Shocking diagnosis for new father: man suddenly develops chest pain – spinal cord injury

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>

The family happiness seemed perfect when Stephan R.* (33) from Austria held his daughter in his hands in mid-September 2022. The new father was overjoyed. But then his life suddenly changes.

Suddenly he gets a pain in his chest. It’s so bad that he goes to the hospital. Then the shock diagnosis: inflammation in the spinal cord. Shortly afterwards he became paralyzed.

To support the family financially, a friend started a fundraising campaign and described the tragic story of Stephan R., his wife Annika (34) and daughter Elena.

He learns to move his arms again

R. must stay in hospital for six weeks, then he will be transferred to the Ulm University and Rehabilitation Clinics. The 33-year-old fights back and learns to move his arms again. “It is uncertain whether he will ever be able to move his fingers again and therefore have full use of his hands, let alone walk,” the text of the fundraiser says.

His wife and daughter Elena were able to be with Stephan R. during this time. They had a family room. “Since the daughter needs her father and she makes a very large contribution to his well-being, she spends almost the entire first year of her life and her mother’s first year of parental leave with her parents in the hospital.”

Apartment could not be renovated

Then it goes back home. But the family cannot stay in the old apartment. It is located in an old farmhouse and cannot be converted for people with disabilities.

Since then, they have been fighting “with incredible perseverance day by day, week by week, while standing on the edge of the breaking point between hope, setbacks and small progress,” according to the text of the donation campaign. The goal of the campaign: 100,000 euros. More than 70,000 euros have been raised so far.

He needs an assistant 24 hours a day

The money is important to renovate the new barrier-free apartment that the family was looking for. “Because Stephan has an assistant around him 24 hours a day, an extra room was needed.” Stephan R. also dreams of being able to drive a car again. But this requires special adjustments. “Every contribution, no matter how small, can make a big difference.”

Stephan R. is grateful for the support and support. «I get strength, energy and zest for life especially from my wife’s brothers and sisters with their partners and children and from my brother and his wife, my mother and my parents-in-law, but also from all the friends and relatives who are always available to support us. help and advise,” he tells RTL. It is particularly bad for him that he cannot play with his daughter like a ‘normal’ father.

*Name known

Source: Blick