Published: Wednesday, 19th November, 2008 09:45
‘Deadly illness made me forget who hubby was’
By Colin Hutton
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Julie Hughes
A MUM who battled back from a near death experience — which put her in a coma and left her with severe memory loss — is cooking up a storm to raise cash for charity.
Julie Hughes became extremely ill due to a debilitating condition called Crohn’s disease.
She had been diagnosed with the incurable condition in 2001, and after fighting bravely against the energy-sapping symptoms for five years, eventually became so ill that she was rushed to hospital.
The 33-year-old, who lives in Dalmuir with her husband Scott and their two children, needed three emergency operations and slipped into a coma.
Her family were told to expect the worst.
But when Julie woke from her two-weeks of unconsciousness she was faced with the toughest challenge of all as she had to learn how to walk again and had the heartbreak of not recognising her own husband.
She told the Post: “When I was pregnant in 2001 with my second child I developed a big lump on my tummy, but they had to wait until my daughter was born before they could properly investigate. They discovered it was Crohn’s.
“The disease gives you a lot of pain and saps you of energy, leaving you tired.
“That pain went on for years and then in 2006 I was really ill for several months before I had to be taken to hospital and ended up losing so much weight that I fell into a coma.
“The first operation that they did took away a small part of my bowel but they had already told my family that I would probably not make it.
“They had to do another two operations to try to solve the problem but I was still unconscious and my organs had failed.
“After about two weeks in a coma I started to come to, but it was very bizarre because I had all these stories going round in my head and had no idea what had happened to me.
“In my wee coma world, as I like to call it, I actually married someone else — but his name was Scott as well.”
Although Julie’s battle with Crohn’s — which is an incurable inflammatory bowel disease — is far from over she is keen to help others by raising awareness of the illness and highlight the support available from the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (NACC). And to raise vital finds for the charity Julie is hosting two charity nights at her home this month in the style of cult TV show Come Dine with Me.
Friends and family will be asked either to make a donation or score her tempting selection of food and drink out of 10 — before handing over the same amount of cash.
Julie said: “My future is uncertain but I have always been an optimistic and positive person who enjoys life as much as I can and I just keep going because it’s the only thing I can do.
“I want people to know that there are people out there who have had a really bad time with it but have got through it and are continuing with life.”
For more information or to donate money, go to www.nacc.org.uk.
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