Working together for a better tomorrow!
Hi, I would like to introduce myself. I’m Charlotte, 35
from Hertfordshire, England.
I am a part of the Friends in N.E.A.D team and I was
diagnosed with FND and
NEAD in August 2013.
I would like to give you a bit of a background to my story.
In May 2013, I was in a great place in my life. I was in a safe and happy relationship. My children were doing well and I had just started working at a new school as a full time primary school teacher.
It all started over the May bank holiday weekend. I had woken up with a nasty migraine and a slight twitch in my eye. When I arrived at my parent’s house,I felt quite poorly so I went to lay down. When I got up, I
headed downstairs and suddenly the right side of my face dropped. I looked like and felt like I was having a stroke. I was blue lighted to hospital where they ran tests including an MRI. All the tests came back normal and they decided it was Bells Palsy. After a while,I felt better and went home.
A few weeks later, my symptoms worsened. I started to have what seemed like epileptic seizures. I was referred tothe National Neurological Hospital in Queens Square, London.
After months of tests and terrible illness, I was finally diagnosed with FND and NEAD. In some ways, this was a relief but in others, I was devastated. Experiencing such awful things and then being told that there is nothing physically wrong with your brain can make you feel like you have lost your mind. I know and understand now that it’s nothing like that at all.
When I was diagnosed I had never heard of this disorder
and neither had anyone else! Hence why I decided to start writing my blog to raise awareness.
Five years on, I’m thrilled to say that, thanks to the hard work of groups such as Friends in N.E.A.D, awareness is most certainly being raised! In November last year, there was a huge conference with medical professionals from all around the world, all about FND.
I am lucky enough to have had the opportunity to take part in a five week rehabilitation course which I finished yesterday. It has made such a huge difference.
I now understand what is actually happening inside my
brain and body when my seizures, pain and paralysis happen. As a result, my symptoms have improved. What I didn’t realise when I first fell ill is that my past had had an affect on my brain. I have in fact been suffering with PTSD. As a coping mechanism I had been holding in my hurt, shame and guilt and as a result my physical symptoms developed. I left the hospital yesterday, a stronger,
happier me.
I am at the start of a difficult journey and I know that I am not ‘fixed’ but I know with my wonderful little family
beside me, I can continue to heal. I now have the tools I need to manage my illness and I hope that I can help
others too!
I’m excited to tell you about an upcoming event called:
#voices4FND on 25th March 2018.
This is an opportunity to help to raise awareness and I
believe 4 or 5 different charities are getting involved.
Raising awareness is so important because it helps to stopignorance and allows for better understanding and
treatment for those with the condition. I will write about
this more in my next post.
If you would like to check out some of my earlier blogs please visit my blogging website click here
Charlotte xxx