Case Study 1 - Trixie Keilty

Almost two years ago at the age of 61 years, I was diagnosed with viral sepsis. I was rushed to Wishaw General Hospital with a temperature over 40. I had sepsis for two days, but had been ill for a previous six days. My husband and I had never heard of this illness, but the Ambulance staff identified it and started to make us aware of it. I found myself on drips and antibiotics and was in intensive care and then transferred to a ward.

 

Owing to my high level of fitness, I was released after only six days. Others were not so blessed, some died, others lost limbs. However, I was totally unprepared for the post-Sepsis trauma. I started back to my swimming training in the “Masters” and attempted to go back to the gym. Trying to deal with the fatigue each day and the muscle spasms and pain was all new to me. I lost my hearing from normal to “medium” due to the strong medication that was given to keep me alive, my eye-sight was affected, (but is now back to what it was), as well as my memory which is getting better, but I still struggle with both short term and long term issues. It is improving though!

 

Not one to take much medication, I began to think of alternative help. After a year, my legs were so bad with the pain, that I went back to see my young friend Chris for nutrition again and for personal training. This has been of great help and I am very thankful for all his patience and encouragement.

 

Having been a supporter of the MS for a number of years now, I was introduced to “The Hub” staff that held therapy session at the Ravenscraig Leisure Centre. I had never had any sort of treatment before and didn’t really like to be touched. However, my legs were very bad one day, and I eventually gave in and had a 15 minute massage on them. What a difference it made and I had very little pain for about four days. It was such a release and a relief! Later on I even had 3 back massages to release a trapped nerve! Found it difficult to be vulnerable, but it was cured and I was so happy.

 

I met Claire at Ravenscraig and I just love her to bits. She is also amazing when she massages my legs and we have built up a trust and a friendship over a number of weeks as I still visit her regularly. It really does help me immensely. I don’t have the words to express just how much of a help this is to me. When things were closed over the festive period, I was in so much pain all over my body and turned up at the Hub when it re-opened and I got help. Claire got my muscles sorted and I got relief for about five days. Now things are really improving.

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Thank you so much to everyone for the high standard of treatment that you provide for people in the community at such reasonable prices. Not only is the body helped, but so is the mind. I am very indebted to all concerned. The Staff are all so encouraging and of course, I now have a wee adopted daughter called Claire.   

 

Case Study 2

I am a single mother to 2 young daughters.  When my youngest started school last year, I found my mental health declined and I found myself severely depressed.  I would take my daughters to school and come home and go back to bed in despair.  I would stay there until it was time for the girls to come home from school.  When my daughters came home from school even though I missed them so much, because of my depression I could not enjoy my time with them at home.

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After 3 months of feeling this way, I was at the job centre and I broke down because of my depression and I had to go and see the doctors.  My doctor gave me options on how to go forward and I found myself on anti-depressants and was referred for counselling.  It took a month for the counsellor to get in touch with myself to make an appointment.  I also had to go for a weekly assessment at the doctors during this time to keep an eye on my mental health.  When I finally got to see my counsellor, I was then referred to an occupational therapist a week after my first session.

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My therapist assisted in helping me make first steps to get out the house again and I went to visit cafes, the library etc.  I was also advised to attend a computing course, even though I had to interest in this, it was something I could attend on a weekly basis and get some structure back into my days. After the second week, I bumped into Leanne who told me about the Pat Cullinan centre and the work that The Health and Wellness Hub do within the community, Leanne gave me further information on The Health and Wellness Hub and the volunteering opportunities within the organisation.   Leanne advised me that all the volunteers within the organisation have all went through what I was going through at the minute and that everyone has similar backgrounds with mental health and physical health.  This gave me comfort and I started to take an interest in volunteering for the organisation.  

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I started to attend the Community Health Hub to try the treatments which were on offer, after a few months of attending the hub, I decided that I wanted to volunteer.  I spoke to Leanne and it was agreed that I could be put through the massage training. I was a mixture of nerves and excitement, but I went for it and I received my qualification in full body Swedish massage.   I now volunteer in two of the Community Health Hubs as well as volunteering within The Health and Wellness Hub’s outreach programmes. I always had my training notes with me as I was too nervous to go into the hub without my notes and I was scared that I was going to let the service users down but as my confidence has grown I no longer need my notes and I love attending the hubs and I look forward to this time each week.  I can now see myself as my own person again rather than just “mum”.  

