Tracey’s Journey To Being Pain Free
Tracey, now Fifty-Nine years old, was working in Retail Management in 1998, when during a normal working day, a metal bar she was carrying down a flight of stairs got caught, causing her to fall down 20 steps and smashing her back against the wall at the bottom. Tracey suffered multiple broken vertebrae and a severed sciatic
nerve. Even after several operations to repair damage, Tracey was left with severe pain. The outcome was bleak and she was told there was very little else that could be done other than medication, including regular injections to help manage the pain. Realising she wasn’t ready to live the rest of her life like that, she undertook her own research into alternative treatments. “ I was lucky enough to be found suitable to have a spinal simulator implanted at Bradford Royal Infirmary, it’s like a built in TENS machine and is an amazing piece of equipment which really helped me manage the pain for nearly 23 years.
However, one morning in 2021, I woke up unable to move my legs and started suffering from uncontrollable tremors. At the time it was thought that my brain had started to reject the simulator and the decision was to remove it. I was back to square one, going from a very active 56 year old woman to someone needing round the clock care. I couldn’t even clean my teeth myself because to move caused unbearable pain.
After more tests I was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) Doctors and Consultants still don’t really know how to effectively treat FND other than with strong pain medication.
The effects of the medication left me feeling isolated and incoherent, struggling to live any form of life, I often found myself thinking; what is the point if I’m no good to anyone?
Twenty-eight tablets and two bottles of Morphine a week I was at my lowest point, I just wanted someone to hold their hand out and help me somehow.
The little chink of light appeared in the form of a friends post on social media. Their son had being in a bike accident resulting in a broken leg. In their post they mentioned that he had been receiving oxygen therapy at the Merlin Centre which had helped shorten his recovery time and was helping with his pain levels.
Just the words HELP WITH PAIN was like a big yellow beacon! I contacted the centre and acouple weeks later made the trip down to St Austell from my home in Bideford, North Devon fora trial session in the oxygen chamber. Of course, I was apprehensive, Its something new, but forme I was more scared of having a non-existent life, bedridden and on mega medication for therest of my life.
That apprehension soon disappeared when I met the wonderful caring team at the Centre.Belinda and Chris (Oxygen Department) explained everything in great detail answering all thequestions I had.
After my trial in the oxygen tank, I have not looked back. My first sessions were at the lowestdepth, amazingly after two or three sessions I started to feel some real change in pain levels, thepain was starting to ease, I really started to believe I can do this, I can get my life back on trackand here I am six months on at the deepest depth, with at least seven days in a row pain free andnot one tablet passes my lips anymore, no more medication!
Now my pain has improved, I am able not only to have oxygen therapy, but also physiotherapy atthe Centre. The FND may have taken away my ability to walk unaided, but it hasn’t taken awaymy determination, and with the help of the amazing team who truly understand what my needsare, they have given me the confidence to believe I can retrain my brain to find the functionalconnection to my legs. It’s no easy task, but with their continuous encouragement and supportI’ve got this!!”