He’s been in hospital for five months since the awful incident which left him paralysed from the neck down
Jason Davies was left paralysed and has been in hospital for five months (Image: Supplied by Ross Hadley)
A man has described how a fall at his daughter’s 21st birthday party has left him unable to walk. Jason Davies, a PCSO from Merthyr Tydfil, said he landed on his neck when he fell over a garden wall with a drop “a maximum of two or three feet”.
The incident, which happened on August 16, saw the 56-year-old initially paralysed from the neck down for several weeks. Although he is still unable to walk Jason has regained some movement in his upper body, and feeling in his legs, as he continues to undergo intensive rehabilitation therapy at Llandough Hospital in Cardiff.
Describing what happened, the father-of-three told WalesOnline: “Going back to August it was my daughter’s 21st birthday party. We had a garden party for her and basically I fell over a wall which had a maximum of a two or three feet drop on the other side of it. It really wasn’t a big drop.
“On the way down I caught my neck on what I believe was a flower pot or some object. Instantly as I hit the floor I was paralysed from the neck down.
“The day before my mother passed away at hospital so we wanted the party to go on for [my daughter, Rio] and I was putting on a brave face.” Stay informed on everything Merthyr Tydfil by signing up to our newsletter here
Jason with his daughter Rio(Image: Supplied by Ross Hadley)
Jason said he remembers being conscious on the floor as he waited around four hours for an ambulance to arrive. He recalled feeling “no pain” and advised people not to move him because he couldn’t feel anything from his neck down. He said he was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff (UHW), where he stayed for around 10 weeks.
“[When I got there] they operated which went well,” he said. “The day after then they had to do CPR on me and said they’re ‘not sure if he’ll come [around]’. Brain dead was the word they used.”
During his weeks in Cardiff Jason explained that he began physiotherapy and regained some feeling in his hands. His treatment has continued ever since in Llandough. He said: “I’ve been quite lucky really because I’ve got my arms and my hands working a bit.
“When I first got to Llandough I couldn’t feed myself, but now I am able to feed myself. If I had a packet of crisps in front of me, there’s no way I could open the packet, but if they were open I could get my fingers in somehow and be able to eat them. With my legs I can feel them by touch but nothing else.”
Jason (left) with Ross(Image: Supplied by Ross Hadley)
Jason said one motivation that has helped him through is his dream to get back to work. He said: “I’ve been a PCSO for the last 20 years and they’ve been absolutely fantastic to me through this.
“The chief constable Jeremy Vaughan came to see me last week and I have their full support. They’ve said the job is there for me for the future but get yourself right first.
“That job is my life. One of my motivations when I was in UHW was that I need to get better because I need to get back to work.”
Jason said initially medics anticipated that he would leave hospital by mid March, however he explained that he will likely stay longer in the hope that he can build on the progress he has already made.
Sadly Jason said an occupational therapy assessment revealed that his family home will not be suitable for his return, due to him needing a wheelchair and requiring support to carry out everyday tasks.
Jason (right) with his son Cameron, who lives in Rome(Image: Supplied by Liz Davies)
“The option then is that I put my name down on the housing register to see if they have something suitable,” he said. “But my wife and I were talking and thought it would be lovely to extend out the side of our kitchen to get me home. I thought there would be financial support but there’s no funding if you have your own home.”
Jason’s colleague and friend Ross Hadley kindly set up a fundraising page to try and help Jason stay at home once he is out of hospital.
Jason stressed that he did not ask for a fundraiser to be set up but is very grateful to his colleague for doing so. He said it will make a huge difference to his future. You can support the fundraiser here.
He said: “It’s not so much about the money as I was a little bit embarrassed when they said they were going to do it, it’s more about the thought from people. It means so much.
“It will make a massive difference to me. Realistically the alternative might be that I have to find accommodation on my own because it is so hard to find somewhere suitable.”
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