Skydive adventure

As a lot of you are aware over the last 3-4 months i have been shouting about fundraising for Leeds Cares by doing a skydive.

For those that personally know me, know i’m not a keen flyer, I’m not keen on heights and have never done anything as adrenaline fuelled ever!

So the day came around August 26th 2018, i had to be there for 8.30am.So 6.30am we set off to pick up my parents on the way. All the way there i kept watching the clouds moving in closer, getting darker worrying that it might get cancelled. At 8.30 we arrived at the SkydiveGB centre nerves slightly affecting me as i walked in and started to sign in and fill out the necessary forms.

We got told to go through to the lounge area and wait to be called through for the training. As i was waiting, my family started arriving to watch and support me. My two youngest nieces thought it was highly funny that i would be jumping out f this little plane and my smallest nephew kept telling i was jumping from a plane after giving me this gorgeous scribble of me jumping out of the plane so looks like i had no choice.

The time came for the training and there was two of us to go through and get our briefing where we were shown the equipment and how to prepare to jump, what to do when the instructor tapped my shoulder at certain points through the jump and what positions to get into. Shortly aft the briefing it was time to get suited up.

I was introduced to my instructor Alec who i would be jumping with, the nerves again ever so slight which surprised me massively because i seriously thought i would be in a bit of a state with anxiety, but i was quite calm considering in Alec’s words ‘i was about to fall out of a plane and and pick  fight with the planet and hopefully win.

I had my small interview with Alec asking me why i was being insane and jumping out of a plane, so i explained that i was doing it for Leeds Cares-for Professor Balen’s clinic of Paediatric & Adolescent Gynaecology and Disorders of Sexual Development. Also that i had already raised nearly a whopping £700 only £300 of my target of a £1000 which is absolutely fantastic as i never thought i would raise anywhere near that amount.

The plane pulls round and it’s time to get in, we start to climb to 10,000ft. At 8,000ft its time to get prepared by making sure the harness is tightened and attached properly…..Shit is about to get REAL!

10,000ft the door opens and the camera man gets out of the plane for the first jumper, they shuffle to the door,3,2,1 they are gone and I’m like oh my days what am i doing. We have to start shuffling forward to the door, my camera lady is out of the plane and waiting, i reach the edge and i do the thing i recommend NOT to do and thats look down.My breath was taken away i think my heart started pounded and as i was thinking this is it, we got in position 3,2,1 we were gone, tumbling which feels like a lifetime the feeling at this point is breathe, your fine just breathe. We start to come level with the camera lady and with a tap on my shoulder i put my arms out to the side of me and smile for the camera. The parachute then gets pulled and i did not expect the feeling i got, panic as it opens and pulls you back, i think Alec was laughing at me as it was the only time i screamed and asked if i was ok.

We start to descend after what feels forever been suspended in thin air, trying to take in  what i have just done, coming in for landing my feet are up, Alec says feet down and I’m stood up thats it done i get unclipped and give Alec massive hug as I’m nearly crying with adrenaline pumping my body shaking i think it was still sinking in that i have jumped out of a plane and survived.

I walked back to my family in applause and cheering all saying they can’t believe i have done it, i receive my certificate and images on memory stick and can’t wait to see them when i get home.

If anybody is thinking of doing a skydive despite my feelings when i was doing i would recommend doing it, it was an amazing experience and i am hoping to do another jump for fun next year, to me if i can do this i can do anything.

M x

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