'I HAVE NO DIGNITY'
Paralysed woman forced to crawl along floor after two-year wait for changes to her home
A PARALYSED woman was forced to crawl along the floor after a two-year wait for improvements to her home.
Harrowing footage shows Lynn Callan, who has spina bifida, heaving herself on to the floor from her bed and painstakingly shifting herself into a lift in order to leave her bedroom.
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The 48-year-old, who is paralysed from the waist down, posted the shocking clip on Facebook to draw attention to her gruelling daily routine at home in Larkhall, Scotland.
She says South Lanarkshire Council has promised to fund adaptation and was told it would be ready by the end of the summer - but is still yet to see any improvement.
'LOSING THE WILL TO LIVE'
She told the : “I am physically and mentally exhausted doing this now. I can’t take much more.
“I’m losing the will to live and have no dignity. Lately I’ve been feeling like I just don’t want to be here anymore.”
Lyn's mum Betty, 69, added: “Lynn has no toenails on her foot from crawling and her arm is all swollen.
“I’m sleeping on the floor with a duvet because I can no longer sleep in my bed due to back pain from lifting Lynn.
"We’re both in tears most days watching each other struggle.
"You wouldn’t treat a dog like this.”
We’re both in tears most days watching each other struggle. You wouldn’t treat a dog like this.
Lynn's mum, Betty
Lynn has shared a number of heartrending videos of to raise awareness of her desperate routine.
Betty was Lynn's full-time carer until her health deteriorated in 2017, when Lynn was provided with extra help.
But she says her room is too small for carers to work in and use the equipment required.
South Lanarkshire Council said an independent charity, Care and Repair, had been working with the family to access grant assistance for the works required.
What is spina bifida?
- Spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect.
- The neural tube is the structure that eventually develops into the baby's brain and spinal cord.
- In spina bifida, part of the neural tube doesn't develop or close properly, leading to defects in the spinal cord and bones of the spine (vertebrae).
- It's not known what causes spina bifida, but a lack of folic acid before and in the early stages of pregnancy is a significant risk factor.
- This can cause weakness or total paralysis of the legs, bowel and urinary continence, and loss of skin sensation in the legs and around the bottom.
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They said the process was "ongoing" and the owner had been "kept updated at each stage".
The council added: “The tenders are due back on November 1, 2019 and thereafter a contractor will be appointed to build the extension.
“We will ensure the successful contractor is aware of the urgency of this situation and ask that they undertake these works as soon as possible.”