Dad-of-two Mark Williams began to worry when something changed in the way he spoke. “I started experiencing slightly slurred speech and muscle twitching," he said.
That was in November, 2021, and the support worker from Abertillery said he had a number of appointments with the GP from around Christmas time that year. "I went back to the GP and a locum doctor referred me to a neurologist and ENT specialist. There was a 26-week waiting list on the NHS for these services. I then had a physio session - he noticed changes in my reflexes and advised me to have an MRI as soon as possible," he added.
“This is the moment I realised that something serious was wrong and that I needed to see somebody straight away. I managed to get private health care in Spire Hospital in Cardiff and had an appointment with a neurologist in June. I was sent for further tests including MRI, blood tests and an EMG. I had a follow-up appointment in July which confirmed my diagnosis. My world came crashing down, I felt all sorts of emotions with the devastating news.” You can get more local news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
