Mum’s ‘sunstroke’ in Cyprus turns out to be a stroke leaving her paralyzed
A mother’s vacation to Cyprus took a tragic turn when she was left paralyzed after what seemed like ‘sunstroke’. Caroline Burson, 53, was enjoying her holiday in Paphos with her partner Richard Maclean when she lost feeling in her left arm while showering. Concerned, Caroline waited for a taxi to go to the hospital but soon became paralyzed from the neck down.
Doctors initially diagnosed her symptoms as severe sunstroke, assuring her she would recover by the morning. However, by the next day, there was no improvement, prompting Richard to arrange her return to the UK. Caroline was flown to University Hospital Southampton, where it was revealed she had experienced a spinal cord stroke.
A spinal cord stroke occurs when the blood flow within the spine is disrupted, often due to a blood clot or bleed.
Despite the grim prognosis of never walking again, Caroline defied the odds and took her first steps after seven months of intensive rehabilitation in Salisbury. She shared, “Last June I went on holiday in Cyprus and I was just having a shower to get ready for dinner when I lost all feeling in my left arm. It just went completely dead.”
After being flown back to the UK, Caroline dedicated herself to regaining her mobility and learning to walk again. Through sheer determination and hard work, she was able to walk out of the clinic in February and return home. Caroline reflected on her experience, stating, “It’s still not really hit me what I’ve been through over the last 14 months. That shower in Cyprus changed my life forever. I look back and think it could’ve so easily had a different ending.”
- Caroline Burson, 53, experienced paralysis believed to be sunstroke during vacation in Cyprus.
- Diagnosed with a spinal cord stroke, she was told she may never walk again.
- After intensive rehabilitation, she defied the odds and regained mobility.
- Caroline’s journey serves as a remarkable tale of resilience and determination.