Why “Things you can’t see”
Life lessons from a near-death experience
“The only things I’m scared of are things I can’t see.”
A stroke, and in my case, a ‘massive’ brain haemorrhage, is a silent and unseen killer. There are no warning signs; it’s invisible. You can’t see it coming.
However, when I began to embrace my second life, I realised that there are so many more intangible, untouchable things out there that we can’t see. Things that motivate, that we take for granted and make up the very fabric of our existence:
Gratituide
Confidence
Memories
Pain
Love
Contentment
Guilt
Peace
Time
…and many others.
I started these journals to help me talk about my experience with brain injury, but I want it to be so much more.
I have ambitions to make this a place for anyone going through a life-changing recovery.
We’re told it’s good to talk, so I will lead by example but hope to encourage others to do so too. If you have something to share with us, please don't hesitate to get in touch below. I will be expanding the whole thing to real-life interactions as we grow, but for now, it’s just me and my laptop.
Why ‘Never Say Die’
In 2020, my wife had a very complicated pregnancy with our second son.
She was admitted to the hospital one night, and ended up there for 2 months, missing Christmas and in the middle of COVID too.
At one point, we were not sure whether the baby would make it, and whether both of them would make it through the birth. But they did. My wife was incredibly strong and determined, never once considering giving up. Her ‘Never Say Die’ attitude became an adopted motto, and at our wedding a year later, with our baby son there, I wore the colours of Lester Piggott’s first Derby Winner on my cufflinks.
The horse he rode - Never Say Die.
The Community we can build together
This isn’t just about me. I have survived something, but many people have had far worse, and we are all still here.
Together, we can help each other with lessons, advice, positivity and the rocket fuel necessary to live the best life you can.
As we grow, we will find ways to hold events, hang out, express our feelings and share content… let me know if you have any ideas.
Who is Oli Harris?
I’m Oli Harris, I’m in my 40s, and in April 2022, I had a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage. There was no apparent cause, and after 3 weeks in the hospital, I was able to go home to get better. The recovery is expected to be long, and I have no idea what it looks like, so I am taking it one step at a time.
Contact Me
You can contact me via LinkedIn or follow me on Instagram - please send me a connection request or follow me, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.