going to ask you that actually. So do you think looking back now it was actually really useful to have the online session first just to get you practising and get you to know and put you ah, at ease a little bit with our physios and then follow that up with a visit to our centre?
Ewan: yeah, 100%. I feel that people’s instinct would be they want to go there straight away but it just gives you a little bit of core knowledge of what’s actually going on in your body and you know, builds a little bit of core strength and stuff so you’re ready for what’s, what’s in stored at Penrith. It’s no, it’s not easy. You are put through your paces obviously to your ability so you’re not feeling pain and stuff but you want, you want to put as much into it as possible. but it just gets you into that right mindset in the right frame of mind to actually what, what you’re, you’re going to do when you’re down there, you know. And it was, it was y different level brilliant.
Rebecca: And did it help you get back on the run essentially? How long were you u before you were able to schedule back to work?
Ewan: Yeah, so I was, I went on to light duties after six months and just slowly progressed it up from there. and then I went actually went back down to Penrith and who done kind of a proper physical assessment or me got me with a BA set could doing the obstacle course that I’ve got up and down the stairs and stuff. And it was again, it was just a really physically and mentally tough week. Ah. But I knew I was, you know, prepared for it.
Rebecca: Do you think, it helped that the physiotherapy team that you were working with have that insight into the pressures the fire service faces and also just in terms of kind of the fitness and the exercises you need to be doing to get back on the run.
Ewan: Yeah, but all the can exercises and then you know, the test that was put through was kind of above and beyond what I would be able to do on like from my role, which, which is good and it just shows you we how far I’d come in that short space of time since injury.
Rebecca: Brilliant. I’m really pleased. It sounds like you, you made massive progress in a year, to be honest, if you were at one point not able to walk around. So that’s incredible. it’s obviously it was saying that a stretch of time when you weren’t able to do the job that you loved, did you find it was having a bit of an impact on your mental wellbeing as well as your physical wellbeing?
Ewan: It was just the unknown. because obviously the work has a process if you’re off and plan and, or for an extended period of time. So going through like the capability stage one, stage two, that was. Was very emotionally and mentally draining and kind of questioning myself, you know, have I done the right thing? As in sort I went for the operation. So mentally it didn’t take its toll. And can I question I’m ever going to get back on the run again? If I don’t get on the run, are they going to give me an alternative role within the service? So it was all very worrying. I mean I, I just. That’s me 20 years in the fire service, via retained whole time and volunteer. May last year has been 20 years since I started. I was really worrying not knowing what the, the outcome was going to be through the online kind of counselling sessions. It really helped. Try not to worry about the uncontrollables. Just do everything in your power to try and get you into the right frame of mind for the recovery. Because if you’re panicking and thinking about the uncontrollables, then’s a lot of time and effort wasted rather than then, then not putting it into your recovery.
Rebecca: I hadn’t actually realised that you did the online counselling Was that following the sort of digital physiotherapy? Did you also have those afterwards as well?
Ewan: Yes’s, that’s right, yeah. And so it was towards the latter stage of my recovery because I’d actually had a setback. I also was on doing like dies. I ended had I say that and I thought that was me back to square one and then mentally that was really tough and that’s when I’d reached out and it was Katie who had sent me along some information, you know to talk to the kind councilling session which I’d done at that point. Ye.
Rebecca: Did you, did you do the online counselling? Was that over a video call as well or was that over the phone?
Ewan: Initially it was over the phone and then I had a video consultation and then I was invited down to Harcombe House after that.
Rebecca: Yeah, brilliant. in terms of the consultations sort of remotely do you think did you find that quite useful being able to do that from your own home and did that put you at ease?
Ewan: Yeah, I think as well it gives yourselves a better understanding of the issues and the underlying causes rather than just starting from scratch if you were just to go down there. So it is a really useful tool and it, it was, it was convenient when you were available, you know. So it was, it was, it was good that way. and just gets some kind of breaks the ice, you know you’re trying to find the deep root causes of how you’re feeling the way you are, you know.
