A bride-to-be has revealed how her internet searches went from honeymoon recommendations to researching a neurological disorder.
Holly Attlesey, 27, of Downham Market was on cloud nine three years ago when her fiancé, Anthony Clarke, proposed.
But last year, dreams of the perfect wedding and buying their first house together quickly vanished after they were dealt a devastating blow.
Miss Attlesey, a communications officer, explained that her symptoms began after contracting Covid in July 2022.
"By September, I had been hospitalised after my speech went and I could not walk, and then I began having problems with my sight.
“It was really, really scary.”
After being discharged with no diagnosis, she was forced to return to hospital the following month and was subsequently diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).
The disorder means the nervous system struggles to function which results in complications with how the brain and body send and receive signals.
“This disorder left me with seizures, unable to walk, disturbed speech, intermittent blindness, dystonia, memory issues and so much more,” she added.
“Despite all of these debilitating symptoms, I was discharged from hospital with no clear diagnosis and no pathway to help rehab my body.
“Everything was up in the air and my whole world just stopped.
“Since then, I have spent the last six months fighting to be heard by medical professionals and receive the care and understanding I – and many others – desperately need.”
During this time, Miss Attlesy began documenting her journey and progress on the social media platform TikTok where she has more than 1,500 followers and has clocked up thousands of views on her videos.
She said: “My aim was to reach out to other people with FND and offer support and guidance on the different things I was doing to help myself.
“I had to put our wedding planning, as well as purchasing our first house, on hold in order to do research into FND and what treatments I may be able to access.
“There is still a long way to go raising awareness, including within the medical community.
“I’m still looking for answers.”
Now, in a bid to raise awareness of the condition, Miss Attlesey will be walking 100,000 steps – a poignant figure representing the number of people suffering from FND in the UK.
She added: “I really want to try and spread the word and understanding of FND and to help facilitate change and research into treatments.
“All money raised through my JustGiving page will be going to FND Hope UK, which helps to fund vital research as well as organising activities and events for fellow FND warriors.
“Any awareness or understanding spread about FND will go a long way to help the countless number of people suffering with this condition on a daily basis.”
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She is now managing her condition with neurological physiotherapy - a type of rehabilitation for the physical problems caused by a neurological condition - and while making positive progress, she can still be impacted by flare-ups.
But steady progress does mean that she is now able to continue with preparations for her big day and the couple have set a wedding date for November later this year.
They are also looking forward to buying their first house and setting up home in Thetford.
Miss Attlesey added: “My family have been amazing and I could not have done all the things I have without their help and support.”
- The month of April is recognised as FND awareness month. You can follow Miss Attlesey on TikTok via @hollyattlesey or to donate to the fundraiser visit justgiving.com and search for Holly’s Fundraiser for FND Awareness Month.
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