London Father-Of-Two Who Went To The Hospital For Chest Pain Was Told Hours Later He Would Never Walk Again

After 37-year-old Ly Coong Voong of Islington, North London, went to the hospital in August of this year for chest pain, he was told he would never walk again, according to the Mirror. When physicians at the University College Hospital examined Voong, they discovered a blood clot in his spine that left him with a 10 percent chance of walking again, but it later dropped to zero.

“When I got the news that there was no chance I would ever walk again, my heart broke,” Voong said. “I used to run around with my sons Ryan, 2, and Ivan, 1. It’s devastating that that hope is gone. My life turned upside down in a matter of hours but I will continue to be strong for my family. I might not be able to kick a ball with my boys or pick them up when they fall down, but I can still be a dedicated father and husband.”

According to the Express, the hospital staff are oblivious to how Voong developed a blood clot in his spine when it is more prone to those with “heart disease, high cholesterol or diabetes as they are at greater risk of damaging their arteries, which can lead to such a clot,” but Voong lives a healthy lifestyle, eats well, stays active, and has no history of health issues.

Dad went to hospital with sudden chest pains told that he would never walk again https://t.co/jVvuNo80Vd pic.twitter.com/Hoc2RFF5L4

— Steve Myall (@stevemyalleats) October 26, 2015

However, he remains at The London Spinal Injuries Centre – with his 34-year-old wife Kelly by his side — where he is recovering from a surgery that decompressed his spinal cord and removed the clot. Voong is also receiving physiotherapy to help him adjust to life in a wheelchair. He said he is able to go home twice a week to spend time with his son, and luckily for him, he was able to witness his son take his first steps during his time at home.

“Those two days were amazing. Ryan has never been so excited to see me home,” Voong said. “I have finally seen Ivan walk for the first time. He gets stronger every time I see him.” He Facetimes his children, but since his youngest son is so young, he is having difficulties remembering his father’s face. “Hearing Ivan say: ‘where’s Dada’ always gets the tears flowing,” Voong said.

“It’s heartbreaking that my own son doesn’t always recognize me, but I hope things will settle down once I’m allowed home for good.”

“We’re waiting to move into an adapted house, when I do go home I have to sleep downstairs,” he said. “As I’ve lost control of my bladder and bowels Kelly has to help clean me. Seeing her do everything for me, as well as the kids, is really tough, especially as she has health problems of her own.”

“Sometimes I feel like I should go back to hospital just to ease the pressure off her.”

Voong says that after his spinal cord injury, he developed autonomic dysreflexia (AD) which is “life-threatening and could lead to seizures and strokes.” With uncertainties about his future, a GoFundMe page called “Ly and baby Ryan Needs You” has been setup to help with the cost of “adapting his home and buying a motorized wheelchair.” Thus far, he has raised over $2,000 within 12 days and has gained support from all over the country.

The married father-of-two went public with his story to encourage those who have experienced an injury similar to his and was told they may never walk again.

“I want to tell people not to give up, to believe in themselves and to stay close to their friends and family because they’re the people who keep you strong. You never know what’s around the corner so tell your loved ones how much they mean to you and seize every chance you get.

“I’m still struggling to accept that I’ll never walk again. I’m hoping with enough willpower and hard work I can prove doctors wrong and turn that 0% chance into a 1% chance.”

[Image via Shutterstock]