A NEWPORT mother of three, left paralysed after falling from bed, is looking forward to returning home after more than 18 months in hospital.

Jayne Welsher, 43, of Hendre Farm Drive, Ringland, broke two bones in her neck when she landed awkwardly the night before her birthday in September 2008.

She was left paralysed from the chest down and temporarily lost the movement in her hands.

Mrs Welsher was taken to Royal Gwent Hospital, before being transferred to Rookwood Hospital, Cardiff, in December 2008.

Now after 21 months in hospital, Mrs Welsher is hoping to be back at home with her husband, Chris, and their three sons, Kyle, Luke, and Ben, by the end of the month.

She said when she was first in intensive care she could barely move her thumb, but thanks to months of physiotherapy and the help and care and staff at Rookwood Hospital, she has regained some movement.

Mrs Welsher said: “The boys would come visit me and leave me six little fruit gums on my thigh, which I would try and pick up, that’s where it started coming back. All the movement I have now is from while I’ve been in Rookwood. They’ve been absolutely fantastic.”

Mrs Welsher currently spends four days a week at home and the family is due to receive a grant to allow Mr Welsher to make the necessary changes at the house to enable Mrs Welsher to move around safely.

Mr Welsher was granted permission to build a single storey extension at the rear of the house, with ramps, last week, to create a bedroom and shower facilities for his wife, but he said the work will not start until August 1.

Mrs Welsher thanked her friends and family for helping her through difficult times in hospital and said she was particularly touched by a card from a woman in Cwmbran who had read her story in the Argus.