FND Awareness Day UK | 25th March 2022 | Gemma’s Story

I was a mum who worked and did school runs housework cooked dinner, run the kids around places did the shopping, I did everything.

But January 2021 it all changed. I couldn’t walk properly and was in hospital for a week while they tried to figure it out. I got told that in a couple of weeks I’ll be able to walk again properly, but I couldn’t. I had to go to physiotherapy to learn to walk properly again.

From there I had to wait so I could drive again. I eventually went back to work as a driver doing all the mums things that I’ve always done, and then I took a turn for the worse. I started having seizures and all my symptoms just started to get worse. The pain is unreal, I can’t drive and I can’t run around after the kids.

I’ve lost me. I’ve lost the mum I was.

My kids are amazing and now the older two have to look after me, and it’s not fair. I still try to be fun and have a laugh, but there are days where I literally can’t move through pain. I’ve not been out walking and don’t have a car anymore. I have a scooter, and people stare and ask questions. No-one knows what FND is. I think my seizures are the worst part of it all because I can’t stop them. I can’t do anything afterwards as I can’t walk or move as it makes me tired.

I want to be me again.

Written by Gemma, Havant