By BRIDGET COOK
“I HAD the world at my feet and the world took my feet away.”
That is how Cranbourne’s Rachel Christie describes what it was like to lose both of her legs, most of her fingers and almost her life in 1999 at the tender age of 18 to the meningococcal disease.
But with a positive outlook, determination and the support of her family and friends, Ms Christie has refused not let the disease and it effects beat her and is now inspiring others facing adversity to do the same.
“It’s not what you can’t do, it’s how you can do it differently,” she said.
“Nothing has slowed me down.”
Ms Christie was out of high school for six months, studying at TAFE, working part-time and volunteering with the CFA when she contracted the disease in July 1999.
Her parents, Kathy and Trevor, found her unconscious in bed one day and called an ambulance – she thought she was just suffering from a common cold.
She was rushed to Dandenong Hospital and was put on full life support, where her family was told to say their goodbyes with fears she may not make it through the night.
After two weeks in a medically induced coma, the blood clots started to kill off her limbs.
First surgeons were required to amputate both of her legs, and six weeks later most of her fingers.
It was after this time that Ms Christie was able to start her rehabilitation process – and when her true determination shone through.
“I have always been a determined person, some would say stubborn, and this just made me work even harder,” she said.
“If I was told I couldn’t do something, I would do it just to prove them wrong.
“I was told by the prosthetics team that it would take at least three weeks to learn to take my first steps without the use of an aid, so I did it in three days.”
It wasn’t long before Ms Christie returned home and she ensured she could continue to do the things she loved.
“I worked at Kmart Cranbourne before I got sick and kept in contact with the store throughout my hospital stay, and returned to work only six weeks after discharge from rehab,” she said.
“I am also a volunteer for the CFA.
“I was discharged from hospital on December 1, 1999, and was up at the fire station on December 2 after the Cranbourne Botanic Gardens caught fire.
“I remember being asked ‘shouldn’t you be at home resting’. I replied, ‘this is my home’. I’ve grown up in the CFA. It’s great being normal again.”
At the age of 33, Ms Christie said nothing has slowed her down and she continued to go about her day-to-day life as normal as possible.
She now juggles working full-time, parenting her two children Olivia and Vanessa, volunteering with the CFA and helping her husband Mark – who she says is her biggest support and motivator – run his own personal training business.
But in recent years she also finds the time to speak to school and community groups about challenges and adversities.
“I talk to them about being able to overcome anything if you put your mind to it,” she said.
“I guess you have to approach everything full on and give it your all.
“There’s no point doing things half-hearted, so if you’re going to do something, do it properly.
“My friends and family remind me of this all the time.
“There is always someone around to support you.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. As stubborn as I am, I still need help.
“Sometimes you have to put your pride in your pocket and just ask.
“Disability doesn’t discriminate against age, race or creed and you’re not the only one going through a tough time.”
Ms Christie does not see herself as an inspiration though, just as someone who has tried to make the best out of a bad situation.
“I have had a couple of friends say that when they’re feeling down and depressed, they think of me and ‘what would Rachel do?’,” she said.
“Although others see me as an inspiration, I see myself as just doing what I have to.”
