For one East London resident, participating in sporting activities signifies a new lease on life, as a few years ago a disease ravaged his body, leaving him immobile and physically impaired.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Ben Coetzee recalled how one Friday morning in October 2010, he woke up with his entire body in pain. Over the next two days it began to shut down, landing him in the intensive care unit at Life Beacon Bay, where a CT scan revealed that he had Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Coetzee said the disease is triggered in many different ways, but for him, it began as a stomach bug.
“I woke up feeling stiff. My neck wasn’t moving well and my speech was slurred. As we moved from one doctor to another, I was deteriorating quickly. Paralysis started kicking in, but doctors initially couldn’t tell what was wrong with me.”
Coetzee said he remembered losing the ability to swallow and move his limbs, as bit by bit he lost body function.
He was admitted to St Dominic’s intensive care unit for six weeks, unable to walk or speak clearly.
After being discharged in mid-December 2010 in a wheelchair, Coetzee was sent to Life Rehabilitation.
“I had to learn everything from scratch. How to eat, walk, write, hold a fork and knife, chew, get dressed, tie my shoelaces again, everything. This illness affects your small muscles more, making small tasks like chewing and using your hands harder. I was in a wheelchair for close to a year after leaving the hospital.”
Coetzee’s journey to recovery has been long, but he said his determination to get back on his feet was driven by his desire to be able to do simple activities once more.
“If you’re not driving your own car, you have to rely on people to take you around, and I’m not good at that. So I made a plan to get myself around.”
He has now participated in Spinathons and fun runs, and has even bagged a silver medal at a national swimming competition.
Catch Coetzee and other past and current Life Rehabilitation patients at the Daily Dispatch Summer Fun Run this Sunday at Orient beach.
Life regional manager Bruce Janssens said the rehabilitation centre has been entering its patients in this yearly fun run to “achieve the goal of walking, wheelchair propelling or running 4km, but also to enjoy the company of other patients who have experienced similar challenges”.
lThe Spar Daily Dispatch Summer Fun Run starts at the Orient Pools at 9am on Sunday. There is a 4km and 8km route along the East London esplanade. Entry fees for the 4km race are R60 for adults and R40 for U16s; the 8km race entry fees are R70 per adult and R50 for U16s. Online entries at www.summerfunrun.co.za (online entries close today) or enter at the following: Daily Dispatch Beacon Bay offices or the CBD office, Sportsman Warehouse at Retail Park, Total Sports at Vincent Park. Late entries will be accepted at registration on the day of the race (before 8am). There is a late entry fee of R50. — nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za.
From a wheelchair to being a runner
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Ben Coetzee recalled how one Friday morning in October 2010, he woke up with his entire body in pain. Over the next two days it began to shut down, landing him in the intensive care unit at Life Beacon Bay, where a CT scan revealed that he had Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Coetzee said the disease is triggered in many different ways, but for him, it began as a stomach bug.
“I woke up feeling stiff. My neck wasn’t moving well and my speech was slurred. As we moved from one doctor to another, I was deteriorating quickly. Paralysis started kicking in, but doctors initially couldn’t tell what was wrong with me.”
Coetzee said he remembered losing the ability to swallow and move his limbs, as bit by bit he lost body function.
He was admitted to St Dominic’s intensive care unit for six weeks, unable to walk or speak clearly.
After being discharged in mid-December 2010 in a wheelchair, Coetzee was sent to Life Rehabilitation.
“I had to learn everything from scratch. How to eat, walk, write, hold a fork and knife, chew, get dressed, tie my shoelaces again, everything. This illness affects your small muscles more, making small tasks like chewing and using your hands harder. I was in a wheelchair for close to a year after leaving the hospital.”
Coetzee’s journey to recovery has been long, but he said his determination to get back on his feet was driven by his desire to be able to do simple activities once more.
“If you’re not driving your own car, you have to rely on people to take you around, and I’m not good at that. So I made a plan to get myself around.”
He has now participated in Spinathons and fun runs, and has even bagged a silver medal at a national swimming competition.
Catch Coetzee and other past and current Life Rehabilitation patients at the Daily Dispatch Summer Fun Run this Sunday at Orient beach.
Life regional manager Bruce Janssens said the rehabilitation centre has been entering its patients in this yearly fun run to “achieve the goal of walking, wheelchair propelling or running 4km, but also to enjoy the company of other patients who have experienced similar challenges”.
lThe Spar Daily Dispatch Summer Fun Run starts at the Orient Pools at 9am on Sunday. There is a 4km and 8km route along the East London esplanade. Entry fees for the 4km race are R60 for adults and R40 for U16s; the 8km race entry fees are R70 per adult and R50 for U16s. Online entries at www.summerfunrun.co.za (online entries close today) or enter at the following: Daily Dispatch Beacon Bay offices or the CBD office, Sportsman Warehouse at Retail Park, Total Sports at Vincent Park. Late entries will be accepted at registration on the day of the race (before 8am). There is a late entry fee of R50. — nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za.
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