Fflur Fychan O'r Galon


Fflur Fychan

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-I'll never forget

-that night three years ago...

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-..when all our lives

-changed overnight.

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-One minute we were happy

-and enjoying our lives...

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-..and the next minute, we were back

-and forth to doctors and hospitals.

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-Life was full of uncertainty.

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-I became paralysed

-from the chest down overnight...

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-..by a condition called

-transverse myelitis.

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-Transverse myelitis

-is a rare condition...

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-..which can affect anyone

-at any point in their lives.

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-Symptoms manifest

-within a matter of hours.

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-In more serious cases,

-people are completely paralysed.

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-The children were

-two, four and six when it happened.

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-To be honest,

-my life as a busy mother...

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-..didn't allow me to sit in the

-corner feeling sorry for myself.

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-I have no choice.

-I have to get up and go.

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-We've been

-hurled into this situation...

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-..and it's up to us

-how we deal with it.

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-Time goes by too quickly

-to wait for things to change.

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-I'm determined

-to live life to the full...

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-..for the sake of the children,

-Owain and all the family.

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-I saw a poster once...

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-..which gave me

-the kick up the backside I needed.

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-It said, "Don't wait

-for the storm to subside...

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-"..learn to dance in the rain."

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-I've been in the wheelchair

-for three years.

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-I became paralysed

-from the chest down overnight...

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-..by a condition

-called transverse myelitis.

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-Come with me in the lift, Nansi.

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-When I was admitted to hospital,

-the children were very young.

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-Nansi was two, Lisa was four

-and Mari was six.

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-The time I spent in hospital

-away from the children...

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-..was the hardest...

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-..and most painful experience

-of my life.

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-It hasn't

-embittered me because of it.

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-No-one's to blame.

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-This is my path in life.

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-Don't lick me!

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-My legs might not work but I can

-still be there for the children.

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-I want to make the most of life.

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-I can't see where I'm going, Nansi.

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-Get out of the way.

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-I've been born and raised

-in Abercegir.

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-It's my family's farm.

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-I've always worked here

-with my father.

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-Fflur came here to live

-after we got married.

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-Fflur is very much at home

-and comfortable here.

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-At college

-I became friendly with Sara...

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-..a cousin of Owain's.

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-She invited me to Machynlleth.

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-It was then that I met Owain

-for the first time.

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-It must've been a year before we

-started going out with one another.

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-Once we started,

-there was no stopping us!

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-Fflur and I got married in 2001...

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-..on the hottest day of the year

-down in Aberystwyth.

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-The wedding reception

-was held at The Marine...

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-..in Fflur's seaside home.

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-It was a wonderful day.

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-We've led very busy

-and full lives since then.

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-We have three daughters.

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-I'm surrounded by females...

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-..and there's pink everywhere here!

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-But I'm coping.

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-One minute we were happy

-and enjoying ourselves...

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-..and the next minute, our lives

-were suddenly turned upside down.

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-We had a busy holiday in Eurodisney.

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-We spent three days at the park...

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-..and crammed in as much as we could

-in a short space of time.

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-We went on to Paris after that.

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-That night...

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-..I wasn't feeling 100%

-on the journey home.

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-I thought it was the after effects

-of the flu I'd caught...

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-..before the holiday.

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-We arrived home...

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-..but I couldn't settle

-because I had pain in my back.

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-It felt very unnatural...

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-..so I woke up Owain.

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-It must've been

-around midnight by this time.

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-We came downstairs...

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-..and the pain in my back

-was intense by now.

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-When we turned up,

-Fflur came down the stairs...

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-..and said she was

-losing sensation in her legs.

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-The numbness was rising up her legs.

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-We said it was probably the pain

-causing numbness down her legs.

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-She said, "No, it's rising."

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-By the time the paramedics arrived,

-she was numb from her armpits down.

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-I couldn't understand why

-I couldn't walk to the ambulance.

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-That's when I realized...

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-..it was far more serious

-than I initially thought.

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-I received a phone call

-at four in the morning.

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-Fflur had just reached Aberystwyth.

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-I rushed to the hospital

-straightaway.

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-They said they weren't entirely

-sure what was wrong with Fflur.

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-She was rushed to intensive care...

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-..before being flown to Cardiff.

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-I wasn't sure what to expect.

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-We went to Cardiff to see her.

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-When we left the hospital...

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-..and were travelling home

-through Merthyr...

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-..we still had tears in our eyes.

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-It was a long journey home,

-let me tell you.

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-A very long journey.

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-I can't imagine

-what it was like for Mam and Dad.

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-As Fflur's brother, it was difficult

-seeing her in hospital for so long.

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-The hardest thing was not knowing

-what was wrong with her.

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-The extent of the situation

-hadn't fully hit me...

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-..because I thought

-the symptoms were temporary.

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-It must've taken about six weeks...

