The first mother from Northern Ireland has to lie on her back regularly to avoid experiencing severe headaches after childbirth complications. In an interview with The Mirror, Victoria Conn, 29, of Newtown, New York, said she had a rare cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. , Charlotte, last year.

Initially, she was treated and looked good. However, months later, in October 2020, breastfeeding collapsed again. Only this time the procedure was denied by the NHS and the private sector. In her opinion, access to certain neurological treatments has been blocked as the investigation into the misdiagnosis continues. “This is the most painful and excruciating pain. Basically, your brain just rests on its nerves. This is a terrible pain, ”he said. “It makes me want to stay behind. When I lie on my back I feel healthy and I feel completely comfortable. The moment I get up, she comes back immediately, ”she laments.

“The hospital can do this procedure 20 minutes from my house and I know it will help me. Having a health problem is very lonely and there is no trust in the health system of your country. This is a really scary place. People tell me, ‘If you have a bad problem, go to the hospital.’ But to no avail, they will do nothing, even if they want to, ”he added. Since last year, Victoria has been taking only one medication for chronic migraines.

With persistent debilitating symptoms, she turned to a private specialist in London. Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Services (HSCNI) has requested permission to send Victoria to the United Kingdom, where treatment is available on the NHS, but the waiting time remains uncertain. After that, the husband took care of his 30-year-old Curtis wife, bathed and fed her, and worked with the couple’s daughter, Charlotte. “You constantly feel guilty for not being a mother, and I can do nothing about it. I know I can fix it, but the early stages of life are important for a mother and her baby. This seems cruel. Just be careful not to wait at home for treatment. This has turned not only me, but also my husband’s life upside down. We can’t get proper help with Kovid. We have no one to clean our house or keep me company. I’m lying here while helping Charlotte down. It was a nightmare, ”he lamented.

+ “Instead of watching her, they watched my heartbeat,” says the mother, who lost the baby after giving birth

Since Northern Ireland was not questioned, a private neurosurgeon from Aberdeen, Scotland, agreed to perform the procedure in the coming weeks. However, as the amount increased, the husband started raising money through the internet. Another focus is on travel. Victoria will have to sleep at the ferry crossing and at the five-hour car ride, as the stress of the flight will cause another break. She commented that even after the procedure, she would live in fear of another rupture at any time.

His request is that people suffering from the same condition should continue to fight for treatment. “There may be someone out there who feels that way now and doesn’t know what’s going on,” she said. “It simply came to our notice then. I am not the first person, I will not be the last person, ”he added.