A Glasgow dad who suffered a hot flush while in Africa was actually experiencing symptoms of a life-limiting condition that left him wheelchair-bound.
Alan Kyle, 49, felt like his 'body was on fire' while working in Libya as a consultant project manager in 2008.
Then 35, he suspected his body was reacting to vaccines taken for regular trips abroad.
By that Christmas the dad-of-three was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS); a progressive, debilitating condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing symptoms including issues with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.
Alan is now wheelchair-bound, has been forced to give up work and is cared for by his 76-year-old mother.
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He told the Daily Record: “In 2008, I was working in Libya and needed to get jags to go there. I would work up to five days at a time, return home for a couple of weeks and then go back out to Libya.
“One morning I woke up and my whole body – from the base of my neck to my toes – was red hot, like I was on fire. I thought it was strange but dismissed it as a reaction to the jags I’d had a few days before.
“When I came home from Libya, I took another similar attack. I went to hospital. They immediately assumed I’d had a heart attack or a stroke. By that Christmas I’d been diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS.”
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Alan faced another tragedy during the festive period when, on Christmas Day 2012, he sat down for dinner and never stood up unaided again, leaving him wheelchair-bound.
Alan said: “In Christmas Day 2012, I got taken into hospital. I sat down after my Christmas meal and I couldn’t get back up. I never really walked again.”
Alan continued to carry on working until his condition made the job he loved impossible. Divorced Alan is now living with his mum, June, who helps give him the day-to-day care he needs.
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He said: “To lose my career of 25 years was like pulling away a security blanket. I kept working until two years ago, when I felt I wasn’t pulling my weight any more and couldn’t justify it.
“My MS was making it harder to concentrate and I was working weekends to catch up. I tried to live on my own for a while but, when it became unmanageable, I moved in with Mum.
“She does everything for me and, although a trooper at 76 years old, it’s getting a wee bit much for her now. That’s the last thing I want. I want to enjoy time with my mum without feeling like a burden.”
While Alan is keen to raise awareness of the symptoms of MS, which affects around 15,000 people living in Scotland. He also wants to praise the work of charity Leuchie House, in North Berwick, a national respite centre, who provide much needed breaks to people suffering from a wide range of long-term neurological conditions.
Alan is an ambassador for the East Lothian charity’s summer campaign, Beyond the Break, which highlights the impact respite care can have long after a stay at the centre.
Alan, who has three teenage children, said: “When I first came to Leuchie I was nervous, but within an hour of arriving, I was quite at home. Leuchie has all the comforts you need, which is important when you can’t do much for yourself.
“The best part is, while I was there, my mum was able to catch her breath and spend time with my sister and her friends. For me the highlight of my stay was trying out the enabling tech with help from the digital team.
“Using voice commands to turn lights on and off, open and close curtains, or control the TV may sound simple, but constantly asking someone to do these things for you is annoying both for you and your carer. It was amazing to have the opportunity to try things out for the first time and see the difference it will make for my mum and I at home.
“So much so, I’ve had something similar installed since returning from my last break.”
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Alan is encouraging people to support the charity’s new fundraising campaign.
Mark Bevan, chief executive officer of Leuchie House, added: “An estimated one million people in Scotland live with a neurological condition that has a significant impact on their lives. Our vision is that people like Alan, living with conditions like multiple sclerosis, MND, Parkinson’s and stroke, be given the tools and opportunities to manage their condition, so they can live fuller and more independent lives.”
