Having trained as a barrister & Called to the Bar by Middle Temple in 2002 my future legal career lay ahead. Unfortunately following an accident at work in 2003 I was diagnosed with a disabling pain condition; Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). After 3 years of trying every available treatment unsuccessfully, my right leg was amputated above the knee. This didn’t stop the pain or allodynia & hyperalgesia but stopped the extreme ulcers that proved impossible to treat.
I began getting pneumonia & in January 2014 during a holiday abroad I caught swine flu & 5 different strains of pneumonia in both lungs. Doctors gave me several days of ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) & then needed a tracheostomy. Unfortunately the CRPS was retriggered in my left leg & was told nothing more could be done. My left leg was amputated above the knee in December 2014. I’m a bilateral above knee amputee confined to a wheelchair without the use of prosthetics.
Life has obviously changed for my husband & I but we try to get on with life as much as we can. Work has become impossible due to the medication, tormenting pain & poor sleep. However we try & do everything together.
In September 2014 I decided to turn my 14 year nightmare into a positive & I set up an evidence based website raising awareness for CRPS ‘Burning Nights CRPS Support,’ which is now a registered charity.
As a charity we provide awareness sessions to healthcare & legal professionals, case managers, private clinics, schools & universities to raise awareness of CRPS. We also provide an annual conference, helpline, evidence based website, social media & email support & 24/7 online forum.
I now speak at conferences, seminars, medical & legal events, clinical trials, universities & hospitals to raise awareness of CRPS & show how patients can be engaged more.
Learn more about Burning Nights CRPS Support Charity & how we can support you as professionals & everyone affected by CRPS, visit www.burningnightscrps.org