A MAN who was told by doctors from two different hospitals that he would never be able to care for himself after suffering a brain aneurysm has defied medics to make a full recovery.

‘Miracle man’ Alan Bradshaw, who will celebrate his 80th birthday next year, was fit and healthy when he collapsed in the early hours one morning in November 2010 and was rushed to York Hospital.

Five days later he was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary after doctors realised he had suffered a brain aneurysm. But whilst waiting to be operated on, Alan suffered a further two aneurysms and needed to be resuscitated.

His daughter Karen Christopherson and his wife Jean were by his side throughout, and doctors told them that it was unlikely that Alan would ever be able to return to his home in Brawby.

Karen said: “We were told by both hospitals that he could be like a vegetable for the rest of his life and wouldn’t be able to do anything.

“It was just devastating; he was the hub of the family and such a character.”

Alan’s wife Jean said that prospect of Alan never coming home took a huge toll on the family.

She said: “When the doctors told us that he would be a cabbage that was really upsetting. It was really hard for Karen and for me and we’d never like to go through anything like that again.”

Whilst in Hull Alan’s condition gradually deteriorated to the point where he could no longer walk and had to be fed through a PEG tube. He was transferred back to York after six weeks at Hull before he was moved to Beechwood Place nursing home, Norton, in February 2011.

Alan said: “I don’t remember being in Hull and I don’t remember much about being in York but I remember going into Beechwood and telling one of the ladies that I was going to walk out of there.”

Gradually, with the help of the staff at Beechwood, Alan’s condition began to improve but his family still remained doubtful as to whether he would ever be allowed home.

Jean said: “Karen and I were never so sure that he would come home like some of the other family members were, we just didn’t think he would. But by sheer determination he began to get better.

“One day I got a call from a nurse who said that he had eaten a biscuit on his own and they had taken the PEG tube out. I began to cry it was so emotional.

“He’s the miracle man and it is just so amazing to have him back at home again.”

Alan said: “They had a bit of a problem with me when I moved to Beechwood, I kept falling out of bed because I wanted to get up and walk. I was always told off for trying to walk too fast when I was learning to walk again.”

Eventually, staff said that Alan was ok to go home and became the second ever resident to enter and leave Beechwood to go home.

Debbie King, manager of Beechwood Place nursing home said: “It was a fantastic achievement for Alan and for the staff here.

“It was a mixture of Alan’s determination, motivation, input from a great family support system and excellent nursing care.”

Alan now has his driving licence back and is even back at work as a company director for Thackrays of Brawby where he has worked for the past 60 years.

He is also back in the garden, where the couple grow their own potatoes and vegetables, which is immaculate and a tribute to his hard work and determination.

He said: “I feel just as good now as I did before. When I first came home I would have trouble remembering things but I’m much better now and I am thrilled to have my licence back.”

Karen said: “It’s amazing to have dad back and we think it’s a miracle really. We are so very grateful to the staff at Beechwood who were just fantastic. It is just so wonderful that we are back to being a family together again.”