Support Roxie after Spinal Surgery #GETROXROLLIN'

Following symptoms that led Mum to have completely unexpected emergency spinal surgery, that has left her paralysed from the waist down, she faces a long battle to recovery. Her family and loved ones would like to raise money to help with this long journey.

We hope you can support this fundraiser in any way possible, donating money, running other fundraising events or even just sharing this story so others may help.

THE JOURNEY

As many of you will already know, on the 19th July our magical Mumma underwent emergency surgery on her spinal cord to save her from being paralysed.

The symptoms (numbness in her legs) came from nowhere and the timeline from the doctors appointment to emergency surgery was less than 24 hours because of the severity. The chance of the surgery leaving her paralysed if it didn't work was 20-30%, but obviously the risk of leaving it was inevitable severing of the spinal cord.

With little time to come to terms with and no comprehension of what might lie ahead, Rox did what she always does - bossed everyone around prior to the surgery and storm troopered in to the hospital like she was just going for a quick check up.

The aim of the surgery was to remove the disc crushing her spinal cord, but as the surgeon released from her spinal cord the emergency alarms went off and the dangers of that meant they had to pin her disc in to place and halt surgery.

Sadly for her the outcome wasn't what we, or the surgeons had hoped or expected, and she woke up in Intensive Care at Taunton Hospital, with no movement in her legs.

POST SURGERY

Since surgery in July, Mum has spent time in the Critical Care Unit at Taunton Hospital, with a short stint on the ward before being readmitted to Critical Care with pneumonia. She's now in Salisbury Spinal Unit where she's been since 10th August, in her very well loved two wheel friend (we love you Whizzing Wilma).

Her time at the Spinal Unit has been invaluable and whilst there have been unimaginable lows on how the future looks, she's also accomplished so much during her time there.

CHALLENGES

To kick start the fundraising, although it seems a little ironic given Mums lack of walking ability - some of her favourite 'festively plump' people are going to be taking on some walking challenges.

Yorkshire 3 Peaks (24 miles/12 hours of continuous walking) - 23rd October 2023

Snowdonia - Date TBC

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Mum is remarkable and hard-working, she is also proud and independent, and despite everything, argues that many are worse off than her. However, we know what lies ahead and the support she will need.

Following immediate treatment she is now facing months and maybe even years of rehab. Initially this is at the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre in Salisbury, but hopefully she will soon be able to come back to her home in Dorset to continue her recovery.

We know many of her friends and colleagues have really struggled with not being able to “help”. At this time there are no gifts to buy that can change what's happened but what we can do is donate a little money which will help provide the bigger things (specialist equipment, living expenses whilst out of work) and it is also likely that major adjustments will be made to her living environment before she returns home and the money raised will help prepare for this and give her the best chance of carrying on the hard work happening at the Spinal Unit. We can share this post amongst our friends, family and colleagues and even with strangers throughout the country.

We will update this page and follow Mums battle to return to some sort of new normality.