A GRATEFUL husband has praised medics for giving his wife her life back after she was struck down by a rare and potentially fatal illness.

Ronald Colman spoke after his wife, Frances, was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Mrs Colman, a fit and active 79-year-old, was rushed to Southend Hospital’s A&E department by her husband in early January.

She had been suffering excruciating pains all over her body, but doctors were initially baffled as to the cause.

Only after a barrage of tests, culminating in electric shocks being passed through her body to test her nerves, was the syndrome finally diagnosed.

The auto-immune disease, named after doctors Guillain and Barre, who discovered the disease in the last century, attacks nerve endings throughout the body and is thought to be triggered by a virus.

It is unclear what virus sparks the disease, which causes creeping paralysis, starting in the feet.

Mr Colman, recalled the terrifying prelude to his wife’s collapse.

He said: “Frances had had two knee replacement operations. She had a fall while visiting one of our sons and afterwards complained bitterly of pain.

“We thought the fall had triggered something with her knees. She had an MRI scan, but that was all clear.

“Then, one day, she started crying, with pain all over her body, so I took her to hospital.

“The doctors were stumped. In fact, doctors don’t seem to know much about the syndrome at all.

“She had test after test and for the first five weeks was crying with pain because it affects all the nerve endings.

“She was on all sorts of painkillers and drips.

“Luckily, at the last moment she began to show signs of recovery.”

Mrs Colman was later transferred to NHS South East Essex’s Cumberledge Intermediate Care Centre, in Pantile Avenue, Southend where with intensive physiotherapy she is continuing to recover from her ordeal.

Mr Colman, 80, a legal consultant of Manor Road, Westcliff, has since signed up to online help groups which support sufferers of the disease, which affects four in 100,000 Britons each year.

He added: “It is a terrible disease but the care my wife has had has been wonderful. Everyone, from cleaners to consultants, were absolutely fantastic and I can’t thank them enough.”

Mrs Colman, who has just begun to walk again, said: “It is very frightening when every part of your body doesn’t work. My legs are still numb, so it will take a while, but I am very positive and will get there.

“The main thing is I don’t have any pain now.”

Suzanne Feasey, a lead nurse at the hospital, said: “We are delighted Mrs Coleman was happy with the care she received on Paglesham Ward.”