Matt Streuli: In Someone elses Shoes with a Back Stabbing Kidney

I thought I pulled a muscle getting out of my bunk bed. Yes, I have a double bed on stilts, I'm cool. As the days went on, it grew from a ache to agony. Putting on pants is such painful activity. I suddenly have much more respect for those with back issues.Until you are in the other person's shoes, meaning viewing the world from their perspective, it can be difficult to truly appreciate how debilitating a back problem, or in my case when your own kidney turns against you, can be.

FIND me on Social media! links below...

The same principle goes for mental health. There must of been times when you've felt incredibly low, such as at funeral or when the money doesn't reach the end of the month. It is a glimpse into just some of the emotions that are triggered in those with mental health issues. Last week I launched my new webseries which will appear in written form on The Huffington Post and in video on YouTube. Both have received some really good feedback which I plan to use for the next episode which will be early next week. I hope that my campaigning helps people step into the shoes of someone with mental health issues - after all 1 in 4 of us will.

Check out my most popular posts by clicking here...

My other main story is of course pantomime. Perhaps you subscribe to my blog or just read every edition but my true passion is my local drama club. As a youngster it gave me a way of being someone else on stage for an evening a week, instead of worrying what my alcoholic mother was up to and chaperoning her to the pub. Our club has always been about a mixture of having good fun and putting on a great show so it doesn't have the snobby clic that some semi-professional clubs have. If you fancy a giggle, I've put a video clip of last year's show underneath my #ExploreMH video so have a look. Perhaps you'd like to come see me on stage?

More at www.tumblr.com/blog/iverheathdramaclub

Tickets are on sale now but I'd love it if you could show your support or tweet about the pantomime and boost those opening shows. For tickets visit www.ihdc.co.uk

See more on local press (links below) Photo by Sharon Pollard

It's thanks to our drama club that I, as a last resort, ended up in women's high heeled shoes. It's those shoes I stepped into this week when I joined the protest in my hometown of Iver Heath (it's a village, but home village doesn't sound right). As part of this HS2 railway that the Government has decided England needs, Heathrow Express will have a depot on the edge of the village. At the moment over 1000 HGVs (Heavy Goods Vehicles or lorries) pass through the 3 villages of Iver, Iver Heath and Richings Park and the HS2 and Heathrow Express will add additional lorries; around 500 per day.

If you have a look for #IversFirst on twitter you'll see some brilliant pictures of the visit made by MPs regarding our petition and protest for a relief road to help our villages but also the HGVs themselves. Some of the HGVs that stopped to ask why, in some places 50 people, were protesting throughout the villages, had no idea a relief road was on the cards and seemed in favour of it. On one hand, I think I'd like the independance of being a HGV driver yet having to drive through small villages like Iver, with narrow junctions and schools and cyclists and horses everywhere... too risky!
Despite my kidney infection and chilly wind, I had a really good time and actually enjoyed the community spirit of the event. There is a few really good articles in our local press especially the ones with pictures of me in them! Check out BUCKS FREE PRESS , SLOUGH OBSERVER and a few others yet to print.

Either way, that pretty much wraps up my week - aside from progress being made and ACAS now in charge of my grievance. If you want to know more about that gossip, why not have a browse of previous posts on my blog.

Much love and thank you for your views and sharing/promoting my videos, pantomime and blog. xxx