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I have now gone on to complete my training in Reiki level 1 and 2, Scottish Mental Health First Aid, Manual Handling, First Aid and I have also completed my SQA in Volunteering.  

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I am so much happier than I was before, my depression has gone, and I have been off my anti-depressants for six months now and I no longer need to see my counsellor and occupational therapist. At home, I am back to my normal self and my children have noticed.  I am back out shopping with my girls, spending quality time with them at home and recently, carving pumpkins! They have said how much happier I am and know what days I go to work as they can see it in me in the morning.

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I’m back at enjoying life now. Not everyone wants to be on anti-depressants, but I felt I had no choice. If I had been given the choice from the doctor of taking anti-depressants or attending The Health and Wellness Hub I would have picked the hub.

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Case Study 3

Being a busy working mum and bringing up my autistic son on my own has been really challenging. I wasn’t aware of what stress was and for a long time I suffered shoulder aches and pains and many headaches. 

I discovered Reiki and I was totally hooked on how relaxed I was and my pain had reduced. Reading up on anxiety and stress and how it affects your body and mind. I knew I wanted to learn more.

After I qualified with Reiki level 2 and Indian Head Massage I wanted to work freelance but found this very difficult due to my dyslexia. Understanding how to run and promote my business proved too much.

To this day I will always recommend the fantastic benefits of Reiki & massage to anyone and everyone who is struggling and suffering with physical and emotional issues that a busy lifestyle creates.

Everyone deserves to be happy, content and have pain management options. Volunteering allows me to feel part of a team that promotes and practices wellbeing.
 

Case Study 4

I first went to the Hub about 18 months ago. I was low in mood, low in self-esteem and after in a lot of pain. Although I knew some of the people and volunteers there it took me a while to “come out of my shell” a bit. The volunteers were fantastic. They not only made me feel amazing after my treatment but the interaction and fun they all had really encouraged me to go back every week. In fact, I built my week around it.

It was not only the treatments, it was spending time and all the volunteers were so encouraging that I began to believe in myself more.  
It really changed my life. I always looked forward to going. The girls then “planted the seed” that maybe I could be trained to become a volunteer. At first I laughed it off but every week as my confidence grew, they knew it was the right time for me. I went for it! I am now trained in Reiki and Indian Head Massage.

My mood is now so much better. My confidence has grown more than I ever could have imagined.  Now when I meet people in the street I am so much more positive than I used to be. For me to help someone now by offering and giving a treatment is amazing. If I can help anyone feel just a little bit better, I love it!

To me, becoming a volunteer has really changed my life. I have made some really great friends; the volunteers are all so very kind hearted people. Becoming a volunteer, myself and being able to help anyone is one of the most important things in my life. I am a totally changed person. I began to build my confidence up. Take more care of myself physically and mentally. There is no pressure on me that being employed has. I love being a volunteer. I will never be able to thank the Hub enough. I tell everyone that! My life has changed in every way it possibly could.

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Case Study 5

Before I started volunteering at the Health & Wellness Hub I suffered from anxiety and depression. I isolated myself from people and had no confidence in myself. Over the first few weeks I was so nervous and found it difficult to talk to people.

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All the girls in the hub were so friendly and kind to me and I started to feel more at home and was less nervous and anxious. It was then I could start talking and getting to know our service users. I found I was good at massage so the Health & Wellness Hub secured me a training course on Swedish Massage and Reiki.

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I was so grateful to them and truly love volunteering with the girls at the hub and meeting new people. It has brought my confidence and self-esteem on leaps and bounds. My depression can still get the better of me though but I know I have wonderful support with people I can now talk to and share my thoughts and I feel like I can trust so much better now.

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Case Study 6

Almost 2 years ago at the age of 61 years, I was diagnosed with viral sepsis. I was rushed to Hospital with a temperature over 40 and put on drips and antibiotics. Owing to my high level of fitness, I was released after only six days. Others were not so blessed, some died, others lost limbs. However, I was totally unprepared for the post-Sepsis trauma.

 

The fatigue I experienced every day and the muscle spasms and pain was horrific. I lost my hearing from normal to “medium” due to the strong medication I was taking to keep me alive and my eye-sight was affected as well as my memory. Not one to take much medication, I began to think of alternative help and was introduced to “The Health and Wellness Hub” through the MS society, of whom I have been a supporter of for many years.

