Doddy's back!

"It will be rare for him to come back from this…."

Words of the paramedic stood in my bedroom on June the 4th after the fourth defib shock, just days before I was getting ready to depart for rimini. Days and months of hell, physically and mentally. 

I’m very lucky to still be alive and I wouldn’t be without my girlfriend and the amazing CPR she carried out in possibly one of the most traumatising events in life you could ever face. Even luckier to come out of the coma normal, all the odds were against me, but how I’ve carried myself and looked after myself throughout my whole career and life gave me  the best chance of ever waking up.

However, to get to where I am now is far from luck. I’ve been blessed with an opportunity to return to what has been my life for so many years. It’s taken sacrifice, patience and a plan which got put in place as soon as I heard the words I can return to football. I went from 13st to 10 and a half stone in hospital. My sternum and fourth right rib was broken from the cpr, and pneumonia which hospitalised me a second time after coming out with it in ICU, a collapsed right lung and pleurisy in which I had to fight for my life a second time. A paralysed right shoulder due to damage to the long thoracic nerve which was because of trauma from the broken rib.

It was a struggle holding a tooth brush to brush my teeth. I took myself away and started serious work on getting back fit. Lung/ breathing work. In the pool, lots of isolation exercises on the shoulder which I got told I may never get correct functioning of again. It’s back. I got it back. The desire and motivation fuelled by anger, confusion…. Heartache, the guilt of my loved ones going through what they had to go through. I’ve got a fire lit in the pit of my stomach and the words “ it will be rare for him to come back from this “ ring around my head.

How have I come back….?

It’s an elite mentality. I will never forget the support I’ve received from the club, the players, I woke up to 900 messages, voice notes from the boys, they never gave up on me. I have to mention Pottsy who was by my side many times in the hospital, making me laugh through the agonising pain of my ribs, the Gaffer who broke down in tears when he saw me at the hospital. we embraced with a big hug and the cup medal from Rimini! Chaz who came down to see me and the support they gave to Kat also. I will never forget it. Curtis Jones who even offered to pay for some of my meals, Reagan who would send me motivation posts of Christian Eriksen. them boys don’t come around often in any changing room.

The staff and the fans who I recalled as family on the first game of the season. All the money raised, how can I ever repay that back? Well I hope this is a little thank you because your help along the way has got me back to where I am now.

I can’t forget the shirt signed by Christian Eriksen also which is now hung up on the wall in my house. A fitting and thoughtful touch because he has been an inspiration. It would be nice to get him back and maybe share the story which we’ve both been through, I’m holding the Gaffer to it, it would make for some story…..

Now the focus has always been the same as it was before. To help the boys get promotion, I will help in anyway I can but I’m not back as a bit part player. If I can come back from death, I can help the team in many ways and more.

Thank you FC United

Adam 'Doddy' Dodd