Getting signed with an agent

So approximately a year ago I decided I would like to get into tv presenting. Something that probably sounded very far fetched at the time. I even questioned myself. Was it asking to much to have all I have and wish for the dream career? Would it be simply to unobtainable with my health constraints! It's certainly a hard career to get into anyway let alone after having a double lung transplant, cystic fibrosis, diebeties, osteopenia and juvenile chorionic arthritis. These were all my thoughts before I had faced chronic rejection and had a second double lung transplant.

I did a piece with itv west-country which I presented myself, then shortly after my health started to decline.

With my second transplant my confidence was knocked and all idea of tv presenting seemed impossible. The on dec 30th 2013 myself and Katie gammon appeared on itv daybreak http://youtu.be/MUFAZMawqwk and with that the presenting dream was reignited and conversation in the green room led to what I hope will be my big chance! I was put in touch with a agent.

This agent represents many of the great tv presenters and faces I aspire to. Most of all Katie piper. Katie piper was burned by acid a attack and left disfigured and gravely injured. She proves to me that even through great adversity people can still achieve careers within media, that may seem beyond our grasps. Does a world of glamour and pretty people have room for chronic illness and disease?

So I have been in contact with the agent, who I'm being signed with. Firstly to start doing more public speaking, but paid work unlike all my public speaking so far. This means things like corporate events. After time it will lead to more media appearances and progressing to TV presenting. They also work at book deals, which the past month I have been thinking a lot about writing my story down properly, not as a blog but a novel. I feel like I've hit the jackpot and I'm extremely excited to start my career.

I'm also doing some work experience with itv West Country which has been on the back burner for some time now. It's in Paignton zoo filming a baby oragutan. I'm looking for lots of opportunities like this to get experience in tv. Just shadowing tv journalism, radio and presenters as this is the only way I can get my experience up and improve on my knowledge of the media world. I hope to specialise in health presenting and journalism drawing light to other people's illnesses and helping them with there campaigning just like so many have done for me.

Im aware iv been given a unique window of opportunity, it may shut at any time, but while it's open I'm going to make the most of it, does TV and media have a place for someone like me? Will my health become an obstacle? As I have been telling everyone if I fail because I didn't try, I don't deserve it, if I try and fail then it was never ment to be.

When do you get back to work

Something iv been thinking about is when do you go back to work post transplant? Especially double lung transplant?

Well my first transplant is as keen to get back to work, but then I went Back to fitness pole dancing 3 months post transplant it was at my leisure, I could choose when and how often I taught. I enjoyed it and it was enough to keep me occupied, but not stress me out and over work. I think they were both important because I was still recovering mentally and physically after the trauma of ecmo and transplant. I'm happy I did that.

This time I was forced back to work as I wasn't entitled to incapacity/esa benefit and with being homeless because our rented house was full of mould (not good for lung transplant, especially newly transplanted lungs) we had to put our dream, buying a house, into fast forward. Living with my nan and then in my mums annex when she was able to move into her house as she had just bought and was renovating. Therefore I had to go back to work to be able to afford rent and bills. So exactly 3 months post this transplant, despite being heavily depressed and anxious which I was seeing the phycologist for, I went back to work.

Let me explain a little about my mind set at the time, I was anxious because as you may know I'm still at high risk of chronic rejection, I was trying to get over another dance with death, saying goodbye to my family and friends, grieving for my donor whilst feeling forever grateful to them and dealing with the confusion that I had said goodbye to the lungs that had saved my life although my connection with my first donor is always in my heart. I didn't know if I'd recover or how well I'de recover. My doctor suggested I didn't go back to work yet for medical and mental recovery, feeling maybe. The last two years had caught up with me.

I didn't want to go back, getting out of bed on some days was hard, I was still extremely physically tired and having various other recovering issues i went back and It was hard at first I'm not going to lie. Sometimes I wish I had had 6 months to recover but being back at work gave my Mind other things to think about and then buying our home and being busy with that to, there wasn't time to think and that was just what I needed.

So I guess when people ask me, when should I return to work? It's different for everyone but most important thing is when is right for you and in my opinion whether you go back to work or not having something to keep your mind from Everything can be really good, but remember all our thoughts and fears have to be dealt with in the end. The phycologist gave me a specific time and day I could think about it all deal with as much of it then and then lock it away till the next week so I could function as a human being and be happy.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad