A Northumberland woman is set to undergo the second part of a major operation which she hopes will save her life.
Melanie Hartshorn suffers from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which causes her skull to dislocate from her neck and spine. In less than two weeks, she will undergo surgery to fuse her neck to her spine.
The 33-year-old travelled to Barcelona in Spain for the operation, which has to be carried out through her throat, in October last year. However only the first part of the surgery was completed as her body wasn't strong enough.
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For the last three months, she has been recovering and waiting to undergo the second part of the operation, which is not available on the NHS. She has now confirmed that it will take place on February 10.
Melanie, who lives in Cramlington, said: "I’m relieved my throat's healed and looking forward to it being complete as I’m in agony and completely bed bound at the moment. I can’t wait to finally have a stable spine that doesn’t dislocate so I can get better and get home.
"It’s going to be another tough surgery but I can’t stay like this when I’m deteriorating so rapidly. Hopefully it goes without complications this time!"
Melanie's rare condition means she struggles to sit up. She has spent the majority of her life lying down and even graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Biology while on a stretcher.
Prior to the first operation, Melanie's neck and spine had become dangerously unstable. She was kept alive for 18 months by a surgical halo vest which was keeping them in place.
Melanie, who was suffering from seizures, vomiting and pain, said the halo was only a short-term fix and said she needed to raise £100,000 for the operation to fuse her neck to her spine.
More than £84,000 was donated to her Go Fund Me page and a "very kind person" offered her a loan as a last resort to ensure the surgery went ahead.
Following the first part of the operation in October, Melanie was placed into an induced coma on the intensive care unit (ICU) where she recovered for four-and-a-half weeks.
She has since experienced a number of set backs which have included allergic reactions to her tube feed and a tear in her oesophagus.
Recent scans show broken screws in her thoracic spine, which need to be removed. She said that if they're pressing into her spinal cord they can cause serious damage and paralysis.
Earlier this month, Melanie's mum Molly Hartshorn was diagnosed with heart failure after falling ill. The 71-year-old is receiving treatment while supporting her daughter in Barcelona.
To cover the cost of extra medical care, Melanie's fundraising total has had to be increased to £165,000. She has so far received £113,595 in donations.
The money raised will be used to pay for Melanie's second surgery, the cost of her extended stay in ICU and additional treatment. It will also cover the cost of accommodation and pay back loans.
Melanie previously had her neck and spine fused during a major operation in Barcelona in 2017. However four broken titanium screws in her vertebrae have caused the fusions to be unstable.
Melanie added: "It's been a long battle since my original fusion was broken in 2019, and I’m so close now to being able to sit up and having a safe and stable spine again at long last!"
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