‘It mentally tore me apart but there’s light at the end of the tunnel,’ says 23-year-old with two chronic conditions

A 23-year-old from Northampton says his two long-term chronic conditions have “mentally tore him apart”, but he wants to share his message that there is “always light at the end of the tunnel”.

Kamal Lal, from St James, has been in a wheelchair and bed bound three times over the past two years, but each time he has stood up and recovered with the help of his physio team.

He was first diagnosed with GBS syndrome in November 2020, when he became bed bound and had to rely on a wheelchair.

With physiotherapy at home due to the pandemic, he was able to stand again and was recovering well until he had another flare up in October 2021.

This was when he was diagnosed with a more serious condition, CIPD, and he was back to square one – meaning he had to build himself back up once again.

Now, after suffering a third flare up and relapse in July 2022, Kamal is in a good state of recovery – and he wants to thank The Reach for Health Centre in Daventry.

The 23-year-old said: “My relapses mentally tore me apart and I didn’t know how to handle it.

“There were several times I wanted to give up and accept that I couldn't walk again, but my physio team and family kept me motivated.”

The one-to-one sessions at The Reach for Health Centre has allowed Kamal to get to a “stable condition” and live independently.

Though his conditions will always remain and he has to wear foot splints in his shoes every time he walks as his balance is skewed, he is pleased with the progress made.

When asked what message he would like to send out to others who may be experiencing similar impacts of chronic conditions, Kamal told Chronicle & Echo: “There is always light at the end of the tunnel.

“You need to seek the right help from the right places, and the first step is reaching out.

“It’s also important to have people around you who understand. My parents have seen it all from the start and they stand by me.”

When Kamal experiences a flare up, he is not fully conscious, flips out and is argumentative, but his parents understand he needs to be left alone and will recover gradually.

The 23-year-old says as English is their second language, it is difficult for them to fully gauge what the doctors have told them but they remain understanding of their son.

It is inevitable that Kamal will experience another flare up in the future, will relapse, and will need all the support he can get during his recovery – but he remains optimistic because of the team around him.

“Everyone supports me the best they can and I also receive counselling,” he said. “Everything is in place for when I face another setback.”

Kamal also urges anyone in need of physio sessions to not settle for the first they come across.

He says there is a major difference between those who genuinely care for their patients and those who do not – especially during the cost of living crisis when physio sessions are an added expense.