Prior to my injury, I worked as a sales representative for a company that supplies container units used on building sites. I enjoyed going out with my friends and going on holidays. I would always try to squeeze in at least three holidays a year!

My injury happened on 15th April 2023, when I was 22 years old. I had a really bad pain in my right shoulder, but didn’t think too much about it as I thought I had just pulled a muscle and thought it would get better by itself. The next day, I went to a birthday party, but I felt like I was getting worse as the day went on. When I ate, it didn’t taste right. But again, I didn’t think too much of it. I then had a pain shoot around my chest and then my left arm went completely numb and I wasn’t able to move it. I thought I was having a heart attack. I sat down at around 7.30pm, and by 9.30pm I lost all ability to move in my body. I was taken to hospital and after several tests and scans, they found that my lungs were filled with blood clots and one had travelled to my spine causing a stroke. The doctors were so shocked that I didn’t have any symptoms of the blood clot in my lungs. To this day, they still don’t know what caused it.

During my rehabilitation at Stoke Mandeville hospital, we had case workers assigned to us for help etc. It was getting to the point where I didn’t have anywhere to go, and I was worried that I would end up back at Hillingdon Hospital. My case worker mentioned that Aspire has properties that they rent out to people temporarily until something more permanent comes up. I was so lucky that when I spoke to Aspire, a property had just come up in the area I live in, close by to my family. I am so thankful to Aspire. It has been amazing. 

If I didn’t have the Aspire property to go to, I fear I would have been sent back to Hillingdon Hospital and I worried that I would be sent to a care home. 

The main priority for me was being near to my family as I needed my support network. Nothing compares to the support of family.

I really like having the wide doors in the Aspire property as I don’t feel like I have to squeeze in and fit through places. I have a really lovely communal garden where I can open the door and wheel straight into the garden. Going out into the garden is really good for my mental health. There is paving so I can get around in my wheelchair. The property and garden have been very well designed for someone in a wheelchair.

The Aspire property really helped with my independence, and I feel free and like I can go wherever I want. I don’t feel like there is anything that I can’t do in the property.

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