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Devotella-Club
  • 9 months ago
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00:00It wasn't obvious that I had something, that life-chartening that was about to occur.
00:26I had what felt like a cold, I thought it was just general end-of-term kind of sickness.
00:32I do sometimes worry what could have happened had my housemate not seen that my light was still on and that I was awake in the middle of the night.
00:41As when I did end up in A&E, things took a time for the worst quite rapidly.
00:47It's amazing why you've achieved in such a short time. Thank you, Jason.
00:52This is life for Lily now, learning how to complete simple tasks as a quadruple amputee after contracting meningitis.
01:00She had seven surgeries in the space of five weeks. It pushed her to absolute limit of being able to sort of even survive that process.
01:08She was so weak at the end of that and even then I thought we were very close to losing her because there's only so much that the human body can take.
01:18The medical student survived two cardiac arrests and was diagnosed with meningococcal septicemia, a bacterial infection which entered her bloodstream.
01:28She was put into a coma, waking up three months later.
01:32I could see the trauma that my family and my partner and my friends had been through.
01:39Do you remember the moment you kind of woke up and looked down and realised what your new life looked like?
01:46Yeah, I don't remember a sudden realisation moment but it was kind of gradual.
01:58I was looking at my body and realising what had happened.
02:02It was difficult obviously. Things like having a shower and seeing my body and all the wounds was tough.
02:14My dressings used to take about two hours to change and I wasn't in a lot of pain so that was probably the most difficult part.
02:24I think you kind of forget how pain feels as soon as it goes away but I remember just dreading the feeling of needing a shower and my dressings changed as well I needed general anaesthetic for some showers.
02:40It must have been really tough. What kind of kept you going in those moments?
02:44I'd say my family and my friends, they've been an incredible support to me.
02:50We managed to have days where we'd laugh or play games. That's really testament to their love for me and so I'm very grateful for that.
03:00Her mum, Jo, remained by her side throughout.
03:03Day by day really. It was moment by moment at the beginning but then it's day by day and you just have to bring that strength to Lily as best as you can.
03:17There are days when you wake up and you think, can I do this again today? But you do because you have to because as a mother that's all you can do so just bring yourself and be strong, be positive.
03:28We've always been as positive as we can be even when things didn't look great but you go in and you're smiling and Lily's smiling back at you.
03:38The next step then was coming to terms with the fact that they were going to amputate and I think as a mother as well, how was that experience for you?
03:47I think it's about as close as you can get to having your own limbs removed when it's your own child.
03:53But by that time we knew that, you know, we're talking about removing things which had already died during the disease process.
04:02So it's not the amputation itself, it's the disease process.
04:06Lily was unknowingly unvaccinated against the strain of bacteria which caused her infection.
04:12My general message would just be to follow vaccination advice. There's a lot of anti-vax propaganda out there which I think is quite dangerous.
04:22From my perspective, it doesn't really matter how rare the possibility of something happening is.
04:28Just remember that you're not invincible and it could happen to you because I tried to stay healthy before this happened.
04:36So, yeah, it could catch you when you least expect it.
04:41You probably never in a million years thought this would be where you are, but having been here, you must have learnt so much along the way.
04:48As you said, I thought that I'd be continuing medical school, you know, hope to live with my partner and just get on with life, have family and everything.
04:59And now I've been told that, well, for a while I was in quite severe heart failure, so that means that I'm going to have to take certain medication for life.
05:10At times when I feel low, I think people have worked endlessly and tirelessly to keep me here and to make me as strong as possible to leave an independent life in the future.
05:24Part of that independence comes with the use of prosthetics.
05:31There are hundreds of different options of different arms and legs.
05:35The NHS suggests that you try a body-powered prosthetic first before moving on to something more complex.
05:43So, I have been fitted for my own bespoke prosthetic arm and I received that about ten days ago.
05:52So, I'm getting used to having longer limbs again and I hope to try prosthetics for my legs at some point next year once my skin is strong enough.
06:05Do you want to try this one? It might be a bit more...
06:07She's being supported by physios, occupational therapists and volunteers.
06:12I just wanted to be able to grip this easier.
06:15In the gardens of the rehab centre, we took a moment to reflect on the impact of her experience.
06:21It's hard enough being a young woman in this day and age accepting your body image without having amputations.
06:30So, it's a long process. My partner tells me that my brain and my heart are still the same and that is the main thing.
06:39You've had incredible support obviously from Jersey, an amazing amount of money raised. What has that meant to you?
06:46It's overwhelming in a good way. I just can't really believe that...
06:52I wonder why so many people would want to support me in that way.
06:56I'd be forever grateful for all of that because it opens a lot of doors that might not otherwise have been possible.
07:04The story seems to have, I don't know, inspired a lot of people.
07:15Tell us a little bit about that kind of newfound understanding when it comes to looking at your future and what that looks like.
07:21You're only as disabled as your environment makes you.
07:24So, I'll need to set up my future home and everything around me to suit my capabilities.
07:34Cardiff Uni have ensured that offered me a place to continue if I want to next September.
07:41So, if I'm in the right position with my rehab to do so, I would love to do that.
07:46So, I'm committed to my rehab and committed to becoming independent as possible and getting back to a normal 24-year-old life.
07:56I've always loved swimming and being in the sea, surfing, all of those water sports.
08:01So, as soon as my skin's healed, I'll be getting in that pool.
08:05Lily is hoping to move back to Jersey in November to be closer to her family.
08:11It would just be amazing to be home again and to have Lily in that environment.
08:17And, you know, we want Lily to be home to have that recovery, but also, you know, to get out and be the independent woman that she is.
08:24And do you hope that she can achieve, you know, those dreams that she has?
08:27Yeah, of course, of course.
08:28And, you know, she's dreaming big, but, you know, if you don't dream big, you won't get that.
08:32After getting to spend the day with Lily, what struck me was her unwavering strength and positivity.
08:39She shared the following message.
08:42To anyone who is experiencing any kind of illness, be it acute or chronic or severe or less severe, I think, just remember that better days will come.
08:57And I'm a reason why she forget.
08:59I think you re-hook anything and you see asma.
09:03I wouldn't believe it's okay saying something.
09:05You're doubting her.
09:06Or if you don't believe you're doing the same way to the incredible mouth, you can make her laugh as help at it.
09:09I think I'll be fine for you.
09:11Oh.
09:12Oh.
09:13What's going on in this situation.
09:14Just mini-plane what happens.
09:16You likeони who is performing to the blackmail base.