Good afternoon 👋
11 years ago last Thursday, one of the craziest and most terrifying experiences of my life happened. Each year, I like to try to tell the story from a different angle, which is exactly what we’re going to be taking a look at in today’s blog.
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180 minutes.
That’s how close I came to not making it past Thursday, October 16, 2014. One night of endless tests, a rushed trip to the operating theatre, and a life-saving operation later – everything changed 😳
I remember lying in my hospital bed, having no clue what was going on, only knowing that I couldn’t handle this pain anymore. I lost three feet of my small bowel. It was terrifying. However, that moment, thanks to the fantastic surgical team, saved me.
The operation left me with a six-inch scar down my stomach, but more than that, it gave me something priceless: time 🙏
Time to explore, to meet incredible people, to try to create the biggest positive difference I could in the world. It’s part of the reason why the last couple of years have been so focused on living my life as much as I can – in a way, I am very lucky to be here, and it’s not something I ever want to take advantage of.
Being diagnosed with Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome was certainly unexpected, but what’s life without a little mystery thrown in the mix?
Every year, I like to share this story as a reminder of how quickly life can change, and how important it is to treasure every single moment we’re given. It really makes you grateful for all of the random encounters and stories you have as you move through life 😊
For context, the photo below is of me (on the left), two months before this all happened – part of the whole experience still doesn’t feel real!
Be sure to check out my full “Dance with Death” story down below to find out more about what happened, how it all played out, and part of what shaped me into who I am today:
That’s all for today’s blog. What do you think? What’s an experience that’s shaped the way you see life? Would you like to see more posts here on the page about PJS?
I’d love to hear your story and your thoughts ⤵️
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a lovely day!
James
Sweeney's Blogs 