"It’s like I’m disabled... my legs just won’t work"

How life of 51-year-old glazier was turned upside down after AZ jab

By News Uncut Reporter

WORKING as a glazier requires fitness, strength, co-ordination and fine attention to detail. A skilled, somewhat precarious profession, glaziers must be able use ladders and scaffolding while carrying heavy glass and tools.

Experienced glazier Kirk, 51, never struggled with the physical demands of the job and has always kept his fitness levels high with regular visits to the gym since he was a teenager.

But the day after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccination in Essex last February, he noticed his left arm pulsating and tricep muscle constantly twitched, even when resting. Then his legs started aching and he suffered from shingles, causing problems using stairs.

“I fall over quite a lot… it’s really embarrassing”

In bed one morning his head was “stuck to the pillow” and he could not move his facial muscles. Kirk had suffered a mini-stroke. He managed to call an ambulance but was released from hospital after a day when doctors failed to identify the cause.

Now apart from his left side being much weaker, Kirk has difficulty gripping, is constantly pulling muscles and describes his balance as “diabolical”.

“It’s embarrassing,” he said. “I fall over quite a lot as my leg just gives way. It looks like I’m drunk. People who know me are gobsmacked when they see me. I don’t want to go out too much now as I get embarrassed. If I get up out of a chair after having a meal, it’s literally like I’m disabled. My legs just won’t work.”

Despite numerous visits to see doctors over the past year, they have failed to diagnose what is behind his health problems and his surgery even refused to divulge his blood type.

He has been prescribed an anti-clotting drug without proper tests or an explanation, the physiotherapy he was promised last year so far has not materialised and Kirk will finally have a long- awaited appointment with a neurologist next month.

Vaccine exemption certificates are supposed to arrive within 10 days but Kirk applied seven weeks ago and is concerned at the delay as he knows some employers will soon be asking for them.

“I’ve seen the GP loads but, to be honest, no one wants to know. They tell me not to have another jab but they won’t tell me why or put it in my medical records.”