Headache patient thanks UHNM nurse for ‘changing her life’.

A Staffordshire teacher who suffered from debilitating headaches today praised the care from a speciality nurse who has “changed her life” following treatment at University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM).

Lucy Harrison, of Lichfield, nominated Headache Speciality Nurse Carrie Poole for a prestigious Daisy Award following treatment for a rare type of headache called nummular headaches that cause a small, well-defined area of pain and can sometimes be misdiagnosed.

Lucy, 27, who is ow headache free, has become the first patient at UHNM to receive Botox for nummular headaches which is commonly used for chronic migraines. Lucy, 27, presented Carrie with a Daisy Award, given out to extraordinary nurses for their exemplary, compassionate care provided to patients and families.

She said: “I first met Carrie in October of 2022 after I had agreed to try Botox treatment for my nummular headaches. To say I was nervous would be a massive understatement, but I could not have been met by a nicer nurse. I instantly found myself feeling calm in her presence which for someone who is scared of hospitals this was huge.

“I will never forget the morning that I woke up without a headache and I couldn’t wait to tell her as I knew she was desperate to be the first one to know. I will never forget her squeals of excitement from her for the fact that I finally had relief after so many years of continuously suffering. This genuinely healed the part of me who had been dismissed by so many other hospitals because I had never had someone in my life who genuinely wanted to help.

“As if she hadn’t already done way more for me than any other nurse I’ve ever come into contact with, she continued to be there at the end of the phone for literally anything that I needed, she made sure I didn’t become lost in the system. I have been under a lot of different specialties at various hospitals since my early teens and can say with absolute certainty that I have never met a nurse who makes time for, listens, believes and cares as much as Carrie does. As someone who has had multiple negative experiences due to being a “rare” case I cannot explain how much it has healed my younger self, who had far too often been dismissed or not believed. 

“The neurology department was my first experience of Royal Stoke hospital and I can say with confidence that she is an absolute credit to the team and I firmly believe I would not be in the position I am now if it wasn’t for Carrie.”

Carrie Poole, Headache Specialist Nurse at UHNM, said: “This award means so much to me and I really appreciate it. I have been qualified for ten years now and it’s my job to care for our patients, and hearing the positive impact we have on people lives makes it all worth while. 

“This type of rare headache can sometimes be misdiagnosed as migraine and unfortunately has limited research, however we are now able to drawn on Lucy’s and other patient experience to help continue to make positive change. When people haven’t had a diagnosis or effective treatment in so long it is really nice to be able to offer them this treatment. 

“People don’t realise the debilitating impact headaches can have on people’s quality of life and the stress that this can bring. Being able to improve Lucy’s quality of life means a lot.”

Dr Brenda Davies, Consultant Neurologist and Clinical lead for Neurology at UHNM said: “This award is so well deserved. I am so delighted that Carrie has been nominated for the Daisy award and we are all really proud of her. Carrie shows excellence every day in everything she does and I don’t think she realises the impact the she has on her patients.” 

Ann-Marie, Chief Nurse at UHNM presented Carrie with the prestigious award alongside her colleagues. She said: “ What a privilege it is to present Carrie with this Daisy award, and what an incredible story Lucy has told us.

“Lucy’s nomination highlights how Carrie is nothing short of a fantastic advocate for her patients who positively impacts their wellbeing and patient experience. Not only does the nomination show how caring and determined Carries is, but also shows the great work our headache service here at UHNM is doing for our patients.”