Being told the news…,

Hi my name is Ellie Dean I’m 16 years old and when I was 14 in 2015 my family and I were told the devastating news that I had a tumour inside my lung, the size of a small watermelon. I felt like I was in a bad dream, it just didn’t feel real. I remember my Dad broke down and cried, it was so horrible to see as I’d never in life seen him cry before. I then remember asking the doctor if I was going to die, and she replied bluntly, “I can’t tell you that.” After them words nothing has been the same since.

Surgery that changed my life…

Immediately we were rushed to Addenbrookes Hospital in an ambulance as my Mum and Dad were in too much shock to drive. I then had an emergency operation to remove part of the tumour that was compressing on my spine. After a few weeks of recovering I then had the dreaded major 11-hour operation on October 20th, 2015 to remove the whole tumour. They successfully did, however, during the operation there was an incision to the aorta which is the main largest artery. This resulted in rapid aortic bleed. This lead to excessive blood loss. I lost 6 litres of blood. The surgeons did an amazing job in my saving my life as I virtually bleed to death on the operating table. I’m so grateful to the wonderful people who donate blood because without them I wouldn’t be here today. I then went from theatre to intensive care where I spent the next 8 days in a medically induced coma to stabilize my body from the trauma my body had endured. My organs were failing, and my blood pressure was becoming dangerously high and low so thankfully the fantastic intensive care team saved my life again. I can’t thank them enough. Failure of this blood supply to my spinal cord caused damage to it resulting in paralysis from the waist down.

How my life has changed…

Nothing is the same, everything is a struggle. Simple tasks are now a huge effort. Getting in the car, going to the toilet, showering, getting dressed all these things I took for granted. Just having to think about where to go and if it’s going to be accessible. I’ve had to relearn how to sit up, balance at the edge of the bed, be taught how to dress myself and learn how to roll over. It’s like being a baby again. A spinal cord injury affects every organ below the level of injury including bladder and bowels, it’s not just about being in a wheelchair. Because of my immobility my muscles are continuously wasting away so I suffer from pressure sores which are wounds that develop when constant pressure or friction to one area of the body damages the skin. As I still have sensation this means I am in a lot of pain as I have no other option than to sit around for long periods of time. These pressure sores also make it difficult to get comfortable at night.

Struggling with it mentally…

Not only does this injury affect me physically it also affects me mentally. Everyone can visually see the physical issues, but no one sees or understands how I feel inside as I always try to put a brave face on, and smile a lot to not let people know how I really feel. I do this because I don’t want to bring everyone else down with me. I have lost all my confidence as I feel so different to everyone else. People stare at me when I go out and that makes me want to lock myself away as I feel embarrassed. I have up and down days but most of the time I feel low.

It is possible…

I have seen and met many people who have made a recovery from this injury. It is possible. It does however take time, a lot of hard work and determination. Which I am willing to put in. I have met an inspirational man who had a severed spinal cord due to a coach crash and he is doing amazing. He is now walking and is going to do the London marathon next year. This gives me so much hope that I can recover too. There is a physio gym in America called Neurofit360 that has amazing and advanced equipment. It would be a great opportunity and would give me the best chance of recovery to go out there.

How you could help…

I am writing this to hopefully raise money towards going to America to do intensive physio at Neurofit360 in Florida. Your kind contribution would fund my physio therapy sessions in America. I hope that you will help support me in making my dream a reality.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and hopefully taking part to help create my goal of walking again a possibility. I would really appreciate it. x