The plight of Louise Freeman, an Ilkeston crafter who has been written about before in this paper, has been featured in several others
now. ‘Tragedy-hit family make DIY SOS plea’ was the headline in a recent Sleaford Standard.
Louise and her husband Ian moved to the Lincolnshire town with their two young children Daisy (7) and Joshua (5) after getting married in May last
year.
Following a fall in the bathroom in September 2016, Louise suffered a broken neck and is paralysed from the break downwards. She was taken to the QMC in Nottingham and then moved to the Princess Royal Spinal Injuries Unit in Sheffield, where she is now recovering.
The district council has agreed to carry out significant adaptations to their home, including levelling floors and installing a lift. But there is still a lot
more work to be done before the property can become usable by Louise, who remains incredibly positive despite her hardship.
Doctors have said Louise should regain partial movement in her arms.
An appeal has been made to local folk to help the family with a DIY SOS style makeover. A lot of adjustments and remodelling need to be completed to enable Louise to get around in her wheelchair when she comes out of hospital.
Ian said: “The kids have been amazingly resilient despite all the upheaval and redecorating. When we went to see Father Christmas a while back, Daisy asked for her mum to come home and Joshua asked for his mum not to have to go back into hospital ever.”
This is the second tragedy to hit Ian, who was a computer science teacher. He lost his first wife in a car crash leaving him with the two children to look after.
He has now given up his job to care for them, as well as Louise.
He said: “Louise is cheerful and getting stronger every day. Neither of us is the sort of person who thinks ’why me?’ I’m grateful that she’s still here.
Hopefully she will be discharged from hospital at the end of March.”
Burnt wood craft items and hand made cards by Louise are still available to buy in the U Choose Smoothie Bar and there is a collection box for anyone who would like to make a donation to help them.
Members of Nottingham Road Methodist Church in Ilkeston, where Louise used to attend, are supporting the family through visiting and regular gifts and prayers.
