Woman rewrites her story six years after spinal stroke

When Abbie Webb (32) from Gloucester sustained a spinal cord injury after what doctors believe to have been a spinal stroke, she struggled to return to her previous life. Now, six years later, she has gained a new resilience and is more active and adventurous than ever.

In January 2019, Abbie had just moved into her new home when she suddenly lost feeling below her neck.

She managed to use her nose to work her phone and call her brother, who then called an ambulance.

After months of treatments that were having minimal effect, doctors told Abbie she had likely had a spinal stroke, although they are still not certain this was the cause.

Spinal strokes are extremely rare, only making up 1.25 per cent of all strokes, according to The Brain & Spine Foundation.

That equals a maximum of 1,250 a year in the UK.

Abbie was paralysed from the chest down, had lost bladder and bowel function, and her breathing muscles were severely impacted.

Consultants and physios were initially dubious about how much mobility Abbie would be able to regain.

Abbie received specialist rehabilitation at Salisbury Hospital’s Spinal Treatment Centre.

Her recovery was unfortunately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which massively reduced the physical rehab that was available.

Nevertheless, Abbie was determined to make the most of her time in a specialist centre and used her own prior knowledge, as well as inspiration from Instagram, to create her own physio programme.

Using weights and resistance bands, she was able to strengthen her arms, which are now functional again, and her dad helped her to sit up and strengthen her core.

Abbie said: “I think the biggest thing I’ve learnt is when you come across a challenge, just trying to find ways around it.

“I think that was one of the most challenging things, going from being very independent to all of a sudden losing a great deal of independence.”

Despite missing her independence, Abbie persisted in her recovery.

While at Salisbury, she was introduced to Spinal Injuries Association, whose support network coordinators connected with patients at the hospital to speak to them about living with a spinal cord injury.

Abbie has since received support from the charity through their counselling service, their clinicians who have advised on medical issues including pressure ulcer care, her local community support group, and the advocacy team who supported her in getting NHS continued healthcare.

Abbie said: “Having the specialist knowledge, that lived experience through counselling, it’s something that is readily available with resources in the NHS so stretched.

“Having somebody with specialist knowledge with a spinal cord injury has had a huge impact on my life.”

After going through specialist rehabilitation at Salisbury, Abbie returned home in April 2023, almost four years after her injury, to live with her parents and carer, which is where she faced what she describes as “the biggest learning curve”.

She said: “Looking back and reflecting now, it probably took me a good nine to 12 months to adapt to being at home.

“I think last year was really the year when I gained my confidence back. In the summer, I was pretty much out every single day doing something.

“I think I was holding myself back and I think that was because I was worried about how people would respond to me if I saw somebody who knew me pre-injury. I think I’ve got past that now.

“You can’t control what other people might think of you, it’s learning that you can’t let that control your life, and I know that’s a huge challenge.

“I had to get over that hurdle, but when you do, it’s quite liberating.”

Abbie said: “Maybe the book I thought I was going to be writing is closed, but I’ve started a new one now and I’m a few chapters in, just making it work.

“For anybody who’s at the beginning of their journey and feeling like there isn’t light at the end of the tunnel, it does come.

“It’s scary at first and mentally very exhausting trying to come to terms with your whole life changing within seconds, but there is life.

“Start the new book.”

Learn more about the Spinal Injuries Association at spinal.co.uk