A mother who lost her voice due to a bad reaction to anesthesia after a caesarean section has learned to speak again by singing Peter Andre’s ‘Mysterious Girl’ in her head.
Leanne Fraser, 32, suffered sudden “excruciating” pain immediately after welcoming her son Henry two years ago.
The personal assistant, from Malton, North Yorkshire, was unable to speak for five minutes before she regained her voice, which was initially attributed to a reaction to the anaesthetic.
But in the weeks that followed, Leanne’s speech became stuttered and she began to have spasms.
She was referred to a neurologist and diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND), a condition that slows the brain’s sending of signals. The exact cause is unknown.
Leanne Fraser, 32, suffered sudden “excruciating” pain immediately after welcoming her son Henry two years ago. Pictured in the hospital before Henry’s birth.
The personal assistant, from Malton, North Yorkshire, was unable to speak for five minutes before she regained her voice, which was initially attributed to a reaction to the anaesthetic. Leanne is photographed with her husband Jake Fraser
Leanne only regained her speech when she heard Henry listening to Peter Andre’s ‘Mysterious Girl’.
She found that singing it in her head helped her speak fluently with her husband, civil servant Jake Fraser, 36.
Now Leanne constantly uses songs to help her talk. However, she still struggles with other symptoms such as fatigue, mobility and tremors.
“I had a severe speech impediment for 18 months,” he said.
‘The doctors said I might not be able to talk like me again.
‘Henry was listening to songs on YouTube and Mysterious Girl by Peter Andre came on.
Leanne only regained her speech when she heard Henry listening to Peter Andre’s ‘Mysterious Girl’ (pictured in the 1995 Mysterious Girl video).
Leanne battles back spasms that can “lock up” her body for up to 20 minutes, as well as fatigue and tremors that affect her mobility. Because of this, Leanne often uses a cane at home and a wheelchair outside.
‘I started singing it in my head and talked to Jake.
‘He said, “My God, you didn’t stutter.”
‘It’s incredible to have my speech back.
“I am grateful to Peter Andre.”
Leanne was rushed into an emergency C-section when Henry’s heart rate began to drop on November 8, 2021.
She said: ‘They got Henry out safely. Then I felt a sudden, unbearable pain.
“It felt like my skull was crushing on itself.
‘I couldn’t speak at all.
‘All I could do was nod. It was five minutes and then it was back to normal.
“It was incredibly scary.”
Leanne was sent home that day, but her speech began to decline.
She said: ‘My speech got worse and worse.
“I started having spasms.”
Leanne returned to York hospital three days later and had an MRI and CT scan, which came back normal and she was sent home.
A few weeks later, in November 2021, Leanne went to see a neurologist after her symptoms persisted.
That’s when he was diagnosed with FND.
She said: “I had never heard of this condition.”
Doctors could do little about Leanne’s speech and hoped that she would improve over time.
He went to speech therapy and did his own research to try to find a solution.
Leanne said: ‘They felt my brain was blocking my ability to speak.
“Nothing seemed to work.”
Finally, after 18 months of trying, Leanne discovered that singing in her head helped her speak.
She said: ‘Peter Andre works all the time.
‘When I started singing in my head, for months it was Peter Andre.
‘Now any kind of song will do. But singing a slow song makes my speech slower.
“I’m very grateful to be able to speak.”
But despite regaining her speech, Leanne still struggles with other symptoms of FND.
She began having non-epileptic seizures five months after being diagnosed.
She said: ‘I can lose up to 45 minutes unconscious.
‘I can erase hours of the day.
“The seizures started happening during the night.”
Leanne is now on medication to help her stop her seizures and painkillers to help with her agony.
She battles back spasms that can “lock up” her body for up to 20 minutes, as well as fatigue and tremors that affect her mobility.
Because of this, Leanne often uses a cane at home and a wheelchair outside.
She said: ‘Since I had Henry I always had to have someone with me.
‘I can not cook. I can not drive.
‘It’s heartbreaking not being able to run with him.
‘I never imagined that at the age of 32 I would have to use a wheelchair.
Leanne Fraser with her husband Jake Fraser and son Henry
Doctors could do little about Leanne’s speech and hoped that she would improve over time. Leanne is pictured with Jake and Henry.
Leanne, pictured with Jake, takes each day as it comes and says some days can be better than others.
“It’s debilitating and life-changing.”
Leanne takes each day as it comes and says some days may be better than others.
She said: ‘I’m trying to stay positive.
‘Before I go to bed I list ten things I am really grateful for that day.
‘When I wake up I do the same.
‘My perspective has changed.
‘At first I felt like I entered the hospital as myself and left as a different person. A different mom.
‘But I came out as a mother of a beautiful baby.
‘Henry is healthy and happy. “That’s a big motivation for me: to be the best mom I can be every day.”