Imagine going to bed at night and waking up the next day to realise your world’s been taken away STRICKEN STAR’S FIGHT FOR TRUTH
Former goalie Carlin claims his life’s been changed dramatically after Covid vaccine
ANDY CARLIN’S story begins with an unsettling question.
The former Morton and Hibs keeper’s account of his devastating reaction to a Covid-19 vaccine injection and being confined to a wheelchair is also a difficult listen.
He said: “Can you imagine going to bed one night and waking the next morning to realise everything had been taken away from you? “One morning in 2022 that’s exactly what happened to me. In the blink of an eye everything changed. “Everything I loved to do, I c o u l dn’ t do anymore.
“The struggle to get up, to take a step, a shower – all of the things I had taken for granted.”
Carlin was head of Hamilton women’s goalkeeping department when his world fell apart just hours after receiving a Covid- 19 booster back in 2022. Subsequent health issues have confined the 43-year-old to bed for days on end.
And the one-time Scotland youth cap admits life with his wife Lucy, daughter Olivia and son Jude is all about trying to adapt to his new normal as he revealed he only took the vaccine to remain part of the Tartan Army official club.
He said: “The crazy thing is that I wasn’t going to take the booster.
“But I’m in the Scotland fans club with my two kids and I wasn’t going to be allowed to take them to games unless I had the vaccination.
“At the start of this illness I thought the next week would be better but things deteriorated.
“It’s been two and a half years
EXCLUSIVE
now and progressively it’s getting worse.
“I was injected on a Friday morning and took a reaction to it on the same night.
“It started with heart issues, palpitations, cold sweats – I actually thought I was dying.
“Next day I was taken to hospital where I was treated like a stroke victim.”
Carlin’s spells with a host of lower- league clubs such as Stenhousemuir and Cowdenbeath established him as a popular figure across Scottish football.
He revealed the legs were literally taken from him just as he was getting back on his feet after a mental struggle associated with calling time on his playing career.
Looking back on that troubled time, he said: “I hadn’t long retired from playing when I became ill.
“Every former footballer will tell you about the struggle to fill that void and it’s h a rd to take. Doing coaching helped. I was head of H a m i l t o n’s women coaching department, completing my B Licence and I’d set up my own goalkeeping academy
“Not being able to goo to football, coach or play is soul destroying
“I’ve been diagnosed with numerous things – ME, fibromyalgia, small fiber ber neuropathy, POTS syndrome, me, bradycardia and low blood od pressure.
“I can’t eat a meal as it t knocks my central nervous s system into overdrive and d then there’s fatigue – it’s as if someone has pulled out the plug. I’m in and out of
hospital, it’s constant. I don’t even know if I’ve accepted my situation.
“It’s impacted on my mental health and severely impacted my entire family.
“I try and dissociate myself a bit from my illness rather than come to terms with it all.
“I only have the strength to shower once a week and I’m in bed most of the day.
“It needs to be a darkened room and I wear sunglasses as I’m light sensitive. I also have noise sensitivity and wear headphones a lot of the time.”
Carlin has hit a brick wall in his attempts to convince either pharmaceutical companies or insurers that the vaccine is the root cause of his medical issue.
But he has one familiar football base helping him to fight his corner.
He said: “My neurologist has diagnosed me with post vaccination syndrome and my doctor is Doctor Goals – former Gretna striker Kenny Deuchar who has known me fo r years. He h a s
openly
stated it’s the reaction to the vaccine that is the cause of my illnesses.
“I had to go to a Long Covid clinic due to my symptoms but they signed me off and said it’s definitely not Long Covid and it’s due to the vaccination.
“But when I try to raise compensation claims or claim on my insurance, they won’t pay out as they say I can’t prove the vaccine was to blame.
“I have had so many medical professionals speaking up for me and it’s all now in the hands of my lawyers.
“It’s been a huge financial struggle as I’m unable to work. “If it wasn’t for the support of my parents then we’d have been forced to sell our family home.” A trip to a world- leading neurological clinic in Germany is next on the cards for Carlin and he’s hoping it could provide a light at the end of what has been a long, dark tunnel. He said: “They specialise in neurological diagnostics so hopefully I’ll get some answers. “I’m looking for a proper diagnosis. I’ve been told not to expect miracles but all I want is to get some sort of a life back. “Even if I could go and watch Jude play football oor Olivia at her dancingdancing. A good day fofor me at the mmoment is bebeing able to geget into my whwheelchair.
“I’m fortunate thathat I have good f r iiends.e The footba l l comcommunity have been great by stayinstaying in contact. “I also have acceacce s s to the ScottiScottish Vaccine Injury Group for supporsupport.
“It’s goodg to be in contact with people who are in a similar situationsituation, just being able to cchat has been a lifeline.”
A good day for me is being able to get in my wheelchair .. I just want some sort of life back HEALTH ISSUES HAVE CHANGED
ANDY CARLIN’S LIFE
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