‘Thank you for pushing me to my limit to achieve my goals’

After paraesthesia led to paralysis of his entire body below the collarbone, Ali now has regained the majority of his mobility – and crucially regained independence – through the support of the specialist team at Hunters Moor. This is his story

Ali was admitted to Hunters Moor, a specialist neurological rehabilitation service in Birmingham, from Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

He had been admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital following nitrous oxide abuse leading to paraesthesia of the hands, followed by both upper and lower limbs, and was eventually paralysed over the entire body below the collarbone. 

As a result, Ali saw severe reduction in mobility, which impacted his mental health.

When Ali arrived at Hunters Moor, a site with a long track record of securing life-changing outcomes through neuro-rehab, he recalls he met Anayah on reception, who made him feel welcome with a warm and friendly smile. 

He shares that he felt anxious on the first day arriving and during the first couple of weeks settling in and taking in the new environment, but the staff at Hunters Moor quickly put him at ease.

Ali’s mental health was struggling when he came to Hunters Moor. He arrived in a wheelchair and was unable to shower, which impacted him greatly, but through the support of the staff at Hunters Moor, he now has 80 per cent of his mobility back, as well as his independence.

On arrival, he was using an attendant-propelled wheelchair for longer distances and to help manage his levels of fatigue. But over the course of 12 weeks of rehabilitation and engagement with the team at Hunters Moor, Ali is now:

•  Independently mobile
• Fully independent with his activities of daily living
• Is able to go up and down stairs as he will be doing on returning home
• Able to be fully discharged to his brothers.

Ali shares some words about his rehabilitation journey, and his gratitude for the commitment of the Hunters Moor team. 

“I would like to thank the team at Hunters Moor for giving me another life, helping me gain my independence back and for being there for me in my challenging times. 

“Thank you for not judging me and always treating me with respect and honour. Thank you for making me feel safe and comfortable. Thank you for putting up with my bad days. Thank you for always pushing me to my limits to achieve my goals. Thank you for treating me like a family member and not like a patient. Thank you for all the fun times and jokes. 

“The team at Hunters Moor work here because they actually care, and not working for money even though I feel they should get a pay rise. You guys have a special place in my heart and honestly, I could never forget this place. Thank you so much and may God bless you all.”

Looking to the future, Ali has shared that he would like to return to Hunters Moor on a regular basis and speak to others in a similar situation to hopefully inspire them with his journey and recovery.