A Derry mum was left suffering for eight years with a bowel disorder before doctors could figure out her life-altering diagnosis
The mum-of-two was told her symptoms were 'nothing to worry about' more than two decades ago before being told she had Solitary Rectal Ulcer Syndrome.
Doctors told Elaine Doherty, 47, that she had a rare and poorly understood disorder that often leaves people with chronic constipation.
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The illness has also meant Elaine has suffered lots of haemorrhagic loss, severe pain, and a failed colostomy over the last 20 years.
Tony Doherty, Elaine's husband, said the condition and the lack of medical treatment has left his wife "with no quality of life".
Speaking to MyDerry , Tony explained: "Only one in every 200,000 people in the UK get this condition.
"The illness has led to Elaine having a number of operations, including a colostomy which failed and she ended up haemorrhaging and losing a lot of blood.
"She nearly died on that occasion and I had to give her mouth to mouth to save her life.
"This left her in ICU and she had to get an Ileostomy which she has since 2013."
Ms Doherty, who is also a grandmother of two, was also recently also diagnosed with a neurological disorder - something the family was told could take six-year on a waiting list before it was treated.
"She was back in ICU three years ago because her bowel ruptured and it start poisoning her whole system and it was touch and go at the time.
"She has been living in pain every day and she had previously been to see a consultant but since the pandemic, that had to stop, which has meant she had zero help these last two years.
"And unfortunately, just before Christmas, the doctors started to investigate for a neurological condition and this has made her a lot worse.
"She has lost three-and-a-half stone in the last six weeks. I am beginning to get very worried about her now because I previously watched a friend die of anorexia."
Tony, who previously ran a video production company, said he was forced to close down his business a number of years ago to become his wife's full-time carer.
The family are now hoping a visit to a robotic surgery specialist in London this month could be "life-changing" for the Derry mum.
"She has absolutely no quality of life. Her life has been disrupted now for the last 20-years and all we want as a family is for this hell to end."
He added: "We want Elaine to have a better quality of life, for her daughters and for her grandchildren. She is a grandmother of two and there is a third one on the way and we want her to be able to have a good life.
"I decided that I would become her carer but it has been very difficult to watch my wife go through this pain and it has had an impact on my health as well.
"It was really scary recently whenever this neurological condition came on all of a sudden and it's been so tough watching her lose so much weight.
"As a family, we are praying so hard that this specialist could be the life-changing treatment that she needs."
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