Alan has overcome all life has thrown at him
ALAN BITHELL is a man who can put a positive spin on just about any situation.
After all, he’s lived for nearly 30 years with crippling back pain, split from his wife, watched his partner battle drug addiction, lost his home and lived in a caravan in freezing temperatures – but amazingly he’s come out smiling on the other side.
And now, he’s determined to draw on the experience in a bid to prevent others suffering a similar fate.
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” the 53-year-old laughed.
“But by some miracle, I’ve survived it.
“Now, I’m on a mission to help other veterans turn their lives around.”
Alan’s troubles first began in 1988, when he was a ground equipment technician with the RAF.
Two years into his service, he was injured – and, while he didn’t know at the time, it was to spell disaster for decades to come.
Alan, from Golspie in Sutherland, was moving a heavy generator in the Falklands when it rolled towards him.
“I had to choose between holding the weight, or letting go and breaking both my legs,” he explained. “I managed to hold it, but it put a huge strain on my back.”
After the injury, Alan struggled to stand upright for long periods of time and experienced painful muscle spasms. Two years later, he was medically discharged.
He moved on to a whole host of careers, from factory maintenance to benefit admin.
In 1993, he took on the post of railway signalman.
But another accident at work caused further damage to his back – and Alan’s life slowly began to fall apart.
The daily agony meant he struggled to hold down a job, his marriage broke up and, even when he found happiness with a new partner, it ended in disaster when she developed a heroin and cocaine addiction.
When they split up, Alan found himself homeless. He had to bunk down in a friend’s caravan, even when temperatures plummeted to minus 28.
“It wasn’t a great way of life, but better than being on the streets,” he recalled.
“I never thought I’d end up in such a mess. It was like someone pulled the carpet out from under my feet.”
Remarkably, Alan got through it. He secured a house, retail work and, with help from an osteopath, mastered exercises to keep the pain at bay.
But when he slipped on ice four years ago, he damaged the nerves in his spine. It was a major setback.
Alan now needs a cocktail of strong painkillers to complete even the simplest of tasks.
He can’t work and relies on a walking stick to get around – but refuses to let it stop him.
An orthopaedic chair and bed from the Golden Charter, which provides life-changing support to the Armed Forces community, helps him get more than four hours sleep a night!
And the extra energy boost has led him to launch online forum, Veterans for Veterans, to direct veterans facing difficulties to services that can help.
“A problem shared is a problem halved,” he said.
“And it’s amazing how much of a lift you get just by doing something positive.”
For more information visit veteransforveterans.co.uk