Dylan McGrath has revealed his struggle living with chronic pain.
Chronic pain is a disease of the central nervous system and described as “pain without apparent biological value that has persisted beyond normal tissue healing time.”
“The pain was excruciating. I thought my life was over,” he said.
Chronic pain: Dylan admitted that he gained four stone in weight because of his illness | TV3
The celebrity chef was hospitalised for four months after he suffered paralysis in his arm and leg following a back condition, taking numerous tablets a day and gaining four stone in weight.
“The worst thing was the doctors didn’t know what was wrong with me, I was screaming at the top of my voice with back pain I was feeling and that was on a daily basis,” he told the Irish Sun.
“My whole arm was numb. I couldn’t feel one whole side of my body. I was on 12-14 tablets that I had to take as the day went on. It was pure hell.
“The pain was excruciating. I thought my life was over. When you’re faced with something like this, all sorts of things go through your head. It affects you so much, it just robs you of your spirit. But I am a resilient person. I fought this tooth and nail and I will continue to keep fighting.”
Taste buds: The restaurant owner lost his sense of taste due to the disease | FADE STREET SOCIAL
The celebrity chef, who is known for appearing on Masterchef and owning popular restaurant Fade Street Social, also revealed that he lost his sense of taste because of the illness.
“I rely on the young chefs I have working for me because the illness has taken away my sense of taste. I’m a creative, artistic person and all that stopped. But since coming off the tablets that side of me is coming back.
“Overnight, I went from being an able-bodied person going to the gym three times a week to someone in the most incredible pain 24 hours a day,” he added.
“I guess perseverance is part of the human spirit. If you have been through dark periods before, you know you can come out the other side.”
