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Life
before the ‘incident’. I was living in Ireland, working as a dental nurse and 6 months off getting fully qualified, when I got sick. I loved the life in Ireland, socialising, having parties and generally having fun!! I was living with my boyfriend but the relationship was not good. The
‘incident’. It was Valentine’s Day,
1997, when my boyfriend was taking me to work (complaining about it too) and he
had a car crash. It wasn’t bad,
just a shunt into another car. I
got some minor whiplash but apart from that I was ok…until a week later! I woke up on Friday with cramp in my foot, I had a shower thinking that it would be gone by the time I’d finished, but no. It didn’t go and by lunchtime I was quite concerned as it was going up my calve. I called my mum, who was visiting at the time and she told me to go to the doctors. So after work I went and the cramp was up to my knee, the doctor sent me to Ardkeen hospital in Waterford. So me, mum and the complaining boyfriend took a trip to casualty. It took hours so the boyfriend called his staff nurse aunt to come and complain for him. What a farce, arguments with doctors, bad language and strops and that was just the boyfriend!! They admitted me and the next day did tests, my started to slur, which I totally denied and the doctors thought I was having a stroke. No way, I was only 21? They sent me to Dublin that night and I saw a lovely doctor called Esther. I was admitted into Beaumont and the next morning I couldn’t speak and I was paralysed on my right side.2 weeks later I was in a coma, I was in it for a week and nearly died. My sister came from Scotland it was that serious. But I came out of it compos mentis but the doctors thought I would never speak or walk again. My Mum and Dad rented a room for a month in Dublin until I was well enough to fly to England and went to Maidstone hospital, God awful place but that’s another story. Life
now! After 6 months in hospital, 3 of that was Sevenoaks Rehab Unit – excellent place, I was allowed home. It was a struggle at first, but I got through it with the help of my family and friends. 5 ½ years down the road, after the tears and laughter, through the struggle I can walk, not perfectly but I get places now; my arm is still a bit dodgy; and I can speak again, although I think most of my friends liked it when I couldn’t answer them back!! I still struggle to read, that’s the killer, I love reading. So I took up oil painting and cross-stitch. I have also been water-skiing, rock climbing and caving! I took up a counselling course, which led to another one and another. I now counsel people who have had strokes or head injuries and are aphasic. I am now going to do an art therapy course, which I feel would benefit my clients who have aphasia. I still do not have a diagnosis; the closest I have to one is acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. I wouldn’t change what’s happened as I have learnt so much about myself and life and my family has helped me all the way.
Some of the websites I've found interesting: www.geocities.com/Area51/1777/ www.shaunleane.com/shaunleane.html
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