I returned home from work and at some point after 8pm I fell backwards down my stairs, hitting my neck on the radiator and knocking myself unconscious. The alarm was not raised until after 9am the next day when I failed to pick up my colleague from work. She contacted my boss who lived in the next village, who came to the house with a friend who had a key and they found me trapped behind my radiator unconscious. They contacted the ambulance service but was told it would take 6 hours minimum. After explaining what had happened, an air ambulance was sent instantly and I was airlifted to Heath Hospital in Cardiff.
After several tests and scans the doctors performed an operation to try and relocate two discs (C5-C6) that had moved forward and was pressing on my spinal cord. During the operation my blood pressure dropped so they had to finish prematurely to save my life. I still had no comprehension as to the damage that I had done. I was in the intensive care unit for several weeks where family and friends visited but I have no recollection they were there even though I was talking to them. I remember asking every person that treated me to help me to get out of bed and everyone explained that I had a serious injury to my neck, and they wouldn’t be able to help, but that didn’t stop me offering to bribe them to not tell anyone!
I had vivid dreams which I thought were true that I was in danger of having my organs harvested and this continued and was taken so seriously by the hospital that they contacted the police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) got involved. Over the next few months, I was visited frequently by CID and I provided them with information, names and descriptions of the people involved! By the time I was moved to Morriston Hospital in Swansea in October 2024 I realized that the organ harvesting was a side effect from the drugs I was being given and retracted my accusations with a very red face. Thank God I can laugh about that now.
Throughout my time in Cardiff and Swansea I don’t think I fully understood exactly what had happened to me because of the damage that was caused. Even though they were telling me daily that I would never walk again, it didn’t sink in. Whilst in Swansea I contracted C. diff and pneumonia twice and was not sent to my care home until March 2025, just in time for my 60th birthday. I had planned an isle cruise but had to cancel – I will celebrate, but at a later date. I was lucky to be transferred to the Spinal Injury Centre in University Hospital Llandough for rehab from 23rd April to 10th September 2025 and it is only there that I had my injuries fully explained by my consultant. It was also there that I learnt to appreciate what I can do and not focus on what I can’t do.
They have been so wonderful and helpful, it is hard to explain in words. All the staff and patients are like a family and it’s this that has made the difference to my recovery. The main person that has been constant since September 2024 has been Drew, an Aspire Assistive Technologist. He has provided support and he is amazing with Assistive Technology.
Without Drew my journey would have been so much more difficult and honestly, I don’t think I could have done this without him. I am a technophobe and a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to anything electronic and I honestly didn’t know what was out there to help, but Drew has stayed patient, calm and friendly throughout.
I now embrace technology and will be actively be using it to be able to return to work. Previously I used a keyboard and a conventional mouse to search the web using Microsoft and Google to carry out my role at Citizens Advice in Swansea. Drew set me up with Voice Access on my phone and then we progressed to computer access. I trained to use an Integra Mouse and Dragon dictate after trialing several other applications. Using these two tools together is the closest match to what I was doing before my injury.
The most frustrating thing I still find is not being able to use my hands, as they are fixed at a 90 degree angle, and my fingers don’t move which means I’m unable to type, write or hold anything (hairbrush, toothbrush etc) so I am asking for any aids to help me with these tasks.
I miss my hobby, which is painting rocks to leave out for children to find, but I’m hopeful that with I will be able to do this again. I have learnt so much about the spine and the central nervous system from the Patient Education talk and that has equipped me with the knowledge and information to be able to deal and recognize the challenges that come with a spinal cord injury such as bladder, bowels and skin care.
I’m more than grateful for the help and continued support from Aspire, I could never have done this without them.
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- This article was written by the Aspire Karten Centre
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