Liam Watson, 27, was left paralysed from the chest down after a severe spinal bleed, just days before he and his wife Poppy learned they were expecting their first child.
Liam had been experiencing back pain, which the couple initially thought was a pulled muscle. Poppy, a science teacher from Leamington, said: “I thought he must’ve pulled a muscle. So we occasionally stretched out his back during the little attacks of pain he was having. I look back and worry if this made things worse – or if we could’ve done more.”
Sudden collapse at work
The couple had spent the previous day in bed together fighting a cold. When Liam returned to work guttering new build houses the next day, he felt a tingling throughout his body. Within 15 minutes, he was completely paralysed.
Liam said: “I was on the scaffolding and my legs started to feel numb. I recognised what was happening and climbed down to seek first aid. By the time I reached the office, I was tired and ready to collapse. A site agent caught me before I fell and set me down on a bench. I couldn’t move at all and was in immense pain.”
An ambulance was called, and by the time they arrived, the numbness had reached his chest. He could only control his arms, and his breathing became shallow.
Emergency surgery and pregnancy news
Poppy received the call that Liam was in hospital during her lunch break in February this year. Doctors revealed he had suffered a spontaneous epidural hematoma – a severe bleed on his spine. He underwent a laminectomy to drain the blood crushing his spinal cord.
Liam said: “I was told that I might go blind, even if I get use of my body again. That was the moment everything came crashing down.” The surgery was successful. Just 10 days later, Poppy discovered she was pregnant. Poppy said: “I knew it was a very real possibility that I could be pregnant. But when I saw those two lines, I was shocked. Liam was the happiest I had seen him for a long time.”
Life after paralysis
Liam now experiences no control of his bladder or bowel, pressure sores, and is at high risk for strokes due to autonomic dysreflexia – a condition that causes a sudden spike in blood pressure triggered by an overactive nervous system. The cause of his condition remains unknown.
Liam said: “I hope to have a happy family. I’m excited to watch my son grow up and for him to experience the world. I do worry, that as I don’t have strength in my core, that I won’t ever be able to pick him up or look after him independently.”
The couple are raising funds on GoFundMe, with £7,188 raised out of £8,000 so far. The money will go towards a power attachment for Liam’s wheelchair and adapted equipment for fatherhood. Poppy added: “I miss when Liam used to do cartwheels in the living room, or when we’d dance together in the kitchen. But I’m excited for this next chapter – and I know he’ll be the best dad regardless of the cards he’s been dealt.”
