Tina Eastwood, 71, is a retired administrator, who was enjoying her retirement until March 2016 when she fell backwards down the stairs at great speed.
She was able to bang on the dividing wall and luckily her neighbour heard . She was taken by ambulance to the local A and E where she was x-rayed and later sent home with painkillers and told that there were no fractures.
“The next few days didn’t feel right and a week later a large bruise suddenly appeared and I could hardly move”. An x-ray at another hospital revealed two wedge fractures in her spine. Various hospital x-rays and a scan followed. They confirmed no other damage but by this time Tina was regularly seizing up, was on strong painkillers and couldn’t sit for more than a few minutes. Playing with her grandchildren was increasingly painful.
In mid-2018 Tina thought that she had broken another bone when she turned in bed and had searing pain. Her supportive GP referred her to Sussex MSK Partnership East.
“Everything changed then,” said Tina. “The experience of the MSK service was completely different from what had gone before. I had a sense of being valued as a patient and not just someone you’ve got to see. Paul was brilliant. He listened and gave me a full assessment. It was the first time anyone had properly assessed me. He referred me to physio and to Mr Selmon.
“I had two sessions with Chris who gave me advice on what exercises to do to build up my muscles around the damage. He was sensitive and positive. He knew exactly what the problem was and was clear in what I should and shouldn’t do and how to deal with it.
“Mr Selmon arranged an MRI. He gave me great reassurance that what’s done is done but it wouldn’t get worse.
“I did all the exercises and went to modified Pilates. I’m now off the pain killers. I take myself for walks and pace myself.” She continued, “I know that if I do have a problem in the future support is there as and when needed. I didn’t have that before”.