Dad Who Mysteriously Lost Ability To Walk Needs Your Help To Buy Specialised Wheelchair | HuffPost Life

'I can no longer go out on my own.'

By

Life Editor at HuffPost UK

A father-of-two has revealed how his life changed forever when he woke up in agony and mysteriously lost the ability to walk.

At first, Rich Hibbert's illness baffled doctors as the 38-year-old led an active lifestyle with his partner, Kat Jordan, and their two children in Leeds.

But months later he was diagnosed with a disorder of the nervous system alongside intervertebral disc disorder (crumbling disc).

The family has now set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for a new wheelchair for Rich and hopefully make all of their lives a little easier.

GoFundMe

Rich worked full-time as a university administrator and enjoyed mountain biking before his diagnosis.

He loved the outdoor life and had even recently been skydiving when, one morning, everything changed.

“On the 31st March 2014 my life changed overnight. I went to bed feeling fine and then I woke up the next morning in absolute agony with severe stomach pains," he explained.

"I thought at first I may have an appendicitis because the pain was excruciating but after an emergency laparoscopy doctors couldn’t find anything wrong.

"This went on for months until at the end of August I started to lose the ability to walk because the pain was so intense and by then I knew something was seriously wrong."

GoFundMe

Unsurprisingly, the sudden illness had a "massive impact" on Hibbert's life.

"Up until this point I had always been a very active individual and loved cycling and being outdoors but eventually the family and I were forced to move house after I spent months sleeping on the sofa unable to even get upstairs – let alone move around outside," he said.

“We had to move from our family home in Morley Leeds to a disabled access house in Meanwood, Leeds and I was forced to leave my job at the University which I loved.

"Part of my role had been assisting students who had disabilities and now I was the one with the disability who needed the support."

Eventually, Rich's partner Kat decided enough was enough and decided to buy him a second hand electric wheelchair.

Rich said it "temporarily gave [him] some freedom again and allowed [him] to get out of the house", but that didn't last for long.

GoFundMe

Rich’s doctors continued to remain baffled about his deteriorating health until eventually he was admitted into the LGI clinic in Leeds for four months and was eventually diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and an intervertebral disc disorder (crumbling disc).

To his horror, he discovered that the electric wheelchair he had been using may have been making his condition even worse because it hadn’t been specifically fitted and adapted for his needs.

"Not being able to use my wheelchair is a devastating blow to me because it means I can no longer go out on my own. I really need an electric wheelchair not a manual wheelchair because I can't even propel myself even up a short hill," he said.

"I can't walk at all so it’s left to Kat to push me around. But I am 6"5 and weigh just over 17 stone and she already has degenerative arthritis in her back and is in desperate need of physiotherapy herself so it’s just not fair."

With two children in tow, a 10-year-old and a two-and-a-half-year-old, it can sometimes be difficult for Kat to push Rich and also look after the kids at busy roads.

So now, the family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for a suitable electric wheelchair for Rich.

"This wheelchair needs to be one that I have been assessed for and one I fit into," he explained.

"I know £3000 is a lot of money due to my height and disabilities but it’s actually the lower end of quality we will be going for. If you can spare even a £1 it may help us."

"Kelsea Little, spokesperson for GoFundMe.com commented: “We really hope the community get behind Rich to help him raise the money for a suitable wheelchair. We wish the family all the best with their continued fundraising."

To donate, please visit gofundme.com/wheelchair4rich.

21 Rare Diseases

Stiff Person Syndrome(01 of20)

People who suffer from this acquired neurological disorder experience repeated, often painful, muscle spasms as well as muscular rigidity and stiffness. According to the National Organization of Rare Diseases, spasms can occur at random or they can be caused by something as seemingly benign as light physical contact or an unexpected noise. The cause of Stiff Person Syndrome isn't yet known, but symptoms can be stabilized with medication. Left untreated, however, a person can lose the ability to walk.

Gigantism(02 of20)

This disease, which according to the NIH is most often caused by a begnin tumor in the pituitary gland, results in an excess of GH, or growth hormone. This causes sufferers to grow abnormally large, not just in terms of height, weight but also organ size. It results in complications like delayed puberty, increased sweating, and secretion of breast milk.

Pica(03 of20)

Characterized as an eating disorder, Pica causes people to eat what the National Organization for Rare Disorders describes as "non-nutritive" things. That umbrella term can include (but isn't limited to) dirt, clay, paper, and paint. Interestingly, it's not unusual for young kids to experience transient pica as a kind of phase, and pregnant women are also known to develop temporary pica cravings. The cause? Unknown. But in order to be diagnosed with full-blown Pica, a person's symptoms must last for more than a month.

Maple Syrup Urine Disease(04 of20)

MSUD, which is passed down through families, is a life-threatening metabolic disorder passed down through families that stems from the body's inability to process certain amino acids, leading to a build-up of them in the body. According to the NIH, symptoms usually surface in early infancy and can include vomiting, lack of energy, seizures, and developmental delays. MSUD takes its name from another symptom -- the urine in affected infants smells like caramel or maple syrup.

Situs Inversus(05 of20)

Situs Inversus is a congential condition in which internal organs of stomach and chest lie in mirror image of their normal body position -- something many sufferers aren't aware of until they seek medical help for an unrelated problem. People with Situs Inversus typically wear some form of identification to help doctors in the case of a medical emergency.

