Natalie Creane, who was recently put in a coma for the seventh time, desperately needs an operation
The family of a British woman who was left brain damaged after a wooden panel fell on her head in a seven-star hotel in Abu Dhabi fear she is 'dying before our eyes'.
Natalie Creane, 34, had to be put in a medically induced coma this month for the sixth time to protect her against the severe seizures she has suffered since the freak accident in 2008.
However, her family say without treatment costing millions of pounds her next seizure could be her last.
They say she urgently needs specialist surgery at a neurological hospital in New York but they cannot afford to pay for the treatment after receiving only £36,000 in compensation.
Mrs Creane, who has been intensive care more than 20 times in the past four and a half years, has recently come out of her latest coma at the Rashid Hospital in Dubai but her friends say 'every day she runs the risk of another major seizure.'
Her parents Angie and Derick Smith said today they and Mrs Creane's husband Trevor have been left 'devastated' by her decline.
Mrs Smith, 63, told the Sunday People: 'We've seen things no parents should see their child go through. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.'
Mrs Creane's four-and-a-half year battle for justice after she was injured at the Emirates Palace hotel ended in Abu Dhabi Higher Claims Civil Court last month when she was awarded just a fraction of the £3.5million claim she lodged to cover the impact on her life.
Since the accident, Mrs Creane struggles to walk and talk and cannot be left alone after the blow to her head left her suffering epileptic seizures and a traumatic brain injury. She has also had to give up her career in human resources.
Mrs Creane can no longer work and her family fear she is 'dying before our eyes'
She was alone in the room unpacking when a 2.2kg wooden panel, which was not fixed properly to the top of the wardrobe, fell on her head.
She was found unconscious on the floor by a room attendant and was taken to hospital by car instead of an ambulance.
Mr Smith, 65, said the impact of the panel, which fell 8ft, was equivalent to three bricks falling on Mrs Creane's head.
Mr Creane, who has stayed in Dubai with his wife, said her 'injuries were horrific'.
He told the Sunday People that immediately after the accident her eye was totally closed and her face was completely swollen.
The 34-yer-old was celebrating her engagement to
husband Trevor when she was injured. Since 2008 she has had to give up
work and struggles with speaking and reading and has been in intensive
care 20 times
He said: 'They were shocked. They sent flowers and assured us the incident would be investigated thoroughly.'
But, despite the assurances, the family say the compensation is not enough and are appealing to the verdict.
The first appeal hearing will be held on April 17.
The family set up a Facebook page called Justice for Natalie to highlight their story.
An update on the page said Mrs Creane is beginning to recover after her latest coma.
It said: 'It has been a slow recovery, probably as a result of her heart issues and auto immune disease.
'We are waiting to see about her surgery and the Radiation therapy she needs and the costs involved.
A luxury bedroom at the Emirates Hotel. The Creane family are appealing their compensation award next month
'Her cognitive problems aren't good and she is struggling to eat, feed herself and has her usual problems with memory and walking/talking.
'As always she has good days and bad days. More recently since her deterioration this last year, she has much more bad days. Please continue to share this page and her story, we are so scared that we are running out of time for our Nat.'
Mrs Smith said every day her daughter goes without the operation, the worse it becomes.
She said: 'I'll do anything to get Natalie the help she desperately needs, to stop her from dying. But we are running out of time.'
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