BLAC The car hitting the kerb was the only reason I’d woken up. It was terrifying, but luckily no harm was done. ‘I think you should go to the hospital,’ my mum, Elizabeth, said when I told her. Knowing she was right, I headed to A&E where I was given an MRI and had blood tests. The results didn’t show anything, but over the next few weeks things continued to get worse. The headaches were horrendous, and I started having more and more blackouts. By now, I had to give up driving and work. ‘Are you OK?’ Jamie asked one day, after finding me laying across the bathroom floor. ‘I was
must have blacked out and fallen off.’ At this point, I was conking out up to 30 times a day and I had no idea what was wrong. Then, last January, we went to Hampshire for a family birthday party. Sitting at the kitchen table in the afternoon, I could feel my hands were trembling. ‘I’m going to go up and get ready,’ I said to everyone. But while I was upstairs, the room began to spin. I slumped on the floor, convulsing. Hearing the loud thud, Jamie rushed up and got me on to the bed. I woke up to his terrified face. ‘You had a seizure,’ he xplained to me. I couldn’t speak. I tried, but no words would ome out. I was taken to hospital where my voice came back, but the eizures continued. I was diagnosed with nonpileptic attack disorder, but Mum wanted me to get a econd opinion. We decided to see a private neurologist who ran lots of ests and found that I had functional neurological disorder as well. It’s where symptoms such as fainting and tremors seem to be caused by problems in the nervous system, but there’s no underlying neurological disease or disorder. ‘It can be brought on by stress or anxiety,’ the
UT
I blacked out at the car wheel
I won’t let it stop me
We’ll get through it together
neuropsychologist confirmed. ‘I do get anxious,’ I admitted. ‘Plus, I had the new job and house to worry about.’ But Jamie was my rock. ‘We’ll get through all of this,’ he said, determined. When an attack would leave me unable to speak, he’d smile or offer me a magazine. Or I’d mouth ‘shower’ and he’d help me to the bathroom. These days, I don’t blackout as much and my seizures are down to about three a week. I used to have around six a day, so it’s a huge improvement. I’m on anti-depressants for my
anxiety and things are starting to get better. I still suffer with facial tics, shaking and hand tremors, but I’m on the list to see a psychologist. Although, there’s an 18-month wait and it’s £95 for a private appointment with them. I’ve set up a GoFundMe page to raise the money and so far, I’ve raised over £800 to help with all of the treatment I need. At just 22, I feel like my life has been taken away from me. I still can’t teach, but I won’t let my condition stop me. I even plan on seeing the fireworks again soon!
What are Functional Neurological Disorders?
M
t is the name given for symptoms in the body which appear to be caused by problems in the nervous system but are not caused by a physical neurological disease or disorder. They are quite common, and for some the symptoms can persist for months or years.
KING IN YOUR GENES?
In your DNA
new research, drinking too much booze by a gene which a makes a pint of beer able than it should be. s of thousands of people had their genome researchers found that those who drank a lot ared six specific genetic variants. se twists in their DNA could help disrupt hways involved in reward and pleasure and could the reason why some people enjoy a tipple more han others.
47
