A father-of-two’s life was turned upside down after he mysteriously lost the ability to walk over four months.
Before his sudden loss of movement from the waist down, Rich Hibbert, a university administrator from Leeds, was extremely fit and active.
The 38-year-old frequently enjoyed mountain biking in his spare time and spent weekends out and about with his family.
But one morning two years ago he woke up with agonising pain in his stomach, having done some light exercises in his living room the day before.
Four months later his condition had deteriorated so badly that he could not physically move.
Despite being able to feel things, doctors are confused as to what sparked his paralysis, with no-one sure if he will ever be able to stand up again.
Rich Hibbert, 38, woke one morning with pain in his stomach after exercising the day before – four months later he found himself unable to walk. Two years on, he is still in a wheelchair (pictured with son Luca)
The father-of-two, with Isabelle, 10, (left) and Luca, two, said: ‘I used to be very active, doing mountain biking and off-road biking through forests with friends’
Mr Hibbert, father of Isabelle, 10 and Luca, two, said: ‘It was frightening because we didn’t know why it was happening, and it was so frustrating having my body not functioning the way it should.
‘I used to be very active, doing mountain biking and off-road biking through forests with friends.
‘About five years ago I even did a skydive, and I’ve done a lot of travelling. I never had any problems with mobility.
Mr Hibbert’s partner and full-time carer Kat Jordan, 32, told how they were doing exercises in the living room in March 2014 – including stretches and planks – because she wanted to get fit.
The next day, Mr Hibbert phoned home from work to say he had really bad stomach pains down his right-hand side.
Within hours, he returned home. She rushed him to the doctors, worried it might be his appendix.
There, he was given antibiotics and advised to go straight to hospital if the pain worsened.
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She said: ‘Over the next couple of days, Rich was in absolute agony, he was sweating and curling up.’
Three days later, Mr Hibbert was taken to St James’s University Hospital in Leeds.
He underwent blood tests and was kept in overnight for an emergency laparoscopy – a surgical procedure to view the organs in the
When medics could not spot anything wrong with his appendix or gall bladder, he was discharged.
However his condition continued to deteriorate, forcing him to quit work with his weight having plummeted.
Still, the couple had no answers as to what was happening to his body.
Miss Jordan said: ‘He looked so pale and was losing weight – between April and August he lost five stone.
‘Everything he ate would cause him agony, I thought he was dying. He was such a family man but couldn’t do anything with his children.
‘Despite being on morphine, he could feel the pain through it, it was a massive shock.’
Mr Hibbert has now been diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a term given to symptoms in the body which appear to be caused by problems in the nervous system, but are not caused by a physical neurological disease
Mr Hibbert was a keen mountain biker before his sudden paralysis, but now his family have had to move to a specially adapted home as he is completely dependent on his wheelchair. Pictured before his paralysis with daughter Isabelle, 10 (left) and when he used to mountain bike (right)
In the five months between April and August, he was in and out of St James’s University Hospital with stomach pain.
There, he had a string of tests including X-rays, CT and MRI scans.
Yet Miss Jordan said the only abnormality they found was that his terminal ileum – the end of the small intestine which intersects with the large one – was inflamed.
By August, his condition had become so bad he could only walk around the house with a stick. He lost his ability to walk shortly after.
Suspecting it may be a neurological issue, medics referred him to the neurology department at the Leeds General Infirmary in February 2015.
There he had a lumbar puncture and an electromyography (EMG), a technique for evaluating the electric activity produced by skeletal muscles.
In June, he was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a term given to symptoms in the body which appear to be caused by problems in the nervous system, but are not caused by a physical neurological disease.
Following four months of rehabilitation at Leeds General Infirmary, he was also told he had intervertebral disc disease, which was spotted from an MRI.
Mr Hibbert’s partner and full-time carer Kat Jordan, 32 rushed him to the doctors after he came home early from work complaining of stomach pains, worried it may be linked to his appendix
Since returning home he has attempted to do physiotherapy independently despite suffering from regular tremors and twitches (pictured with daughter Isabelle)
Since returning home, he has been trying to do physiotherapy independently despite suffering from regular tremors and twitches.
But the family have had to move into a specially adapted home to allow for the wheelchair on which he is now dependent.
He is on medication to help with the pain and is waiting to see a spinal specialist, but nobody knows what the future of his condition holds.
Miss Jordan also said the move had strained their lives and was ‘socially isolating’, with Isabelle having lost friends due to moving schools.
The family have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for an electrical wheelchair costing £5000.
Kelsea Little, spokesperson for GoFundMe.com commented: ‘We really hope the community get behind Rich to help him raise the money for a suitable wheelchair. We wish the family all the best with their continued fundraising.’
To donate, please visit: https://www.gofundme.com/wheelchair4ric