Why Sunshine Coast mother Danielle Cragg will never talk, eat or drink again

A mother of two has spent months fighting for life after doctors found her brain was slipping into her spine. Now, she’ll never talk again with her daughter holding tight to the last recording of her mum’s voice.

Danielle Cragg in hospital with her niece. Picture - contributed.

Thirteen-year-old Jaida Cragg listens to the last voicemail her disabled mother left her every night as she cries herself to sleep, not knowing if she’ll ever hear her say she loves her out loud again.

Her doting and devastated grandmother Leah Peters said was a dreadful year for the family as they grappled with her daughter’s ongoing health scares.

Mrs Peters said her daughter, Danielle Cragg, now 44, is the most brave, bubbly, and beautiful person she knows.

“Danielle has had a rough life. She was born with scoliosis but her physical restrictions haven’t stopped her,” she said.

“She’s gone through more than most do in her lifetime.

“She had heart surgery at 10 days old, a spinal infusion at 10 years old and then at 16 she had a rib removed.”

Despite these setbacks Danielle carved out a fulfilling life for herself.

Since she was 20 she worked in the disability sector. Most recently she was training students to work as disability carers through a government-funded program.

Her mum said she was extremely passionate about leaving the world a better place than she had found it.

“She loves her job and has changed the lives of many students, guiding them through their disability support work training, and going above her job requirements to make sure they succeed,” Mrs Peters said.

Outside of work she has two daughters who are her entire world.

Danielle Cragg with her two daughters Cienna (16) and Jaida (13). Picture – GoFundMe.

Cienna, who will be 17 in a few weeks, and Jaida, 13, attend Kawana State College.

Danielle worked tirelessly to buy a home at Meridan Plains on the Sunshine Coast for her little family, which they have lived in for about a year.

Then tragedy struck in late August when Danielle was admitted to the Royal Brisbane Women and Children’s Hospital for an emergency lifesaving surgery.

But her mother said she had noticed foreshadowing symptoms the past 18 months.

“She kept falling over and hitting walls when walking … awful lasting headaches too … I was worried she had a brain tumour,” Mrs Peters said.

Danielle underwent decompression surgery for chiari malformation on August 24 this year.

“Doctors said part of her brain slipped down into her spine and was blocking signals from her brain to her body,” Mrs Peters said.

“The brain specialist said if she didn't have the surgery she’d be a quadriplegic by Christmas.

“Essentially she had an infusion on her neck where they basically bolted her neck to her spine. There’s nuts and bolts in there to keep her neck, head and brain where they should be.

“Her recovery was very painful.”

Danielle Cragg in hospital with her newborn niece. Picture – contributed.

A few days following the surgery, when Danielle tried to walk again, she almost died.

“She was in agony and they pushed her to try to walk and she just crashed and went unresponsive,” her mother said.

“Then she went into cardiac arrest and they said she was dead for nine minutes before they put her on life support.

“We were told to drop everything and come and say our goodbyes.”

The grandmother took Danielle’s two daughters to hospital. She said it was one of the worst days of their lives.

“We prepared them for what it would be like but didn’t tell them it was goodbye,” Mrs Peters said.

“She was on life support for about a week. It was very confronting and emotional.

“The girls couldn't handle it. They couldn't stay in the room with their mum like that it was too upsetting.”

Thankfully, Danielle recovered.

Danielle Cragg will never be able to eat, drink, or talk again. Picture – contributed.

Once transferred to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, a new speech specialist discovered her next set back.

She said Danielle had a swallow problem caused by a valve in her oesophagus staying closed.

Instead of guiding food and water into her stomach, everything was headed straight into her lungs.

Danielle was put on a food peg on October 14 and had a tracheotomy put in October 15.

She hasn’t spoken or eaten since.

She also suffered severe respiratory issues. The muscles around her lungs are weak and damaged. Her lungs have deteriorated dramatically since her surgery.

Danielle Cragg when her daughter Cienna was a baby. Picture – contributed.

Emotional, her mother said she might never hear her daughter’s voice again.

“She will not be able to ever talk again,” Mrs Peters said.

“Without a voice she cannot go back to work. Without work she has no income.

“It saved her life but it’s also been a curse. It’s the worst thing that’s ever happened and she’s already been through so much.

“Her girls are devastated. They said to me the other day they’re begging for her to yell at them just to hear her voice.”

Yet through it all, Danielle still smiles.

Danielle Cragg in hospital with her niece. Picture – contributed.

Her smile still meets her twinkling eyes and conveys her inner strength and love of life from her hospital bed.

But she cannot laugh, sing, talk or ever again tell her daughters how much she loves them.

“There is no sound at all,” her mother said.

“Jaida has a voicemail from her mum that she listens to every night when she goes to bed … she wants me to put it in a teddy bear for her.

“I keep forgetting every morning and go to call her until I remember.

“It’s heartbreaking and unfair.

“I don’t know how she stays so positive through it all.”

Danielle’s mother said she would always be in awe of her resilience.

“She’s very bubbly, but stubborn and likes to be control, but also a very happy and optimistic person,” Mrs Peters said.

“Always looking on the bright side.

Danielle Cragg with her mother Leah Peters. Picture – contributed.

“She says to me ‘mum at least I’m alive and will one day be able to walk’.

“She’s never seen herself as having a disability and doesn’t want others to feel pity for her. She’s always looking out for others and is caring and kind.

“She loves her work and wants to make a difference. She’s an amazing mother too.

“But she’s struggling too.”

Mrs Peters has put her own money towards her daughter’s mortgage and launched a GoFundMe page to help.

“We usually believe everything happens for a reason but we’ve found no reason for this,” she said.

“She’s working really hard in rehab but we don’t expect her home for Christmas.

“We’re doing everything possible to raise money to keep her mortgage going so she doesn’t lose her home too.

“It’s been a living nightmare … you don't ever want to see your child go through something like this.”

Originally published as Why Sunshine Coast mother Danielle Cragg will never talk, eat or drink again