A 'fit and healthy' teen has been left paralyzed and unable to talk after her concerning symptoms were initially dismissed as 'period pain'.
17-year-old Shakira Gorman is on a ventilator in an intensive care unit after suffering a spinal stroke. Her case is a particularly unusual form of stroke, which typically affects people between 50 and 70.
Shakira, from Banbury in the UK, had been at her boyfriend's house two days before Christmas when she started bleeding and initially thought it was a heavy period.
But the teenager was soon rushed to hospital after she started struggling to breathe and lost the feeling in her arms and hands.
Advert
Shakira had also complained of back and shoulder pain beforehand and now communicates with her loved ones through lip reading and using a word board.
The Brit's condition is so rare that it's said to affect just one in three million people.
Chelsea Coles, Shakira's 29-year-old sister, said: "It's so rare. Shakira was at her boyfriend's house and she started bleeding very heavily - haemorrhaging.
"She thought it was a heavy period but she quickly started losing her breath and the feeling in her arms and hands. She was rushed to the Horton by ambulance. They did all the observations and couldn't work it out. But about four hours later she was blue-lighted to the JR [John Radcliffe Hospital]."
Chelsea continued: "Later in the evening she was in great pain in her chest and body. They needed to do an MRI scan so she was anaesthetised to keep her still.
"It took them another day to confirm that it was a spinal stroke."
Doctors have placed Shakira on blood thinners and are continuing to monitor her condition.
Sister-in-law Chloe Coles, 30, said the stroke happened 'so quickly'.
"The only symptom she had was a bit of shoulder and back pain, she thought it might be back ache or her period starting," she added.
"We can't believe it, she was always a fit and healthy 17-year-old. She is studying beauty at college and into her hair and make-up.
"The nurses were baffled, it was a mystery at first what had happened to her, because a spinal stroke is pretty much unheard of in people her age."
The Cleveland Clinic explains that spinal strokes happen when there is a blockage in the blood supply to the spinal cord. According to the site, it accounts for less than one percent of all strokes.
Chelsea went on to say: "We don't know what the future holds. At the moment we're taking each day as it comes.
"Each day is different - and we are taking one step at a time. Shakira knows everyone is doing all they can to support her.
"My parents are feeling empty, devastated and they're still in shock - it's so unexpected."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help 'support' Shakira's family. It reads: "Any amounts raised will go straight to Shakira’s parents to help ease the pressure of work and normal duties so they can solely focus on being by their daughters side."
Callum Jones