 

I had never had any sort of therapy before and I didn’t really like to be touched, however, my legs were very bad one day and I eventually gave in and had a 15 minute massage on them. What a difference it made and I had very little pain for about four days afterwards, which was such a release and a relief! I went on to receive 3 back massages to release a trapped nerve and although I still found it difficult to be vulnerable, the massages released the trapped nerve and I was so happy.

 

The therapies I receive from Claire are fantastic and I just love her to bits, she is amazing when she massages my legs and we have built up a trust and a friendship. I don’t have the words to express just how much of a help The Hub and Claire have been for me. I attend weekly now and the high standard of treatment they provide for people in the community at such reasonable prices is invaluable. Not only is my body helped, but so is my mind. I am very indebted to all concerned”

 

Case Study 7

I first started attending the hub in 2015. I had been struggling with anxiety and my self-esteem and confidence were rock bottom. I thought I was fine and just thought it was normal to  muddle through life the best way I could as a single mum to 3 kids (in 2015 I was 25 years old and my kids were 5, 2 and my youngest 7 months old).

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I was interested in volunteering as I had a lifelong love, passion and interest in holistic therapies so I thought it was a perfect opportunity for me to do something I loved, help a charity and the community, whilst trying to address my own health issues. Looking back now I had no idea how much I was actually needing the hub and the healing I got just by being involved with them. I didn’t start volunteering straight away as I had to start as a service user and attend the hubs and receive holistic therapies, which I never thought I needed until I got them. As I have stated, my self-esteem, self-worth and confidence at the time was really low, to the point if I spoke out loud, I had a little voice continually repeating to me “what’s even the point in saying that to anyone because who actually cares or would even have an interest in one word that you say?”

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I got to know everyone and by 6 weeks of being a service user I felt a bit better about myself and was asked if I wanted to become a volunteer, which I did! Receiving massage and reiki at the hub was honestly like a haven for my mind, body and soul. It was teaching me ways to relax, breathe properly, rest my body and rest my mind by giving it a break from being anxious and overworked. 

 

When I went into the hub to start volunteering, I met the Founder and Director of the Health and Wellness hub Ayeshah Khan. I will never forget the way Ayeshah made me feel that day which inspires me to this day on how I treat and communicate with others, especially those who are first joining the hub. Ayeshah shook my hand to greet me (which I was so shocked at that someone thought I was important enough to even do that) and she treated me with the utmost respect, she genuinely cared about what I had to say and why I wanted to be involved with the organisation.  Ayeshah put me at ease and somehow made me feel like I was an important person who was worthy of spending time and talking to. I had went into the hub that day feeling anxious about meeting Ayeshah and really scared thinking she would not want me in the organisation as I honestly believed she would think I was a daft stupid girl that was irresponsible for becoming an unemployed single mother to 3 small kids and being on benefits to support them, but I left that meeting feeling empowered, respected, hopeful, cared for and that I actually had potential in my life. I couldn’t believe the difference someone had made me feel in the space of just 15 minutes! 

 

I started volunteering after being trained in Swedish Massage. Every week I grew more and more as a person. My confidence and self-esteem increased and Thursday mornings volunteering were such a treat to me and something I always looked forward to doing every single week.

 

In 2016, an agency called “Routes to Work” and Ayeshah spoke to me about a placement for 1 year called “Community job Scotland” which meant I could work for the organisation in a paid role, this was a dream come true for me!

 

Since then, I have had so many wonderful opportunities and learned so many skills and gained further qualifications in other holistic therapies. In 2017, when my placement finished, I was kept on as an employee and given a new role as “Senior Therapist” and was entrusted to train new volunteers in massage and Reiki training (as one of the qualifications I did was an Award in Education in Training meaning I can design and deliver courses).

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My kids are so proud of me now and that means the world to me. My kids are always excited when the hub has an event or open day as they look forward to attending it. My oldest is always asking when he can get involved with the organisation.

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Even though the qualifications and opportunities I have gained have been life changing for me, nothing compares to knowing every single person in the organisation. I love them so much, they are my family and along with my kids they are the people in my life worth living for. It has been such a  blessing to be part of this amazing journey with The Health and Wellness Hub and I will be forever thankful for the opportunity of being part of it.

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