North east man Derek Ledingham said he is making a “spectacular comeback” after a common winter cold nearly cost him his life.
Mr Ledingham – a fit and healthy 41-year-old from Portlethen – ended up paralysed from the neck down after the bug suddenly turned into a life-threatening condition.
He spent nine months in hospital recovering from his shock illness and is now finally at home recuperating
Mr Ledingham is back on his feet after a long spell in a wheelchair and hoping to get back to work in a matter of weeks.
Last night, he said: “Looking back it is a bit weird to think, ‘did this happen?’ But I don’t have all that much memory of being in ARI although the day I went into hospital is still quite vivid.
“A lot of friends and family have told me things and I have said – ‘did that happen?’
“It is nearly a year and a month since it happened. What I have went through in the last months has been unbelievable, to fall from grace the way I did was quite spectacular but my comeback has been equally spectacular.”
The senior graphic designer with Tag Worldwide has been told he can return to work later on this month.
He has come a long way since he woke up one Monday morning last March unable to speak properly or move his legs.
After being rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary emergency treatment, doctors were initially baffled as Mr Ledingham – originally of Aberdeen – slowly lost control of his body.
He spent nine months in hospital after being struck down by Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare condition which affects only 1,200 people in the UK a year.
It attacks the body’s nervous system and develops on the back of a viral or bacterial infection.
In Mr Ledingham’s case, it was a cold he had picked up over the New Year which led to his year of suffering.
Just 12 months ago he was in intensive care after a rapid deterioration in his health put his life on the line.
He said that a lot of people had been “surprised” how he has recovered from his ordeal.
Mr Ledingham added: “I suppose I am fortunate as around 20% of the people who get it don’t make a recovery.
“I am getting on with things and getting better, soldiering on, slowly getting there. It is good to be back home.
“I try to get out for a walk everyday. It is still tough, I still get back pain, but walking short distances is fine.
“Anything majorly long it is a real struggle, it is always going to be a struggle until I get up to speed. I have generally improved. I remember at the start, going to the shop would knacker me out.”
Mr Ledingham was first in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and then Woodend Hospital’s neuro-rehabilitation unit (NRU) from May until December last year.
He added: “I have a lot of good memories from my time in Woodend. Looking back the staff there got me to the position I am in now. Without their help I’d probably still be in a bad place.”
Months of physiotherapy means the Dons fanatic – who was playing for Shirlaws FC when he was struck down- has made a miraculous recovery back to health.
He said: “The doctors and the GP have both said I am fit to return to light duties, and I’ll hopefully be (returning to work) in a few weeks time. That is probably my last major step I have got to do.
“It is something I am looking forward to. I have popped in now and then to say hello.
“It is just like during training to run a marathon. I have got to start somewhere.”