My story is an amazing rags to riches story which really shows how overcoming adversity after years of abuse, poverty and violence can change your destiny. This is a true inspirational story which starts in an abusive, impoverished environment and goes on to demonstrate how after many years of continuous chaos and a catalogue of catastrophes, I eventually transcend my history; building a successful life with the initial help of alcoholics, murderers, drug addicts and criminals.
Spending years as an alcoholic, I am eventually sectioned in a psychiatric hospital; I make several attempts to escape including jumping through a second floor window and fracturing my ankle. Rather stupidly I end back up in the same violent relationship, with broken jaws, split heads, and bashed faces. One good night, while he is sleeping, I smash his head in with the pressure cooker lid. That did the trick, he’d think twice about hitting me again.
The drinking continued and I eventually end up in a coma on my death bed going through the delirium tremors better known as the DTs. This time I am interned with alcoholics, murderers, drug addicts and criminals who provide the love support and encouragement I need to turn my life around. I go on to complete several degrees, go through a profound mystical experience, train as a local preacher and eventually set up a private practice as a psychotherapist. Coming up to 60 and I change direction completely setting up a school of etiquette and travel the world teaching. I am now being contacted by TV and radio programmes to discuss the finer side of life, while rubbing shoulders with a different calibre of people. After a heart attack, two operations, smashing the top of my arm in two and cancer it’s time to promote my book.
This is not just a compelling story, but also imparts with the psychological insights gleaned on my journey of recovery and gives any reader who needs it hope and inspiration.