Fundraising bid to buy wheelchair for 'inspirational' Derbyshire dad-to-be left paralysed by rare spinal abscess

Jordan Buxton-Anderson, 24, who lives in Clay Cross, has been in hospital since January 11 after a spinal abscess ruptured in his back.

He had been feeling back pain since Christmas Day, and went to hospital after pain killers were not helping him.

When he arrived at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, he collapsed and had to be carried into the waiting room by his wife Emily Buxton-Anderson, 23.

Despite feeling the “worst pain” he’d ever experienced as well as a burning sensation across his back, an MRI led doctors to believe he had suffered from a slipped disc.

It was only after a CT scan they discovered the abscess and rushed him to Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.

Spinal cord abscess is the swelling, irritation and the collection of infected material and germs in or around the spinal cord.

Following seven-hour surgery, doctors were able to drain the abscess from his lower back, but by then it had already done its damage and Jordan was told he may never walk again.

Jordan said: “I was in so much pain, I was so scared about what was going to happen.

“It felt like my whole back and my chest was on fire - I’ve never been through something like that.

“The surgeon tried to explain things to me but I was on so many painkillers I didn’t know what was going on.

“They told me there was a small chance I could walk again, but as the weeks have gone by they said they’d be shocked if I ever walk again.

“I didn’t think I’d be at this stage when I first felt pain. I didn’t know something like this could happen.”

The burst abscess left nursery worker Jordan, who also has aspergers and Type 1 Diabetes, paralysed from the waist down. It is expected that he will remain in hospital for months.

Now, with baby daughter Elsie due in this week, Jordan’s family are raising money to buy him a specialised wheelchair that will help ensure he can spend as much time with her and his wife Emily as possible.

They also want to raise awareness of spinal abscesses – a rare condition that the family knew nothing about before Jordan suffered with one.

Jordan’s mother Dawn Anderson, who set up the fundraiser, said: "Jordan has been absolutely amazing. He has blown us away and made us all so proud.”

Dawn said: “When we heard it was an abscess we thought the doctors could just clean it out and he could come home.

"Jordan said he never realised he would be paralysed for life by it. So he says to people that if they have any back pain they need to get it checked out.”

During his time in hospital since January Jordan contracted Covid, from which he has now recovered.

Dawn added: "He is a fighter and I’m so proud.

“We are doing all we can and he’s working hard but we just want to help him achieve the most from his new life and be able to do things with his daughter.

"Yes he will get a standard chair but he deserves so much more. I do not have words to describe how thankful I am to people who donate.”

You can donate to the fundraiser here.