A 29-year-old Orwell woman has spoken out about the condition she has suffered with since her teens following her latest bout of sickness, as she is hoping to raise enough money to buy Addenbrooke’s Hospital a piece of specialist equipment.
Kirsten Bailey has been in hospital three times since July and one of those times was due to suffering a form of metabolic acidosis - which also saw her in a coma when she was 14.
Kirsten, who also has spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair, told the Crow: "When I was a teenager I was bullied at school and didn't eat as much as I should have.
"This led to metabolic acidosis that occurs when the body produces excessive amounts of acid - the kidneys are unable to remove enough acid produced from normal metabolism.
"I remember waking up and hearing Westlife on my walkman, because I love music they said it would be a good idea to play it while I was in the coma.
"I was an hour from death, the team saved my life and were amazing."
In the summer, Kirsten was at a Comic Con convention in London and was was unable to eat all day, which led to another bout of metabolic acidosis.
"It brought back horrible memories and I have been having nightmares since. It brought back memories that I thought I had buried, but that is not the case.
"The Lysosomal Disorders Unit team helped saved my life - the doctors, Patrick Deegan, Chon Tan, Paul Flynn and my specialist nurses Julie Chapman and Liz Morris and dietian Sara Donald. They have helped me many times and will continue to do so. I would like to thank the team, my mum and carers."
Kirsten, who also has anxiety, is hoping people will be able to spare a few pounds to donate.
She usually fundraises for various charities through organising fetes in Orwell, but is hoping sharing her story will inspire people as she has been told she needs to rest.
She said: "I would like to help the team by raising funds for a glucose machine - and hopefully I can give it to them as a Christmas present. So please donate if you can and help me and many more people like me because without this team I wouldn't be here today."
Kirsten has raised £215 so far. To view her donations page, go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kirsten-bailey-804.
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