Sheila back on her feet for virtual walk to Oz

Physio: Gruelling programme has 73-year-old walking as nerves regenerate

A great-grandmother who thought she would never be able to walk again has taken her first steps eight months after being left with no feeling below the waist.

Sheila Pirie, from Alyth, could not walk after a spinal abscess damaged her nerves.

When the 73-year-old arrived at Balhousie Care Home in Coupar Angus last August she was in a wheelchair and needed a full-body hoist to lift her in and out of bed.

But after eight months of gruelling physiotherapy, the former bank clerk is back on her feet and taking part in a 35 million step virtual walk from Scotland to Australia.

The walk, which is being measured by a pedometer, was organised by the care home’s activities coordinator.

She said: “We’re about 60% of the way now. We should reach Australia by the end of April or beginning of May.”

Sheila said: “It was very hard work but I must admit now it was worth it.”

The widowed mother-of-four, who has nine grandchildren and two greatgrandsons, underwent surgery in an attempt to remove a giant gallstone in 2016 but she collapsed in theatre and ended up in intensive care.

Sheila, who also suffers from renal failure and requires dialysis three times a week, ended up in hospital for eight months as her health fluctuated.

She added: “Two or three times I ended up in the intensive care unit. They didn’t know whether I was going to pull through or not.”

While in hospital, Sheila developed a spinal abscess as a result of an infection.

In some cases this can lead to permanent paralysis and initially she lost all feeling below her waist.

Although she regained some sensation in her left leg, her right leg remained numb and as a result she was confined to a wheelchair.

But her mobility was transformed after former A&E and occupational health nurse Kate Barry spotted the potential for nerve regeneration.

Sheila was put on a tough regime of pilates, arm and leg exercises designed to rebuild her muscle and balance.

Gradually, she was able to move from a wheelchair to a walking frame and now uses a three-wheel frame.

Kate said: “Sheila complained of pain in her right leg and that was the one she had had no feeling in.

“I asked her what sort of pain and she said it was an electric shock type pain and I said ‘good’ because that was a sign of nerve regeneration.

“Nerves can take up to two years to regenerate if they’ve been damaged and it is described as an ‘electric shock’ sensation when they regenerate.

“I got the GP in to see her, arranged for physiotherapy and the physiotherapist agreed that the pain was a sign of nerve regeneration so they started Sheila on a programme of exercises.”

She is now one of the most active residents at Balhousie care home, which also looks after residents with cognitive illness such as dementia.

Nerves can takeupto two years to regenerate if they’ve been damaged anditis described as an ‘electric shock’ sensation when they regenerate. NURSE KATE BARRY

Picture: SWNS. Sheila Pirie walking with her nurse Kate Barry.