A HOSPITALISED mum who is too ill to hug her own children is fighting for urgent medical treatment which could pave the way for her to return home.

Donna Healey, aged 34, suffers from Chronic Pain Syndrome, and has been left bed-bound in North Manchester Hospital for the past month because of the crippling condition.

The mother-of-four, of Fir Street, Ramsbottom, is unable to brush her teeth, or hair, or dress herself, following an operation to release a trapped nerve in her neck in June 2014.

Donna signed a waiver accepting that there could be complications with the risky operation.

Her partner Paul Honey, aged 35, who is father to their four children, said the surgery left her in a worse condition than she was before.

Now the family are battling to have Donna transferred to Salford Royal Hospital, where they believe she could receive proper treatment and care to relieve her ‘agonising’ pain.

Paul had to give up his job as a bus driver in Bury in December 2014 to become a full-time carer for Donna and their four children, who are aged between two and 15.

He said: “I have to do everything for her, brush her teeth, wash her and dress her.

“She can’t even brush her hair because the pain is just so agonising.

“I’m disgusted at the lack of care. She’s been on morphine for 15 months now, I’m sure that isn’t okay – I’ve done a lot of reading online and even the NHS protocol says that if medication isn’t working on a patient within six months then they have to try something else.

“That hasn’t happened here. She’s just being drugged up and nothing is getting any better. I feel completely let down by the NHS.”

Although Donna’s condition is incurable, it can be managed and treated with various pain killers, or neurostimulation - a procedure that uses an electrical current to treat chronic pain.

Paul said: “She needs to get to Salford Royal for the neurostimulation treatment – that could be enough to get her back home.

“It’s been a really tough past two years with everything she’s been through.

“She can’t even look after her own children anymore; she can’t pick them up or hug them and I don’t even like taking them in to see her because it’s not good for them to see their mum like this.

“I’ve lost my job as a bus driver which I did for six years; I’ve been unwell because of it. I’m now dealing with anxiety and stress.

“Donna’s consultants claim they’ve referred her to Salford Royal about four times now; she needs the neurostimulation treatment urgently.

“I just want things to get back to normal.”

A few days ago, the family learned Salford Royal had agreed to send over a neuro specialist to North Manchester to speak with Donna about possible treatment.

Donna is still waiting for the visit, which could lead to her receiving the right treatment, to allow her to live a more normal life back with her family.

A Salford Royal spokesman said: “Although we are unable to comment on individual cases due to patient confidentiality, we can confirm that we are liaising with the referring organisation and the patient to discuss the options for her future treatment plan.”