Diana Keys, 65, went to see her doctor when she struggled with symptoms such as falling over in the bathroom several times but was reassured it was related to stress
A grandmother’s symptoms were dismissed as stress from her divorce, before doctors revealed she had only a few years to live. Diana Keys, 65, started falling over “for no reason” and her speech began to deteriorate in 2020, the year after her 35-year-old marriage came to an end.
She sought medical advice and testing as she struggled with everyday tasks but a consultant put down her symptoms to stress caused by her divorce. Three years later her symptoms were finally discovered to be motor neurone disease (MND) which causes progressive muscle weakness, and gave her a few years to live.
Diana said: “I keep looking for a sell-by date code on me, but there isn’t one, so I just keep going. I fell over in the bathroom and hit my head in the shower and, after that happened two or three times, I contacted the GP
“I can be a glass half empty person sometimes but, since my diagnosis, I’ve tried not to bring other people down – I try to be stoic. I try to keep a sense of humour and count my blessings, so I’ve got a lot to live for.
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“I’ve always been a very positive person. I’ve suffered from depression, so I know how that feels, and the issues I was having were physical.”
She added she was “hysterical” when she first found out about her diagnosis, which she found difficult to accept, particularly as the condition is incurable and invariably fatal.
“Although there is no cure, treatment can manage the symptoms, which can include stiff or weak hands, weak legs and feet, and twitches, spasms or muscle cramps.
She added: “I remember the consultant just saying ‘there is no cure, and the prognosis is between two and five years’.
“I just thought, ‘Oh my God, that’s awful’. I love cooking for family and having friends around for meals. I can’t do that now.
“I can’t cut food properly and, when I eat socially, I tend to get things stuck in my throat, which is embarrassing, so I have to eat alone now. Socially, it’s been hard because it takes a lot of effort to speak and walk – all the normal things – and I had to have my hair cut because I couldn’t manage to style it properly.”
Fortunately she had moved into a bungalow soon after the divorce so Diana has not had to make too many alterations to her home in Somerset. Her garden has been landscaped for accessibility and safety, with help from the MNDA, and she is looking to widen her door frames to accommodate a wheelchair in future.
She added she is now adjusting to a new way of life and wants to help others with MND feel less alone. She said: “My progression is relatively slow, so I’m hoping that I’ll get as long as I can.
“Once you’ve got a diagnosis, something as traumatic as motor neurone disease, it’s not the end, it’s the beginning of a new journey.”
