A BRAVE mum who nearly died after a tampon wiped her memory is hoping to
remember her first family Christmas.
Deborah Usher, 27, from Porthmadog, Wales, was in a coma for a week in 2011
after toxic shock syndrome (TSS) caused by her tampon which left her
fighting for her life.
After the mum-of-one woke she was found to have severe memory loss meaning she
now forgets events just weeks after they happen, including Christmas.
She is heartbroken that she currently has no memory of enjoying festive fun
with her little boy, Joshua, eight.
Deborah’s memory is finally improving after she remembered her son’s birthday
for the first time this year, and now she’s hoping to remember Christmas
too.
The hotel manager said: “I’m hoping to remember all the special moments
like my son unwrapping his presents, meeting Santa and putting a star on top
of the tree for the first time.
“Since I woke from the coma four years ago I’ve struggled to remember
Christmas since, and all the memories I had of it before have been wiped,
the whole experience has been heart-breaking.
“I can’t even remember the presents I’ve brought Joshua until he opens
them. I can’t remember him opening his presents or getting excited waiting
for Santa to come.
“I have pictures of him with presents, and us decorating the tree
together, but I don’t remember them.
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Deborah went on to detail how the condition had “taken over her life”
describing it as like a “permanent hangover”.
She said: “TSS has completely taken over my life, it’s like having a
permanent hangover every day where you have memory blanks and your head
feels funny.
The 27-year-old is hopeful things are on the up for her as she can still
remember her son’s birthday three months on.
“We celebrated Joshua’s eighth birthday in September and I can still
remember it three months on which is a huge achievement.
“So now I’m hoping I can finally remember our first Christmas, rather
than having to rely on photographs and other people’s memories.”
In August 2011 Deborah believed she had the flu but within days she was rushed
to intensive care after her condition deteriorated – leaving her unable to
talk or walk properly.
Deborah was put into an induced coma for a week, and after failing to wake her
twice, doctors prepared her family for the worst.
Deborah said: “The whole experience is a complete blur for me, when I try
to remember I just have flashbacks.
“I was on life support and it really was touch and go as to whether I
would pull through.
When Deborah woke from the coma she was left unable to feed herself, wash or
change.
It took two months for her to learn how to walk again and she described the
ordeal as “terrifying”.
Deborah said: “It was the most terrifying experience of my life, every
day felt like a nightmare which would never end.
“When I woke up I had no idea where I was or why I was there, I was like
a child again.
“I struggled to remember people’s faces, I still do, and I get deja vu
when I visit places as I recognise them but don’t ever remember ever being
there.
Deborah also had to have an operation to remove her ovary and fallopian tube
after a CT scan showed revealed a cyst, but had no memory of the operation
and was shocked to discover scaring on her stomach.
She said: “I remember panicking about what had happened to my stomach
when I woke up.
“It took me two months to learn to walk again, and my family had to help
me do everything, I can’t thank them enough.
“But I was determined to get better for Joshua, he’s my world and he
needed his mummy back.”
Deborah had been using super plus strength tampons throughout her whole period
which is believed to be what caused the disease.
Now she has vowed to never use them again.
Deborah said: “Toxic shock syndrome is very rare, especially with
tampons, but no-one warns you about the dangers of using them.
“Somehow there must have been a slight tear and the toxins got into my
bloodstream, I was so lucky to be alive.
“I would never use them again after I know what I do now, they’ve
completely ruined my life.
