About MoiHello to you.. well you got this far!We all have stories in life, here's some of mine to share with you... My name is Martin Kowal, my Father was Polish, my Mother was British, I live in the UK, near London. I was born at a bag of sugar size 2lb 2ozs..! Now I'm bigger... at 6'0"/1.82m, 180lbs/82kg, well built, shaved head and brown eyes as deep as my soul! I have never smoked, my dear Mother died from smoking, she was the most beautiful Mother I could have asked for. As for drinking alcohol, life makes me smile without it, I enjoy Coke, juices and water :) I eat in a healthy manner and I look after my body very well... it is VERY special to me as you will read. I feel I have been given an amazing life, it's so very rich and as colourful as a rainbow.
In 1978, aged 18 I had a diving accident in a swimming pool, I hit my head, this broke my spinal cord (a typical C5/6, complete break). So will there be a cure for spinal injury? Look at these 2 websites: UK and a USA one. As a result of breaking my spinal cord I was in hospital for over 2 years, I had some 14 cardiac arrests, the list goes on... it's just amazing what the body can take! It was a rough time for my Mum and Dad. My accident has left me with limited movement from my chest down, I am not a sick person, just a person with a disability. Everyone has disabilities if you think about it, no one is perfect! Since my accident "time" has made me a much stronger person, not only in the understanding of people, but about life to. Yes, life is very special, I really do enjoy life to the full, every day is new with the challenge it brings. I have learnt not to judge people on their looks, these are just skin deep... aren't they? I judge people on their heart, their soul, these are the most important parts of anyone, remember that. I'm told I have much common sense, mentally very strong and self-confident, a very gentle man, with a GREAT deal of patience and understanding. I will try anything once... hey twice if I like it :) Don't look at my accident in a negative way. Learn from it, learn as everyone has around me, it has made them wiser and stronger, it has given them depth in their life and mine too.
Understand it has made me who I am, in fact I was asked only recently: "If I could go back in time before my accident, would I change anything?" and you know what... I don't think I would not change anything... life is what you make it, whoever you are. From time to time vacancies come up for a Personal Assistant / Support Worker / Care Giver / Live in Carer / Social Services carer / Care Assistant / Care worker / Home Carer... call the job what you want! have a look all about it here. I'm often asked "What do you do Martin?" My expertise is marketing... making things easy and convenient for people. I have an absolute passion for all things to do with architecture, design and land, what goes on the land and all green issues around it. My interests are many and varied: meeting people, having fun, my few close friends, kites, swimming, under water diving... I was underwater diving with BSAC at 17. I enjoy the countryside, |
traveling, trucks... I traveled all over Europe from 1975-78... as far as Baghdad in Iraq in a Scania truck, photography... looking and imagining all types of photographs, I enjoy fishing and yummy days out in the summer, music, I have a few mp3's, well actually quite alot..! all easy listening stuff... no heavy metal or that rap stuff! Talking the day to day gossip, Koi (a colourful fish, up to 30", part of the carp family in Japan), oh I love my Applemac... they are so personal, so so cool. I actually enjoy shopping, open markets on sunny days... Spitalfields and Borough are my favourites.
Cooking and eating different types of food (deliaonline.com and BBCGoodFood.com my favorite recipe sites!) I have recently fallen in love with fresh seafood, this was my first attempt at Paella..! The recipe can be found here, then we decided to go Italian... the Pizza was too hot... but oh so yummy..! Cod fish finger and HP sauce sandwiches, home cooked fish in batter, salted peanuts and raisins, crispy roast potatoes, rare roast beef, fresh crunchy salads, mixed shellfish, eggs and soldiers... ohhhhh yum yum! The best ever kebabs in London can be found at the Crystal Charcoal House... Oh Chinese food I adore... the best Chinese I've eaten, and that's a few! One of the best is here... Wong Kei... Ok the best fish and chip places I've eaten at are: The Golden Hind, Masters Superfish ...both in London and the Aldeburgh Fish and chips & the Golden Galleon (both owed by the same person) in Aldeburgh. I do enjoy good quality food! WOW... all this food talk has made me very hungry! For the past couple of years I like the fascination of kites...
These are so cool...they are wild in the air, going as far as the cord will allow them... up there where the wind can either make them fly or tear them apart... free of any worries of everyday life, something like life in a way. I'm dreaming again, must be this cold milk I'm drinking! Anyway, kites are sooooo relaxing, fun and special to me, wondering, hoping it flies. Hey... have YOU ever made a kite??!! There's a few pictures here taken over the past 2 years! OK OK... calm down, due to all those requests, sit down first... a NEW picture of me in bed! Ok, ok... there's more... me in the bath... with bubbles and the last of me by my HOT TUB! My dislikes...we all have them don't we! Let me think... Limpy greens, soggy brussel sprouts, loud people, milk left in the warm, melted Kit-Kats... that itch where you can't scratch on your own, the cold, red kidney beans, eeekkkkkkk... fish bones, egg shell, deep puddles, wasps, rats, uncontrollable children in supermarkets... people that step out in front of me... then I have to run over them! Yes, we are all different, we all have stories to share...what is yours? Smiles n'sunshine blown your way...! :) Martin PS. Life would be so much more enjoyable if everything was as fun as my Apple iMac and as reliable as my Permobil...! PPS. I've found these great PPPS. If you are disabled and looking for Answers on many topics around disability.. take a look here... |