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-..for me to realize

-the severity of my condition.

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-Transverse myelitis

-is a rare condition...

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-..affecting

-around 300 people a year...

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-..and around 20 each year in Wales.

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-It usually affects young people

-in their teens or their 30s.

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-It's a neurological condition...

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-..affecting the spinal cord...

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-..that causes inflammation.

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-The spinal cord is vital for

-relaying messages from the brain...

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-..to the legs, and sensations from

-the legs and hands to the brain.

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-Anything that affects

-the spinal cord...

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-..results in numbness

-in the legs and hands.

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-In severe cases,

-people become completely paralysed.

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-Here's your scan, Fflur.

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-This is your spinal cord.

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-Notice the swelling

-in the affected area.

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-It indicates

-where inflammation has occurred.

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-A large area of the spinal cord

-has been affected.

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-That's why the messages can't

-be transmitted from the brain...

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-..to the nerves in the legs.

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-What's interesting

-about cases like Fflur's...

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-..is that a fortnight

-before the onset of symptoms...

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-..the patient has suffered

-a sore throat or flu.

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-We believe the person's immune

-system, for whatever reason...

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-..loses control and attacks

-healthy areas of the body.

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-In Fflur's case, the spinal cord.

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-I'm just going to check

-your reflexes.

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-I've never seen them

-respond like that before.

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-They're responding to the reflex.

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-It's common in patients

-with spinal cord injuries.

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-Although I've encountered

-transverse myelitis before...

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-..I've never seen a patient

-as severely affected as Fflur.

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-When I was

-first admitted to hospital...

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-..there was no reflex, no feeling,

-no sensation whatsoever.

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-In the beginning,

-I documented every minor change.

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-Every minor change indicated

-I was on the road to recovery.

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-But over time...

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-..the minor changes

-became fewer and far between.

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-What about that?

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-No.

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-No.

-

-Nothing at all?

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-There are factors

-which affect the prognosis.

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-If symptoms develop very rapidly...

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-..if you're completely paralysed...

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-..or if the condition doesn't

-improve within a few months...

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-..the prognosis isn't favourable.

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-However,

-it varies from person to person.

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-Some people can still feel

-their legs and are able to use them.

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-Those patients tend to respond well

-to steroid treatment.

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-A third of patients don't respond

-as favourably to steroid treatment.

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-They're still reliant on

-a wheelchair for years afterwards.

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-There are times...

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-..when I could just throw something.

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-I think, "Why aren't I improving?

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-"It's my turn now

-to get up and walk."

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-.

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-I've been in the wheelchair

-for three years.

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-There's no point

-being bitter about it.

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-Like the children say,

-my legs might not work...

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-..but I'm still

-the same person at heart.

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-I still enjoy the same things

-and I try my best to do them.

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-Wheelchair coming!

-Wheelchair coming!

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-Life's busy...

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-..at the best of times.

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-There's no point

-feeling sorry for ourselves.

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-Feeling sad helps no-one.

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-We have to be strong and carry on.

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-Life goes on.

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-Having to give up work

-greatly affected the children.

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-They wanted me to go back to work

-because that was normality for them.

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-I can do it myself.

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-Damn!

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-The biggest difference,

-for me personally...

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-..is the loss of freedom.

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-Fflur needs lifts to places

-and needs help.

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-I have to be around a lot more...

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-..to help her in everyday life.

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-We certainly

-spend more time together...

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-..and we value that time.

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-# Mr Quiet am I, am I, hush, hush #

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-We're going to revise

-numbers one to 10...

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-..like you'd sing

-with the children in school.

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-Alright? Ready?

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-# One finger, two fingers,

-three fingers dancing #

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-I decided I didn't want to go back

-to teaching primary children.

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-A friend of mine who's learnt Welsh

-suggested I teach adults.

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-# 10 fingers happily dancing #

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-I can utilize the skills I've learnt

-as a teacher and feel useful.

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-I'll let you have that one.

-I won't take that.

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-Understandably, there are times

-when I get depressed.

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-You can't live

-with a situation like this...

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-..without feeling frustrated.

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-Often there are times

-when I feel like crying...

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-..or shouting or cursing.

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-But in terms of the big problems...

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-..I think we deal

-very well with them.

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-It's the small things

-that affect me more.

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-Things like walking down the street

-on two different levels.

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-I have to push Fflur

-instead of walking side by side.

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-It's the little things

-that get to me.

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-I've gone from being

-so independent beforehand...

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-..to having to ask for help -

-help to reach things...

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-..or to do the simplest things.

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-That's what's difficult.

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-The children have had to grow up.

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-They've certainly

-had to learn to be more independent.

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-But that's not such a bad thing.

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-It's character building.

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-We're lucky we had the children

-before it happened.

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-They've kept our lives,

-especially Fflur's life, busy.

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-We do all we can to make sure

-they don't lose out in any way.

