I was babysitting my grandson when I felt the pain that turned out to be Cauda Equina. I rang the doctor early in the morning and they said they had no appointments for two weeks. At end of the doctor’s surgery that day, I rang again. They said if the pain was that bad to take myself to A&E. 

It was ten times more painful than childbirth, but at least you know that’s going to be over in a day. It was like being sawn in half. People don’t understand, they tell you to sit down and take a pain killer. Before the injury, I was an oncology/palliative care nurse. I loved working with the patients; oncology is so rewarding. I had my two children, life was busy but I enjoyed that,

My injury massively impacted my family. I couldn’t get upstairs so I had to sleep on the sofa for almost three years. I wasn’t told it was a spinal cord injury, so I was waiting for it to get better. It was life-changing as we lost my pay check. We had to move house and sell our forever home to buy a bungalow and adapt it slowly.

I found out about Aspire through SIA, because I was having further surgery, didn’t know what was going to happen and I didn’t want an electric wheelchair. They suggested I apply to Aspire Grants for a power add on. I felt a bit cheeky asking as I don’t think of myself as the type of person who needs a grant. The process was very helpful. It’s been easy, I felt it was taken out of my hands.

When I found out my application for a F35 Empulse wheelchair power add on was successful, I was elated, it was like all the Christmases coming together. I knew it was potentially going to be life changing and I couldn’t afford it otherwise.

It's been such a liberated feeling with the add on, I feel free. So many people have commented when I’m out and about. It took me to a cathedral on cobbles and to the top of a hill in Estonia which other wheelchair users had to abandon as it was too steep.

I can get out to the shops now by myself as the F35 is not so big that it gets in the way of anything. If we go to Costa coffee, I can go right up to the table. It’s given me everything back. You sort of lose your confidence and don’t realise it and then it comes back. You don’t have to rely on anyone... I’ve sacked the husband now!

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