Richard Gelati has lived with an ultra-rare condition for nearly forty years. His story demonstrates that with perseverance, a strong family and a good dollop of humour there is much that can be achieved. Richard lives with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.
It all started in 1978. We were on our way to Leicester for a pre-Christmas visit with relatives. We stopped to get some fuel and as I got out of the car I lost my balance and had to grab hold of the petrol pump to stop myself falling over.
As I was filling up I looked down to see I was standing on the side of my feet and I lost my balance again going to pay. After a few days away we returned home and I felt very unwell with a severe headache, sickness and fainting. My G.P said I had viral gastroenteritis. When I returned to work everything seemed more difficult to achieve and tools and things I used every day somehow seemed heavy. Even my favourite past time of drinking tea became hazardous.
Read the full story on page 36 – Winter Edition – Issue 2 Rare Revolution Magazine
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