Ebony is none other than my beautiful girlfriend. Ebony has a condition called Painful diabetic neuropathy which limits her ability to walk, stand, bath and even sleep. I’m extremely happy to share this interview with you all today as it comes from a very personal place in my life and I can’t wait for her story to be told. Let’s see how videos games changed her life.
What is Painful diabetic neuropathy to help readers understand?
It is a disease which causes the nerves in my body to die, I’m currently affected in my hands and feet and as the nerve is dying but not dead, it causes me severe pain. It is a Chronic illness, both my hands and feet are numb to temperature and I’m currently loosing feeling in both too. There is no cure or pain relief to treat this disease. I have so many different symptoms which are hard to put into words but I’ll give it a go, I get feelings of my feet being crushed, my hands and feet both get bad burning sensations, my feet feel so dry and cracked (no physical symptoms) I feel as if the skin on my feet is an open wound and I feel static shocks up my legs. I have literally no marks on my hands or feet to show what’s causing the pains, it’s all inside. It was caused by my type 1 diabetes being uncontrolled for 18 years before my current consultant gave me the help I need, being insulin resistant so many doctors refused to help as my case was “above their pay grade” and this is the result.
What is your earliest memory of video games and at what point did you know it was something you would love for life?
I remember playing Mario kart on PlayStation with my brother when we were younger – he is older than me so I used to watch him play tomb raider, FIFA, Aladdin, GTA, burnout and so many more - he had the plug in breaks and steering wheel and I was so jealous lol I did play with him alot, it was awesome! Also had the dance mat which I want to add but i don’t think it counts 🙈 after that our parents bought us a Nintendo DS and I played Mario Party and a load of brain training games. I played loads on the PC games, rollercoaster Tycoon, Sims and I used to love the CBBC website games.
When I was 17 it was coming up to Christmas and the only time I ever openly asked for what I wanted rather than saying “i don’t mind” or “i don’t need anything” I asked for a gaming console, I didn’t know what I wanted but I knew I wanted to get Into gaming from that point. My parents bought me an Xbox360. It came with Fable3, Metal Gear Solid and I can’t remember the other but from this point I loved gaming so much more.
What are your top 3 videos games and why?
Mario Kart (all) – I absolutely love Mario kart, it’s so much fun both single and multiplayer. The power ups make the races so intense and very exciting.
Plants V Zombies Garden Warfare 2 – You can never run out of things to do, there are always new missions and challenges to complete, I’ve almost unlocked all characters, and purchased a couple 🤐 this game keeps me busy for hours on end. Plus, the characters are adorable when you dress them up, you can’t be mad if and angry orange with giant eyebrows and glasses kills you.
Super Mario Oddessy – I love how big the game is, how different all of the worlds are, I get so lost in this game and really become Mario 🙈 sounds silly but when you can barely walk it helps to be Super Mario.
What upcoming titles are you excited for?
Luigi Mansion 3
Fable 4
Favourite video game character and why?
Yoshi... 100% because he is beautiful. He’s so cute. I love in Super Mario 64 on DS when he eats and the sound he makes is so funny “blahem” plus his powers in Mario Monopoly are the best 😁
What is your favourite couch co op game to play with family and friends?
Mario Party, Mario Kart, I do really enjoy Overcooked too.
How have videogames help you fight painful diabetic Neuropathy?
Fighting through the pain and frustration is a daily battle for me, I’ve had to give up work and can not be out for long periods of time – video games have kept my mind stimulated, I was struggling when I felt I had hit a wall - I was not learning anything new, I lost my ability to walk and I found games helped with that when I felt the struggle to walk I could travel the world in game with way much more stamina than reality lol it gave me knowledge, general knowledge and facts about history, I’ve also learnt and appreciate alot more about technology in general since I’ve been gaming.
I can literally sit at home with my feet up and still feel like I’ve accomplished something. It’s like making your own movie and I’ll take any distraction from this. I honestly do not how both my mind and body would cope without videogames.
How did video games help you fight depression?
Having both depression and BPD was a struggle at times, fighting and arguing only with yourself, again games took away that feeling of anger towards the world and people around me. I would always put my head into a game regardless of whether it was a mobile game or on my consoles because in reality you don’t always get to chose your path to the end goal, so many obstacles get thrown into the mix, as complex as some games are, sometimes it’s easier to follow a scripted path.
I currently have my mental health under control 😉😂 I would not be so clear headed if I didn’t have these videogames around me to help stimulate my mind and distract myself from my own mind.
What game in particular would you say helps you personally most?
When I’m feeling down I love playing word games or math quizzes to make sure my brain still has fun even when I don’t. It helps me feel great learning new words or just learning anything new.
Plants VS Zombies helps me feel powerful (may sound silly) I like playing that when I’m feeling weak to perk me up, plus it has very intense online matches which are always fun.
I play variety of games/genres and I’ll be honest, couch co-op games got me through the worst of times too. Not only the games themselves but also having that second person beside you sharing your passion while showing support.
Have your say (say anything you want)
As cliché as this will sound, I genuinely don't know how I would have coped so far without video games, I always love learning new things and in games that never stops. It’s helped me through bad times but I’ve also shared so many hilarious moments in the good times too. Gaming isn’t just about playing the game, it’s about taking advantage of the amazing technology we have, what went into making the game and looking at the games scenery (Again, usually better than reality)
I feel very lucky that gaming became a love for me.