Celebrity SAS Australia - It's been a few weeks since the Celebrity SAS Australia concluded and just like the first season I loved it!
Last year we saw Sabrina Frederick pass the SAS selection test and it was so inspiring seeing her finish as the only female to do so along with comedian Merrick Watts and rugby player Nick Cummins.
This season of SAS Australia, I grew to love Jana Pitman with every episode.
Growing up in Australia I heard of Jana quite a bit in the media. I knew of her efforts as a track and field athlete and as a dual Olympian also competing in the bobsled at the Winter Olympics. Once athletes stop competing though you don't hear too much more about them.
Jana introduced herself on the show as a former dual Olympian, a mum of 4 kids (one who at the time of filming was only 6 months old) and now a doctor.
Doctor Jana! I don't know about you but that in itself impressed me!
Throughout the show she spoke a lot about being a mum, how challenging it was juggling her med school studies while raising her kids. She even openly admitted how she had a bit of an accident during one of the tasks where she leaked in the last moments of the run. Oh Jana.. we know the feels! (Cue call to book an appointment with my Pelvic Health Physio!)
I personally was devastated that Jana didn't make selection but she did so much to impress the Directing Staff. She finished in the final 5 but was culled before the last task.
Up until now, watching Jana and hearing of her efforts throughout her life has lit a fire in me. Something about going from elite athlete to doctor kind of makes me feel that anything is possible and she did it being a single mum at the time (from what I gather). She also recently announced she is pregnant with babies 5 and 6… TWINS!
Since the birth of my twins almost 3 years ago I was in absolute awe of the amazing midwives and the care they gave me. I spent most of my pregnancy seeing doctors as twin pregnancies are classed as high risk. I had a midwife who rechecked me and found I was in labour when another told me I wasn't. She checked on me when the doctors were MIA and found out I was 8cm. She held my hand while I was pushing and did all she could to keep the supervising obstetrician from intervening. I had a 2nd midwife hold my hand when my husband needed to leave the room after seeing my blood pooling on the floor. And then when both bubs were delivered the 1st midwife had stayed 2 hours past the end of her shift, stayed with my husband until I was stable and walked him out at 11pm.
Midwives are amazing and after my 3rd bub I knew that this is my calling. To give that care back to other mums. Learning about Jana and her journey has fuelled me and I have made a promise to one day start and finish a midwifery degree. Even if have to be a 40yr old student midwife!