In Her Veins

Two years ago, Erin Roberts boarded a plane bound for America to visit her boyfriend. She left Australia as a vibrant 30-year-old, career oriented woman with aspiration for greatness. The sky was the limit but on the flight home she became a victim to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and collapsed upon arrival at Brisbane Airport. She suffered seizures, heart attacks and a stroke.

The verdict wasn’t good and doctors weren’t hopeful, but Erin is a fighter and her rehabilitation astounded the medical profession. She had to re-educate her body to do all the things she previously took for granted – walk, talk, read, dress herself etc.

No thanks to her travel insurance provider who refused to pay up as she had landed on Australian soil just as the chronic complications hit. Her supportive family has had to fund her rehabilitation, putting great strain on their resources. Unfortunately, her employer recently deemed her unable to perform her work duties. She has brain injuries and lacks full mobility in her arm. Erin has vowed to continue to focus on her recovery. She pushes herself daily to meet new challenges and to gain greater independence and mobility.

I met Erin at a political activist meeting. You see, Erin has plans to make the voices of those with disabilities heard. At an anti LNP Queensland Government rally she gave an inspiring speech criticising our government’s cuts to assistance for the disabled such as reduced entitlements to taxi subsidies and the government’s refusal to partake in a Federal Government initiative for a National Disability Insurance Scheme. Erin has vowed to continue to fight against injustices in our society and is especially keen to help our indigenous population. I am confident that Erin will grow in leaps and bounds and will become a future leader in any pursuit she chooses. For Erin the sky is still the limit. There may be a few more steps to climb and she may need some assistance on the way but she will make it and she will inspire many people along the way.

One of the messages of Erin’s story is that even though you may not be born with a disability, tragedy can strike at any time to anyone and completely change your life. It’s important for policy makers to consider this when forming policy. Policy makers should walk in someone else’s shoes and create policies to assist disabled people to maximise their potential not crush them. Some of the most talented and gifted people in the world have disabilities. People like Stephen Hawking and Stephen Wiltshire come to mind. We need to nurture their abilities rather than focus on their disabilities. The disabled community is not disenfranchised. Their votes count just as much as mine or yours and it is our duty as a society to provide help to this section of our community.

Erin is a survivor, not a victim but her tragic situation is a warning to all travellers that DVT is a real risk. To minimise this risk doctors recommend keeping well hydrated and to move legs and feet regularly especially on long-hauls. She would also like women to know that oral contraception can increase the risk of stroke. Two years ago a clot flowed though Erin’s veins and caused much devastation, but now a fighting spirit flows through those same veins. May the same spirit flow through able bodied people’s veins so that they too will fight for better treatment of those with disabilities.

Photo credit

©image courtesy of ClotCare

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