Illness causes woman to walk on hands

For the past 10 years, 67-year-old Paulette Griffiths has, as she put it, become like a toddler all over again.

The Warsop, Trelawny, woman, lost her ability to walk upright in 2010 after suffering years of severe back pain and poor blood circulation.

"Me coulda work and wash clothes, and so. Sometimes I used to feel pain in my back and my back used to get cramp up. Me go hospital and they told me something about poor blood circulation and arthritis. Since 2010, me nuh stand up or nothing. Me just afi a creep like me turn back baby. Me can't walk none at all. Everything I have to do, and if I want to move around the house, I have to walk on my hands. It is difficult," she told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Just outside of her house in the remote community of Blind Lane, there are a number of rocks and blocks on top of which lies her 'kitchen'. Every time she wants to cook, she has to travel up those rocks, using her bare hands.

Never drop or tumble

"Me have a wheelchair, but to go up the stones to go to the kitchen area, it don't work. I walk up over the stones with my hands. I never drop or tumble over yet. I never get hurt. I am a strong woman. I still cook and wash for the family," she said.

Griffiths lives with her husband, Lloyd Griffiths, and four of their children. The couple had 10 children, but two are deceased. The other four live on their own.

At age 39, Griffiths gave birth to daughter Winsome, who was born deformed as a result of her mother's spinal issues.

"When me pregnant with her, me used to bend down and work because of the back pain. I didn't have a choice. That's what the doctors told me," she said. "She (Winsome) just lie on the bed. She neva yet go to school because she is handicapped. She is just in the house."

Lloyd, 80, has been living with a load of stress and heartache ever since his wife lost her ability to stand up or walk upright.

"A right ina me hand this happen. She did a work right. Then she take a sudden sick, and since then, she just stay like how you see her now. It sudden. All a dem children weh we have, she take care of them. And she still a do work ina the house ... she cook and clean for we," he said. "Overall, it is very hard for the family. We need some big help fi har bad. Jamaica, whatever you can do, I wouldn't mind if you do it for us." There is a similar pain for Nigel, 35, the couple's oldest son.

"Seeing me mada sick like dis mek me feel a way. Most a di times, a me afi help har. When she afi go doctor, a me lift har up and carry har. Sometimes me put her in the wheelchair and push it. The things weh she still do for us make me appreciate her more. When she caa manage, all a we help her out and cook sometimes, too," he said. As the oldest, he is also the main source of support for Winsome who is 28.

"She call me and me afi feed har. I do everything for her. I love her and support her through anything," he said.

Griffiths's neighbour, Stephanie Bailey, told THE WEEKEND STAR that it is painful to see her like that.

"I would really be happy if she get some help. She is loving and always smiling. If she wakes up and nuh see yuh, she always call fi hear if you all right. Miss Paulette is very nice ... no problem," she said. "I left here last year November, and when I come back, me see seh she can hardly go. It's very heartbreaking, especially when she afi go up ina di kitchen. She is very strong ... a she weed the yard over there. She do everything same way. A just the complication."