English Abi Burton set up debut in six countries – three years from induced to whom and time in the psychiatric ward | News of rugby
Abi Burton is ready to debut in England in Saturday’s meeting with six nations with Wales – three years after he almost died of a rare brain disease.
Her story is extraordinary.
She spent 25 days in an induced coma in 2022, was cut off after the initial wrong diagnosis of a doctor, twice contracted pneumonia and lost over three stones in weight.
Those troubles Will look red roses from a bench in Cardiff Even “sweeter” for elinga trailfinders.
Speaking Sky Sports News About her return to rugby after an intense battle with autoimmune encephalitis, Burton said, “I always hoped [an England 15s debut] I would come at some point, but the fact that I was able to do it for less than a three -year turn, I’m really proud of myself for that.
“I thought I could go back straight to the rugby, but I lost 20 pounds. I couldn’t talk or walk, I couldn’t read, I couldn’t write. I didn’t really do anything myself.
“Coming with that, then I started to make faster. I wanted to recover so fast, but at the time I had to be kind to myself.
“I wouldn’t sit here and say that I don’t want that ever happened. I think that has changed me for the better and that this trip now makes it so sweeter.
“The fact that I can also use my platform to help spread the awareness of this disease – I hope we heal more people and more people loses life.”
‘My parents helped me save my life’
Burton – who competed for Team GB in Rugbi Sevena at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. – says “Alarm bells” were launched for her family after she began to attack, which followed after a mood and voice changed.
She was then put in a psychiatric unit more than three weeks after the violent outburst and “manic behavior” and thanks to her parents, which was belligerently claiming that her illness was not mental and “helping to save life.”
Because he echoed, Burton said, “Your body goes to fight or flight and I started to be pretty aggressive towards anyone around me – hitting people in the face, struggling with anyone who will get closer to me. Obviously it is quite psychotic behavior.
“The doctors looked straight at the time of my behavior problems. We later discovered that I had no psychotic problems, more physical illness.
“I can’t tell you what a psychiatric unit was like when I started acting depressed until I woke up from a coma, I have no memories at all.
“Mom and dad were all this all over there. They basically helped me save my life. They fought for everything for me. They knew I had no psychotic illness.
“One of the real vivid memories I have when I woke up from my own, he held both hands and cried. At that moment, I only knew I would be fine.
“They took shifts by going to see me in the hospital. Sometimes my father would sleep in the car overnight just to make sure I would be good. They are superhero in real life.
“I am incredibly proud of the path they have gone through. They came out with a lot of trauma, but they managed to deal with it together and through external help and I can see this new rental of life I have got now.
“I think they are proud of what I do, but this is probably one of the first time in a long time when they really saw me enjoy rugby.
“They like to watch me play and I see me expressing myself on the field, which I may have lost in the last few years playing seventh
“[An England debut] It will be a very special moment for me, but I think for them too. I hope to make them proud. “
