On 26th April 2010 my life as I knew it changed forever. I was about to embark on a trip of a life time to help underprivileged children in Uganda, Africa. Through coaching soccer I could have given the children the chance to excel and learn knew life experiences through playing football. I had to have the yellow fever vaccination to be able to enter the country. The next day I awoke with breathing difficulties and weakness in all four of my limbs. My friend persuaded me to go to A+E having no idea of what was about to follow.
Over the course of the next few days my weakness turned into paralysis and my breathing got worse so I was admitted into ICU with heart and lung failure. I was completely paralysed from the neck down. I had many tests and examinations and was then diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. I was treated with IVIG and intravenous steroids.
Things kind of stayed stable for some time – I wasn’t getting any better but I wasn’t deteriorating. I moved to a general ward and then onto a neuro rehab ward. Here I received vital therapy and slowly started to improve. Over the next 9-10 months I was starting to recover some movement. I did a walkathon to raise money for GAIN and I did 10 steps!! But then I had a relapse and was back to being confined to the wheelchair and hoist for transfers.