November 15th 2021 - Just before my 30th Birthday

I was being wheeled into the operating theatre

I've never had surgery before or even broken a bone - Fractured my collarbone once when I was 6 attempting extreme monkey bars but that's about it.

"Count backwards from 10" The anaesthetist said to me...

10, 9, 8, 7.... That was the last number I remember before undergoing what was supposed to be a 4-6 hour surgery.

9 hours later I start to come to.

I'm in the post surgery waiting room.

The surgery had lasted 7 and an half hours - It was successful.

A flood of pain like nothing I have ever experienced before rushed through my body.

As I was being wheeled back to my ward, still groggy from the aesthetic I see my mum suddenly standing over me.

"It hurts... It hurts so much" was all I managed to scream through the tears

The look on her face I will never forget - a mother seeing her daughter in excruciating pain and not being able to do anything about it was heart wrenching.

I realised when I got back to the ward I could have been stronger for her, but all the emotions were just pouring out, it was like I wasn't in control of what I was saying.

The day had come and the spinal fusion was finally done.

I had slipped a disc in my lower back summer of 2016 leaving me unable to stand upright or walk properly for almost a full year.

The original 'Incident' happened one afternoon in London while I was having lunch with my sisters.

Walked in - No problem
After lunch - I stood up to go use the bathroom and I got stuck.

Shooting pains rushed down both my legs and throughout the rest of the day I tried to walk properly but ended up limping home with the pain still coursing through my body.

2 days later my older sister was pushing me through the airport in a wheelchair to get back on the plane home.

I went to see my
• Doctor
• Osteopath
• Reiki master
• Chinese bone setter

No one could tell me what was going on. The general consensus for recovery was physio rehabilitation and acupuncture.

Cut to 2022 - I had been able to temporarily come out of the phases of pain throughout the 6 years, but intense chronic lower back pain does something to a person. - I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Enough time had passed since my original MRI and my back wasn't getting any better. It was time to take another look.

I booked in with a Neurosurgeon - Dr. Simon

His sense of humour and sheer enjoyment at the fact I trained martial arts put me at ease.

"You are young, and fit. I don't recommend surgery for the sake of it so let's see what's happening and go from there."

A week later I was back in his office.

"It doesn't look good"

My disc had not just herniated… it was degenerating.

The MRI showed the bones were almost touching now, and he explained that everything I had done over the last 6 years to recover was correct. However the pain was going to keep coming, and it was just a matter of time before the bones would auto-fuse.

If this happened there could be complications with the nerves around my spinal cord and it's a much more intrusive surgery to correct.

He got out his little model and showed me what he was going to do.

4 Screws and a Cage to separate the vertebrae and realign the spine

The date was set. November 15th 2022

He casually explained the process.

Day 1 - Surgery
Day 2 - We get you up and walking
Day 3 - Rest and recovery, with physio and walking exercises
Day 4 - Depending on my status I could leave the hospital and go home.

The full recovery process takes 18 months.

The night after the surgery I was thinking to myself

"How the HELL am I supposed to get up and walk tomorrow"

• Breathing hurt
• Turning my head hurt
• Slight movements hurt
• Someone touching the bed hurt!

Tomorrow Monday May 15th 2023 marks 18 months post surgery and I am please to say I have made a full recovery.

The first follow up appointment I had with Dr. Simon I was trying to get him to explain the recovery timeline.

"When can I do x"
"At what point can I pick up weight"
"How do I know when I can start doing x again"

He looked at me and with a straight face said...
"The screws are in… They are not going anywhere."

“It takes 100 days for the 3 layers of stitching to dissolve, but after that it depends on how your body is feeling and how well you are doing with the recovery exercises, as to how far you can push yourself.”

I made a vow to myself that very moment.

I was going to do everything I needed to do to recover properly.

• Not miss a day of my rehab exercises
• Not push too hard too soon while the surgery wound was healing

Consistency and Patience were going to be my friends and it was up to me how my recovery went from here.

I have had the best recovery process I could have hoped for.

And it all started with that one decision.

Do the work consistently over time and you will hit your 18 months with flying colours.

We are so much more capable than what we choose to believe on a daily basis.

The last 18 months have changed my life

Throughout the last 18 months I have

Gone hiking and camping - 3 months post op

Held a 2 min plank - 7 months post op

Got up to a 30kg deadlift - 7 months post op

Had my first surfing lesson - 8 months post op

Muay Thai classes and sparring session - 8 months post op

Went Scuba Diving - 8 months post op

Managed to wear high heels for my little sisters wedding - 8 months post op

Touched the floor again - 9 months post op

Hiked 100km over the Austrian alps - 10 months post op

Ran my first unbroken 5k - 11 months post op

Elevated back bridge - 11 months post op

Played a full round of golf - 12 months post op

Hit my front splits on both sides - 15 months post op

As of today for the first time in my entire life, I have committed to a goal and put in the daily reps to get myself here. I am feeling the strongest I have felt in over 6 years.

This wasn't without its ups and downs…

However I can safely say my life has changed completely, and I can pin it down to 1 decision.

I am going to do it no matter what

It’s All In The Reps

If you have been following me on twitter for any length of time now I keep bringing this up.

If you want to reach any goal you have set in life you have to
• Break it down
• Start where you are
• Put in the reps

Your life can drastically change in 18 months and all it takes is 1 decision and the daily reps to back it up.

The truth is, nothing is scarier than looking back with regret.

That you wasted the majority of your life building someone else's dream at the cost of your own.

Knowing that you never reached your full potential.

I have found that setting goals in these three areas of life has been the key to changing its trajectory.

Because think about it…

• If you don’t take care of your mental health, your business and physical health will suffer

• If you don’t take care of your physical health, your mind and business will suffer

• If you don’t take care of your business, your physical and mental health will suffer!

Thats a fun little loop

I challenge you to take the time and address these 3 areas of your life for the remainder of the year.

This is where I started

Mind
Daily Journalling - 3 pages

Movement
Training sessions - 3x per week, walking 10k steps on the other days

Media
Posting on twitter daily to build my personal brand

You are capable of more than you can possibly imagine, but you have to start moving to see a glimpse into what's possible.

Its time to get your mind, body and business moving

The right day will never come
The perfect conditions will never arrive

You have to create them, one day at a time.

Don't wait until you are taken off your feet like I was to start.
• Break it down
• Start Small
• Start Today

I look forward to seeing where you are in 18 months.

Maja