A Scots student was left stranded at a bus stop for 16 hours after being struck down with sudden paralysis.
Carrie Waskowiak, from Edinburgh, is currently undergoing medical tests as doctors believe she may have functional neurological disorder (FND).
The rare brain disorder affects how the brain sends and receives signals, and can cause paralysis, seizures, limb weakness and spasms.
Chemistry student Carrie, who studies at Heriot-Watt University, had to be carried off a bus by a driver after being struck down by symptoms.
She was then left stranded at a bus stop for 16 hours because she felt too embarrassed to ask for help.
The 20-year-old said she first felt her legs go numb two years ago when she suffered a traumatic event.
She began to experience sudden paralysis more frequently over the last year, with symptoms lasting from several minutes to weeks at a time.
Speaking to the Record, she said: "I was on the bus one day and I just felt myself lose sensation in my legs.
"At this point my paralysis usually lasted for an hour or two so I had to get the bus driver to carry me off.
"I just told him it happens sometimes, and asked him to sit me down at the bus stop.
"I was stuck there for 16-hours because I was too embarrassed to ask for help - I got home around 4am.
"After that, I began pushing for help to get a diagnosis."
The longest Carrie was immobile for was just under three weeks and the condition mostly affects her legs but she also suffers from absent seizures.
She continued: "I missed around 60% of my in-person lab classes last year because I couldn't move to attend.
"I've had to order food and keep it in my room so I can crawl to it.
"Luckily I have an en-suite in my university accommodation so I can move to the toilet.
"It's when I need to go outside that it can become a problem if I'm alone."
Carrie has had two MRI scans and a CT scan as well as an EEG to record her brain activity.
Medics have referred her to a psychiatrist and physiotherapist - and the student hopes to receive a diagnosis soon.
Carrie added: "Occasionally I can feel a pins and needles sensation before but sometimes it happens suddenly.
"Other times my legs suddenly become weak like they are made out of wool.
"Mentally, I'm struggling. I don't like being stuck in my room on my own - it is very lonely.
Carrie has been unable to get a wheelchair on the NHS because she needs to be seen by physiotherapy first.
She is currently fundraising to buy herself a wheelchair so she 'doesn't lose more time' while waiting for a diagnosis.
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