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-I'd share... I'd share a hat...

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-..with Bleddyn.

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-I've been lucky to have had

-the help of family and friends.

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-There's milk there.

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-One Glesni's more than enough!

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-Not a day goes by

-without them being in contact...

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-..or offering their help or support,

-if they can't be here in person.

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-That's been invaluable.

-You can't put a price on that.

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-They lock out a bit more then,

-don't they? They're more stiff.

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-Rachel has been coming to see me

-for a few months now.

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-She comes twice a week

-for an hour and a half.

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-I enjoy her company,

-but at the same time...

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-..she makes sure

-I keep doing my exercises.

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-I know what to do but it's difficult

-doing it on your own.

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-Occasionally the question arises.

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-"What if she doesn't get better?"

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-That's not an option.

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-We're full of hope and faith.

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-That's what keeps us going.

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-One, two, three.

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-If there's anything we can do

-to speed up her recovery....

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-..then we'll do it.

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-They told me that one person

-in three makes a full recovery.

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-One in every three makes a recovery

-with lasting effects...

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-..and there's one in every three

-who doesn't recover.

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-It's hard for me to believe

-that I'm that one person...

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-..because we don't know

-what's around the corner.

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-Lengthy research

-is being carried out...

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-..into new treatments...

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-..one of which is stem-cell therapy.

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-Stem cells are cultivated...

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-..so that they develop

-into any cell in the body.

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-In this case,

-a cell in the nervous system.

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-It's hoped that if those cells...

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-..are transplanted

-into the damaged area...

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-..they will make new associations...

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-..and help cure some of the symptoms

-caused by transverse myelitis.

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-I haven't done that in a while.

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-She's incredibly strong.

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-And I'm not talking about muscles!

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-She's mentally strong.

-You have to believe, don't you?

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-You have to believe

-that you're going to get better...

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-..otherwise

-you're not going to carry on.

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-I firmly believe

-she's going to recover...

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-..and that she'll walk again.

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-We try everything. Fflur's

-been to France, Spain and Cambridge.

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-Advances in science mean that

-new treatments are being developed.

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-We're hoping for the best.

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-Today I'm going to Neurokinex

-in Watford.

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-It's a pioneering centre...

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-..specialising in exercise

-for those with spinal cord damage.

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-They do incredible work here.

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-There you go.

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-Oh, that's good.

-That's a nice feeling.

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-OK?

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-OK?

-

-Yeah.

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-30 seconds.

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-30 seconds.

-

-So this is reminding the legs...

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-..what they should be doing then?

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-Yes, repeating the steps

-over and over again...

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-..to try and trigger

-the nervous system.

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-OK, one minute left.

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-Just seeing the work they do

-and the positive energy in here...

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-..is a huge boost.

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-All these things Fflur's trying

-lead to her recovery.

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-That's all we want.

-Any improvement is a huge step.

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-I'd love to come here

-on a regular basis...

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-..but these things cost.

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-Since my injuries

-aren't the result of an accident...

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-..I get no financial help.

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-We have to work out

-how we're going to manage this...

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-..because it's essential that

-she gets this kind of exercise.

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-Look, Owain, I'm doing it by myself.

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-Owain, Owain,

-I'm doing it on my own.

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-Come on, some encouragement, Owain.

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-I haven't

-done that on my own before.

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-I certainly miss the life we had...

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-..and the freedom that came with it.

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-But she's got this condition...

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-..and it's a big part of our lives.

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-We've very fortunate.

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-The last three years

-have changed all our lives.

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-It would've been

-far more difficult...

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-..if Fflur

-wasn't such a strong person.

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-She talks as if nothing's changed.

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-We're lucky she's like that.

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-She's incredible.

-She's one heck of a woman.

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-That's all I can say.

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-# Happy birthday to you #

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-Hooray!

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-Hip-hip hooray!

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-Hip-hip hooray!

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-Yay!

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-We're fortunate.

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-There are people out there...

0:22:360:22:39

-..much worse off than us.

0:22:390:22:41

-Miracles happen.

0:22:460:22:49

-One, two, three, hooray!

0:22:490:22:51

-Hopefully one day

-we'll be one of those miracles.

0:22:540:22:57

-I don't know

-how my story will pan out.

0:22:580:23:02

-But I'm hopeful

-and I'm confident...

0:23:020:23:04

-..that someone somewhere

-will come up with a solution...

0:23:050:23:09

-..to repair nerve damage

-and the spinal cord...

0:23:090:23:12

-..so that people like me

-can walk again.

0:23:130:23:16

-I'm not prepared to rest

-on my laurels and take a back seat.

0:23:210:23:26

-I want to live life to the full...

0:23:260:23:28

-..and do whatever I can

-to make my life worthwhile.

0:23:280:23:32

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

0:23:560:23:58

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0:23:580:23:59

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