Trigger Thumb(06 of20)

Trigger thumb, or trigger finger as it's sometimes known, causes a person's finger or thumb to get caught in a locked position. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can then stay stuck or straighten with a painful "snap." The cause? It depends. Trigger Thumb is the result of a narrowing of the sheath around the tendon in the problem figure, but that can be caused by a lot of things, including any activity that requires people to grip things frequently. Trigger Thumb is also more frequent in women.

Scurvy(07 of20)

Once the disease of sailors and pirates, scurvy does still exist in the United States, though predominantly in older, malnourished adults. It usually stems from a Vitamin C deficiency, which can result in gum disease, skin leisons, and swelling of the joints. (credit:Getty )

Wilson's Disease(08 of20)

This progressive genetic disorder causes sufferers to store excess copper in tissues, including the brain and liver. Though the Mayo Clinic says that the body depends on copper in order to use iron and sugar, too much of it in the body can have real consequences. Which is why sufferers of Wilson's Disease are prone to liver failure.

Foreign Accent Syndrome(09 of20)

According to researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas, this speech disorder causes people to experience a sudden shift in their accents and though it is known to be caused by things like brain trauma, conversion disorder, or multiple sclerosis, an exact reason behind the syndrome is unknown. Sufferers of FAS dramatically shift their speech in terms of timing and intonation, which often causes them to sound foreign, but they remain totally comprehensible. Documented accent shifts include from American English to British and from British to French.

Carcinoid Syndrome(10 of20)

According to the National Organization of Rare Diseases, about 10 percent of people with carcinoid tumors -- which the Mayo Clinic says are slow growing tumors that produce excess serotonin and usually appear in the gastrointestinal tract or lungs -- get this syndrome. It occurs only in patients whose tumors have metastasized to the liver. The symptoms? Wheezing, hotness, and extreme facial blushing.

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome(11 of20)

Children and adults afflicted with CVS experience recurrent episodes of severe vomiting, which can last for days, followed by sudden periods of no vomiting. While kids are likely to experience more frequent attacks, adults's often last longer. To date, the cause of CVS is unknown.

Peeling Skin Syndrome(12 of20)

This obscure, genetic skin disorder does exactly what its name implies: causes sufferers to experience constant shedding of their skin. (In some patients, peeling is limited to the feet and hands.) Along with that, sufferers often feel itching and redness -- symptoms that can appear from birth or develop later in life. Although the exact cause is unknown, a mutation in the TGM5 gene has been identified in many sufferers.

Platelet Storage Pool Deficiency(13 of20)

This is a blanket designation for several rare platelet abnormalities, most of which lead to mild or moderate bleeding disorders. According to the NIH, the problem stems having limited granules -- the parts of platelets that, among other things, store ADP -- the energy released when a molecular bond is broken. That reduction in storage space inhibits the platelets' ability to secrete ADP in a speedy fashion, which is thought to be what causes the bleeding. Classic symptoms of a Platelet Storage Pool Deficiency are nosebleeds, excessive bruising, and profuse bleeding in surgery.·

ACDC(14 of20)

Only nine people in the United States are known to have this disease, which was just given a name in a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine. ACDC, or arterial calcification due to CD73 deficiency, results in calcium build-ups in the arteries below the waist of sufferers and in the joints of their hands and feet. According to the NIH, the breakthrough discovery found that the disease is related to a variant in the NT5E gene.3

Conversion Disorder(15 of20)

This condition, which typically occurs after an extremely stressful emotional event, causes a person to experience sudden blindness or paralysis that can't be otherwise explained. People with mental illlnesses are at particularly high risk and psychological treatment can help lessen the symptoms.·

Ochronosis(16 of20)

Ochronosis results in black or blue external tissues, often the ear cartilage or eye, though it can occur throughout the body. It affects people who suffer from certain metabolic disorders, but it can also be caused by exposure, though scientists aren't exactly sure to what. Not just a cosmetic issue, the affected areas can become brittle and degenerate over time.

VLCAD Deficiency(17 of20)

This condition, which is caused by genetic mutations in the so-called ACADVL gene, keeps people from converting certain fats to energy. According to the NIH, the deficiency often presents during infancy in symptoms including low blood sugar, weakness, and lethargy.

Hairy Tongue(18 of20)

As the name suggests, Hairy Tongue is a condition in which the tongue develops a black, hairy texture. According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease is "harmless" and is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in the mouth, which can be treated with antibiotics. The NIH reports that hairy Tongue can also present as brown, yellow, or green discoloration. ·

Ochoa (Urofacial) Syndrome, or, Peculiar Facial Expression(19 of20)

This obscure, inherited disorder presents at birth and causes infants to grimace when, in fact, they are attempting to smile. The disorder also includes an extreme urinary abnormality: an obstruction that interrupts the connection between nerve signals in the spinal cord and bladder, leading to incontinence. Though treatment does exist in the form of antibiotics and bladder re-education, some patients can develop renal failure in their teens and 20's, which can be life-threatening.

Progeria(20 of20)

According to the Mayo Clinic, only around 130 cases of this devastating genetic disorder have been documented since it was discovered in 1886. Affected babies normally appear normal at birth, but within 12 months begin to have symptoms like hair loss and wrinkles. According to the Mayo Clinic, progeria is caused by a genetic mutation, but not one that's passed down through families; it's a chance event that affects only one egg or sperm. The average life expectancy for sufferers is 13.

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