Mum walks for the first time after life-saving operation
WOMAN WHOSE SPINE WAS BEING CRUSHED BY HER SKULL HAS U.S. SURGERY AFTER RAISING £150K
A MUM has walked for the first time after undergoing life-saving surgery.
Samantha Smith is battling a rare condition which means her spine is being crushed by her own skull.
The mum-of-two, from Smithy Bridge, Rochdale, raised almost £150,000 to pay for the operation in Washington, US, after a shock diagnosis of Ehlers Danlos syndrome (EDS).
She hopes the surgery, which saw her spine compressed and marrow taken from her hip to create new bone to strengthen vertebrae in her back, will transform her life by dramatically mobility.
And after undergoing the complex procedure last week Samantha, 30, posted footage on Facebook of her taking her first steps since the operation alongside the message “Evidence!! First walk post op!”.
Hundreds of people have liked and shared the video.
One woman wrote: “Tears in my eyes. Amazing amazing Samantha Smith lots of love, sending love, healing and light.”
Another said: “Aww fantastic, slow and steady. I cried for you. Keep strong and determined. I’m thinking of you brave lady x.”
Samantha later updated followers on her condition, writing: “I’ve improving her walked twice today. Had a short wheel in the chair outside my room (cabin fever).
“I don’t feel know what happened in surgery apart from what I’ve read from my dads post.
“The meds made me hallucinate, paranoid and really scared at first: nothing managed my extreme pain and I have limited memories of the last few days. I’m scared, lost, clueless and in pain beyond what I imagined (despite being warned this would be the case). I’m so grateful family are here with me. Any prayers, love, support would be a great comfort right now.” EDS is a genetic condition that affects just one in 5,000 people in the UK and weakens the body’s connective tissues causing pain, dislocations and cardiac abnormalities.
Samantha, who worked as a psychotherapist, underwent years of tests and endured terrible pain before being diagnosed last year.
In her case the condition is crushing her brain and spine as it has made the ligaments in her neck too weak to support her head. Hundreds of people have donated to help Samantha fund the op.