I’m Paul, I’m 65 years old and I’m a former public sector accountant from Belfast. Back in October 2023, I was out having dinner with friends when I lost my balance getting off of a stool. The fall aggravated a previous shoulder injury, which led to a spinal cord injury that left me unable to walk.
I don’t remember much of what happened next, only waking up in the Royal Victoria Hospital. After a few weeks, I was transferred to the Spinal Cord Injuries Unit at Musgrave Park Hospital just before Christmas.
I struggled with the uncertainty of knowing if I would walk again, how long I would stay in hospital, and what life would look like when I left. For a long time, I was unable to return home and initially it wasn’t always practical for people to visit the ward. I had lots of good friends supporting me, but the difficulties with visiting left me feeling very isolated at times.
I spent the first few days in Musgrave Park getting to know the other people on the ward and the staff. Once I’d got my bearings, I started going out into Horatio’s Garden. At first, I was nipping out now and again, but once I received my power chair, I was out every single day.
The garden, and in particular the garden room, gave me a reason to get out of bed. I started getting up early in the mornings so I could go into the garden with a paper or a book. It was great escapism, it brightened my day, lifted my mood, and gave me the feel-good factor.
It was better than any pill from the doctor. I called it the ‘Horatio’s Garden’ pill.
The garden is of such a high standard, it’s good enough to live in. I’ve always said if it was an Airbnb, I’d be the first to sign up!
Spending time beyond the ward made such a difference. As my injury meant I couldn’t walk and reduced feeling and mobility in my right arm and leg, I suffered financial loss due to being unable to work and my mental health was poor at times.
Whilst the NHS staff were fantastic, the garden offered me a break from the ward. It was the difference between night and day. The garden gave me privacy, tranquillity, and a sense of revitalisation. It was a relief from the hospital and a place to chill out.
It could be very insular on the ward too. It would have been very easy to stay in bed and only see the people in your bay. The garden allowed me to connect with other patients on the ward, socialise and enjoy some live music. My days would have been a lot emptier without it.
My advice to anyone going through this journey is to communicate, which is something Horatio’s Garden really encourages and is another great aspect of the design. Getting to know the NHS staff and other patients, but also talking to the Horatio’s Garden team, including Head Gardener Matthew and all the volunteers, was absolutely brilliant.
I’ll always remember having a visit from the charity’s Founder, Dr Olivia Chapple herself too. She was a pleasure to talk to, she made me some chamomile and honey tea, and we took a wander around the garden and chatted. It was a lovely reminder to always embrace your situation and engage as much as possible. It’s all too easy to stay in your shell and get lost in your phone.
I did a little bit of everything whilst I was in the garden, from attending creative workshops and live music performances, to joining Head Gardener Matthew for horticultural therapy and chatting to other people spending time in the garden.
I was very surprised to hear that the charity raises all the funds to build the garden and then to maintain it. Everyone should be supporting these gardens, even Willy Wonka can see the logic and the benefits!
It was fantastic to know that I could still use the garden as an outpatient and I’m looking forward to seeing it develop and grow. Now that I’m walking and back at home, I’m becoming a volunteer so that I can give something back to Head Gardener Matthew and the team and help other newly injured people in the unit. I also had the chance to return to celebrate the official opening of the garden in June, which was amazing.
The garden continues to give me a sense of hope and encourages me to keep looking forward.
