Left side neglect

One of the worst symptoms, I think, is left-sided neglect. That's where there's been damage on the right side of the brain and the brain no longer recognizes the left side of its body at all. That means that you can't walk because you can't move your left leg or your left foot. You can't feed yourself with your left hand because it's paralyzed. Worse still, you won't be able to see out of your left eye. And when feeding, you will pouch food on the left side of your mouth because you don't know you've got a left side of your mouth.

If somebody lifts up your left arm, and says, "What's this?" you won't recognise it as your left arm; you'll think it belongs to somebody else. Therefore, you're totally paralyzed and will have to have everything done for you. You'll have to be hoisted, you'll have to be fed. Chances are, you've got no communication or poor communication as well. At mealtimes, if left to your own devices, you would only eat down the right side of your plate, and if someone turned your plate around, you'd think that was new food. People have said, "Where's that come from?" because they haven't been able to see it or recognize it as the left side of that plate. Same as when looking at a clock face, you wouldn't be able to tell the time because you wouldn't see the left side of that clock. It's a severe disability and can just happen by a simple accident.