A FUNDRAISER has been set up to help bring an inspirational and loving woman home who is stuck in the hospital with multiple health complications.
Molly Wheeler, who lives in Popley with her family, has been in Basingstoke hospital since Tuesday, April 2, after collapsing at home.
Molly, who has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, requires a feeding tube and has been left paralysed from the waist down after having seizures. The loving 20-year-old, who is autistic, also has numerous other health complications.
On Sunday, March 24, the family's life was turned upside down when Molly collapsed.
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Her mother, Emma Wheeler, 47, said: “We were about to go up to bed and tried to get her up and we couldn’t, and she collapsed and she was completely paralysed."
Emma said the family are now desperately trying to get enough money to make changes to the family's home so they can bring her home.
Changes to the home, where Emma, Molly and her father Steve Wheeler live, include installing ramps, widening doorways and making the conservatory liveable.
Molly had been sleeping on a sofa in the conservatory, which has not been properly insulated.
Emma said the family has spent every penny trying to make things better for Molly but now feels they have nothing left.
She described her daughter as someone who is always thinking of others.
Emma said: “She is very loving and cares more about other people than herself. She is always apologising and even though she can't eat she will bake cakes for people because she enjoys giving to other people."
Emma said that Molly is spending some of her time in hospital making gifts to give to the nurses caring for her.
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"She is just always asking about other people. Everyone around her has always said 'Molly you have always encouraged us' because no matter how bad we feel, we are like 'Molly can do it and if she is doing it and being so positive then we can too'."
"Everyone has looked on her as an absolute inspiration. What is the point in being miserable, we are suffering, but we still carry on and be positive and that is always what we have been like," she added.
A Just Giving fundraiser has been set up, in which Molly says: "I am trying to raise funds so that I can live at home because right now there is no prognosis to know if my conditions will improve or decline.
"My family need to convert the garage and utility room to a bedroom and wet room, insulate the conservatory as that is where I will have to sleep until the garage is converted and widen the doorways and add ramps to the front and the back of the house. They also need some car adaptations.
"Government disability grants take months if not longer to be approved. Unfortunately, a grant will not be approved at all if you start the work yourself and our family don't have months to spare."
Her mother, Emma, told the Gazette that she is currently sleeping on the floor of the hospital to support her daughter.
"She can't cope with any strangers coming in and doctors coming in so I have to be there to support her,” she added.
"Her mobility issues have been getting worse, she was doing really well with her mental health and her autism and she was on a disability apprenticeship at the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. She was in the post room and they were supporting her and she was doing so well.
"Literally, every single day she was sick and passing out and in the end, they went 'Molly you just cannot do this' and she really wanted to. She loved it and she loved chatting to people.
"In effect, all of her joints pop out, so we have to pop them back in, so she used to walk around with crutches around the house but it just got worse. It just started where she just couldn't lift her legs up and we were struggling to get her up the stairs and she is in agony and all of her joints are in so much pain."
Despite this Emma said Molly "always tries to keep really jolly."
Emma continued: "It is scary for Molly being autistic and you get all the people coming into your room in the night. It is very scary and exhausting. We are struggling because I am sleeping on the floor and I swap with my husband. I go home and make all the medications up.
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"It would be amazing for Molly to not sleep in fear all night. I collapsed yesterday in the corridor and I am just that exhausted.
"Just to be at home and feel safe because she doesn't feel safe in the hospital."
Molly said she wants to come home to be safe and said she doesn't want to be a burden on her family.
At the time of writing the fundraiser has raised nearly £600. To help the family visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/molly-wheeler.
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