I'm  doing this in Aid of Dystonia UK to help raise money & awareness. My reason for this is that my Spartan of a little sister suffers from this condition. She is a true inspiration for me how she manages everyday life let alone with raising my Niece 2.5 years old & Nephew 6 months old with everything she's going through.

The last few months have been particularly hard for her after suffering from a few tremor attacks leaving her with clawed hands and turn in feet but in true Spartan fashion she still carries on, no complaing a true inspiration.

Love you T-Rex ( her nickname due to the effect Dystonia has had on her arms ) this is all for you & I hope your story gets to other people suffering with this condition so they know things are possible harder maybe but possible... You truly are the strongest most determined person I know..

💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚🦖💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

Here's her story in her own words ....

I was 23 when everything changed. One day I was a hairdresser living my best life as you do at 23 then the next day I woke up and everything was different. My left hand had closed and I had weakness in my arm. I felt very tired. But I had just thought I slept funny and obviously had a bad night sleep. But I was so wrong. It just got worse as the days went on. I couldn't do my work properly I was finding everything so hard. I went to the hospital and they said I had a trapped nerve in my left elbow by this time my right hand had closed but they was still saying it was cause of my left elbow. So they went ahead and operated on it. To which they had just made everything worse. My left arm now doesn't open up straight.

They sent me to London hospital and by this time I just knew something wasn't right I was getting tired all the time my body was so achy and everything to even walking was hard, my toes was starting to claw under and my feet was turning as I walked. I had also started getting full body spasms I had no idea what was going on. But I also knew whatever it was I couldn’t let it take over me. After a long 3 and half years of tests, some people saying I had made it up in my head while others told me if I give in now I could end up in a wheelchair, I knew I had to keep fighting what ever it was that was going on and not let it beat me. I finally got diagnosed with Dystonia, Pots and EDS.

All three illnesses I had never heard of in my life but at the same time all joined the puzzle together. My shaking I have always had, not being able to tense my muscles, the racing heart that always felt like my heart was going to beat through my chest and the dizziness. The little signs I had for years I just didn’t think anything off. Was all down to Dystonia, Pots And EDS.

And from then life has never been the same again. I had to give up my dream job which I worked so hard for.

I stopped going out alone as when I had spasms people would stop and look at me, at first I hated it and never wanted to go out but knew I couldn’t let it win. I knew I had to change and start a new chapter to my life. My life long dream was my own home, my own little family with a dog and I knew I couldn’t let that be taken too. Even with everyone who told me I would never full fill my dream to be a mum how would you do it, how could you look after a baby, I knew I could do it, it was my dream I couldn’t let that be taken away of course I had worries and I doubted myself, but I am now a mummy to two beautiful babies. My baby girl is 2.5 years old and my baby boy is 6 months old, and not forgetting our fur baby Reggie. Of course its hard work with the spasms, bad days, tiredness on top of normal mummy tiredness and everyday is a fight with my own body but with my husband, my family’s help I have my dream and I would never change any of it for the world.

My life planned out so different to what I had planned for myself but at the same time I still have my life long dream. Just with a few extra challenges everyday.

Like I always say.

'You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have'

It's that last bit why there was no way I was going to stop despite any aches & pains.

If you can spare a donation that would be so appreciated...

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/damian-bennett6

Thanks for taking the time to read if you got this far please share..

Damian & T-Rex