Rebecca: Absolutely. And then was it the reset programme that you did at Harcombe… How did it go? Was there anything in particular you found useful?
Ewan: It was fantastic. I’ve met some fantastic friends as well that I still keep in touch with today. it was really good. I took a lot away from it especially like boundary settings. You know. I’m kind of somebody who would say yes to most things. Can you go and do this? Can you go and do that? whether you’ve got time or the, the energy to actually do that just to set up boundaries and say you know, can I can I’ll maybe do it but on my timeline I can do it you know when I have the free time mental capacity to actually carry out that task and a lot of the nutrition as well. I’ve been a vegetarian for coming up coming four years now and I learned a lot about nutrition and the kind of anti inflammatory properties and foods that I wasn’t actually taken, you know, to help with the injury as well. So I learned a lot about that as well and kind alter my diet to ensure that I was actually getting the nutrition I was, my body was needing.
Rebecca: That’s amazing. That actually does kind of answer my next question. I was just going to say sort of fast forwarding to today, are there any tools and exercises that you learn throughout your time with us, that you are still adapting into your life now? So that’s obviously one of them.
Ewan: Yeah, nutrition and the mindfulness. So before I would go out for a run or I would go out for a walk and I would always be listening to a podcast or I’d be listening to music. I, I’ve got two very energetic bearded collie dogs that needs at least an hour a day of time, you know, so I would, I would never actually be there out in the walk in my surroundings. I would always be listening to a podcast or on my phone or you know, listening to music but actually not taking your device or switching on SN or something and just going out and just actually being there out on that walk. Using your senses, your ears for as I say they live in a beautiful part of the world and the highlands, there s all the sounds of the birds and whatnot, the sounds of the wind and the rivers and just using your senses, you know, and actually being on that walk rather than your mind being elsewhere. And I try and use that every single day now.
Rebecca: Yeah’s good for you. Well, amazing lesson to have taken and you didn’t stop there. So after your experience with us, I know you planned a pretty epic fundraiser, just talk me through what that.
Ewan: Was in 2023 to alleviate the pain I was in. I was kind of on this kind of journey doing the cold water therapy and through the injury and even the height of injury I would utilise kind of cold and hot water, techniques basically just to try and alleviate the pain and help increase blood flow. So I was kind of doing the cold water therapy kind of two to three times a week and then I just went on a crazy mission to say, right, I’m going to do it, start doing it every single day. And it was only when I was at Penrith if I kind of had this crazy idea that I realised that I’m utilising a lot of these services, I want to give a little bit something back. So I thought right, I’m going to do this every single day for a year and to try and raise some money. Am I raised a fantastic amount. I can’t remember what the actual final total was, but it was. It was quite a substantial amount. and I am still doing it today. I’m nearly y. Still doing it every single day. Yeah, it’s not a chore. Enjoy going out all these walks to try and find. Actively go and find new places to go swimming and stuff and it’s just. Yeah, I love it.
Rebecca: Incredible. Good for you. I mean, it’s obviously having huge benefits for you if you’re still going with it. Finally, if another member of the fire services community is, say if they’re going through a challenging time or they’re struggling maybe right now, in fact, what would you. You just say to them? Would you encourage them to get in touch?
Ewan: 100% is never too late. You always think that you might be too far down a situation or scenario to try and get it, to get it resolved or put you back in the right direction. and, I wouldn’t hesitate, you know, just pick up the phone. They’re very friendly. and I was. I wouldn’t say I was surprised, but I was. I was thankful and overwhelmed with the support I received up to this.
Rebecca: A huge thank you to Luke, Keith and Ewen for sharing their stories. It’s been so valuable hearing how our online support made a difference when they needed it. If you’d like to explore support available to you, whether that’s online or face to face, you’ll find all the links you need in the show notes. And if you’ve got your own experience you’d like to share, you’ll also find details on how to get in touch with this there. Thanks again for listening and we’ll see you next time.
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