My brain surgery left me immobile and depressed

DEAR DEIDRE: THE brain surgery I had at 15 took away my confidence and changed my life for ever.

I’m a woman of 23 and I had the surgery to remove a tumour, but something went wrong and I now have no feeling on the left side of my body.

I was outgoing, sporty and expected to get good grades in my exams, but everything went pear-shaped when I had to go into hospital.

Now I need carers to look after me and I spend a lot of my waking hours crying.

I don’t feel well a lot of the time.

I comfort-eat and put on weight.

I’m on medication for depression and anxiety.

I have no friends at all and even my family find it difficult to talk to me at times.

My life will never be the same again.

DEIDRE SAYS: I am so sorry you are having to live with such huge physical challenges.

Find practical support in how to deal with your injury through Headway (headway.org.uk, 0808 800 2244), which has groups across the country.

Phab (phab.org.uk, 020 8667 9443) also runs clubs for able and disabled people to be together. They arrange holidays, too.