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If you have stumbled onto this page without reading any of my blog chances are you’re going to think, aghh… what’s this all about? So I better give you a quick run-down (pun intended) of my last 3 months. My name is Mark Hinchelwood and I live in Sydney Australia with my beautiful wife Samantha and two children Sophie and Luke. 3 months ago I was involved in a MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident) at a race track. I drive… (Drove) drag cars and other fast things as a hobby / passion that I’ve turned into a business called Motorsport Connections. On this day I was driving a top alcohol funny car and things went terribly wrong. On fire I jumped from the car at 100kph hit the deck and found myself caught in the already deployed parachutes (read the full story by going to the crash page of this blog) after enduring 74 days in a HALO brace as a result of a fractured left occipital condyle, I now have a ‘Frozen Shoulder’ and 6 nerve palsy in my left eye. This means I need to wear an eye patch as with both eyes open I have double vision. During my rehabilitation I’ve been fortunate to meet many people and I have also experienced all types of emotion, sadness and depression as a result of being in pain. One of these great people suggested art as a form of therapy, a way of showing how you feel and expressing yourself. So the ‘Emotion Patch’ was born…I was not happy with regular eye patches as I found I need additional light through the pad. I found I preferred to wear a conventional eye make-up remover pad as an eye patch. The only problem is they are quite plain. (like the one in the photo above) So I decided, it needed to be personalised. I thought, why not personalise it with how I’m feeling for that week, day, or even use it to show what I’m up to. As you will know if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, I’m not shy, and you probably don’t know this, but I love to draw. In fact one of the things I implemented to help promote the racing teams I'm involved in has been to offer free colouring in books, these are more of an activity book and they offer information about our race car and the drivers in the team.
Each emotion patch has a small story behind it, it might be about how I’m feeling or just what I’m up to on that day or during that week. Oh and if you're wondering, yes the HALO was BOLTED into my skull. Enjoy. LIGHTNING BOLT Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
Lightning bolt represents pain. Blackness is Depression and pain. Orange is my favorite color and hope. Blue (bottom) tears from the week. #94 SPRINT-CAR Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
We were heading to the speedway to watch my car run the night I wore this. In support of my driver "Lachlan Abbott" I wore his car number. 6 CYLINDER Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
I normally run on 8 cylinders (flat out) but I'm currently broken. The two lightning bolts represent my damaged shoulder and eye. the black in the center is depression (not much this week) and I'm surrounded by orange my favorite color. Lots of love here! FROZEN Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
After 74 days of wearing a HALO that was bolted to my head it was finally removed. At last I am able to have some thorough scans on the shoulder and after seeing a shoulder specialist I am diagnosed with 'Frozen Shoulder', so... Large Lightning bolt for huge shoulder pain, black for darkness trying to get out but lots of orange for love. Picture of shoulder is getting struck where the pain is felt. HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
It's Halloween and we are getting into the SPOOKY SPIRIT. My ZOMBIE wife is giving me a kiss and we have a great night trick or treating! ALL BLACKS Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
The Rugby world cup final 2016. All Blacks (New Zealand) vs Wallabies (Australia) I wore this for the game which I watched at home ( it was shown live at 2am! where else would I be?) and this patch was originally just Black. I added the color once I knew the outcome of the game. Bright colors as they won! PIZZA Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
My Sprint Car has a really good night racing Saturday night. 2 weeks prior we have a shocker night which sees the car torn apart in a 5 move flip putting us out for the night. Tonight we are 10th quick with 63 cars trying to get into the main event. We make the A-Main event and run well. Someone mentioned the patch looks like a pizza, on the night I’m wearing it I come home to… you guessed it. Lol. So it’s named the Pizza Patch. GG Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
Melbourne Cup day, the biggest Horse race in Australia. Here is my Emotion Patch worn during the race. The back ground colors are the Silks worn by the jockey on "Gust of Wind" the rocking horse because a mate said it would run last...News Flash... It did and i blew my dough! FROZEN Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
The official reports are in, my shoulder is FROZEN. The pain is unbearable but the good news is i don't need surgery and will eventually make a full recovery. Lightening bolts are pain shooting out of the shoulder. The blackness is pain and emotion with blue for lots of ice packs to help. SAINTY Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
Its drag racing time at Western Sydney Raceway. This is the track where I had my accident 4 months ago and I'm returning for the first time. I decide a Sainty eye patch is needed. PAIN Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
This patch represents a clock face. The 2 bigger lightening bolts are 6 hours apart and when my medication is due (every 6 hours). The small bolts are pain trying to get in and the black is the darkness and depression both from inside and out. The clock face is warped as time need to be adjusted constantly and I've also named some of the Medication I'm on. I wear this patch when having a bad day. UNDER FIRE Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
I made this patch as soon as I watched the News reports of the shootings in France. Blue, White and Red for the flag - bullet holes and blood. I was moved by the people singing their anthem in the streets and standing strong. BACK TO WORK Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
Its the 3rd week of November 2015 - I'm officially back to work. Still in pain but I had to do a Mr Happy for the occasion. IRON MAN Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
As I get back into work and feel human again I'm also back reading with the kids. I've missed reading the Marvel books to my Son Luke so here is my Iron Man Patch. FIRE MAN Emotion Patch - Synopsis:
Huge fires this week burn in Adelaide SA. So far 2 lives lost and 16 houses with figures set to rise. I’ve copied this scene and will wear this patch in support of the brave fire fighters who battle this blaze. |