I woke up convinced I had murdered my husband in a ‘bloodbath crime scene’ – I ‘saw’ his body and a gun

A WOMAN woke up convinced she had murdered her husband after contracting a rare brain infection following a clinical trial.

Sharon Martin, 54, had her world turned upside down when she saw what she considered a bloody crime scene in July 2021.

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She could clearly see blood all over the room and the gun with which she thought she had shot her partner, Chris.

But there was nothing there and Chris was sleeping soundly.

Her screams of fear at what she thought had happened woke Chris, who was “confused” about what was happening.

After making sure Chris was okay, Sharon sat on the edge of the bed, feeling as if she could see herself from above being “controlled by a puppet.”

She was rushed to Southmead Hospital in Bristol where she was told she had fluid and a cyst on her brain.

Seven years earlier, Sharon underwent clinical trials on her brain to test the effects on her Parkinson’s condition.

She had a titanium port delivery system placed in her brain, behind her left ear, connected to a catheter, where she received monthly injections of GDNF – a growth protein.

Initially, it worked wonders for Sharon, completely stopping her tremors.

But the trial ended up failing because the results were inconclusive.

The system was left in his brain, and seven years later, in July 2021, the infection took hold.

According to a report seen by the research director of Parkinson’s in the UKthe infection was leaking from the port system into the brain.

While in hospital, Sharon had the entire system removed, but says she never received an apology.

I saw his body, the gun, the blood – it looked like something out of a movie

sharon martin

Sharon, from Rhondda Valley, South Wales, said: “I woke up at around 6am to take my medication but I thought I had killed my husband.

“I saw his body, the gun, the blood – it was like something out of a film.

“I was screaming ‘Chris, did I shoot you?’

“I could see everything. I see flashbacks every day. It’s the last thing I see before I go to bed. I’m getting trauma counseling now.

“Every time I see it it’s as vivid as it was and when I look at my husband I feel guilty now.

“Imagine actually believing that you did this, that this was what I was going through – it was real to me.”

CLINICAL TRIAL

Sharon, who is currently unable to work, took part in clinical trials in 2014 in an attempt to find a cure for her Parkinson’s.

She said: “We had to implant a delivery system in our brain.

“Parkinson’s is deep in your brain.

“GDNF was deployed over three nine-month batches – a growth protein.

“It really helped – it was like healing.

“No tremors, my walking was better, my balance – it was the most amazing thing.

“The trial failed because we couldn’t reach the endpoint – it had to show a 20% difference in results between all participants and that didn’t happen.

“The titanium port was behind my left ear – they hooked us up every month and then hooked us up to a series of catheters in our brain.

“They said everything would be fine later.”

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But after her 2021 ordeal, Sharon was left wondering what was wrong.

She said: “My Parkinson’s doctor told me he thought I had a brain tumour.

“I remember looking at my husband and feeling so scared.

“They then sent me to Southmead Hospital, and I had surgery there.

“I had all the drugs and the system removed from my brain.

“Then they told me I had a brain infection with fluid and a cyst on the brain that they told me was inoperable.

“The whole system was removed, but no one ever said the fluid and cyst were gone – I have no idea.

“It wasn’t the best moment of my life – it was like they didn’t believe me when I described what happened.”

I didn’t get any apology or anything. I was told it was part of the trial

sharon martin

Sharon was told that everything that happened to her was caused by the system in her brain.

She said: “They did a report on me that said it was from the trials.

“The director of research at Parkinson’s UK told me it was from the port system.

“I didn’t get any apology or anything – I was told that was part of the trial.”

‘STILL BLANK’

The entire process left Sharon with a “terrible” memory and a feeling that she had lost her true self.

“I thought I was going crazy,” she said.

She added: “When people came to see me in hospital, I didn’t know what was real or not.

“Sometimes I still don’t know where I am – I just black out at random moments. My memory is terrible.

“They attributed it all to the progression of Parkinson’s, but I know it’s different.

“I think the real Sharon is gone.

“It was my choice to get tested, but I thought there would be some kind of aftercare.

“The services don’t exist for Parkinson’s.”

Tim Whittlestone, medical director at North Bristol National Health Service Trust, said: “We are very sorry to hear of this person’s concerns and would encourage them to contact us directly so that we can properly look into the issues they have raised.

“Although we cannot go into the specifics of individual cases, as a research center we are very grateful to all patients who participate in a clinical trial.

“Without these participants, we would not be able to conduct innovative research.

This is truer than in Parkinson’s disease, where our clinical and research teams work tirelessly to find new and lasting treatments.

“Unfortunately, some participants will experience a negative consequence from an experimental treatment.

“People in research studies are very well supported and monitored, often more so than patients treated outside of a clinical trial.

“Understanding these negative effects is as important to us as celebrating the positive benefits and so we encourage anyone taking part in a trial who has concerns to contact their clinical team, research team or our Advice and Liaison Service to the Patient.”

Claire Bale, associate director of research at Parkinson’s UK, added: “Sharon took part in a pioneering study that showed really promise, but unfortunately had a bad experience after it ended.

“We sympathize with her and the other participants who had similar results, and we work closely with the clinical team to support them throughout the process.

“The hospital is responsible for the care of clinical trial participants, but as a major funder of this research and a leader in the UK, charity for Parkinson’s, we consider it our responsibility to support participants like Sharon.

“Working with GDNF participants and clinical staff, we learned lessons that inform all ongoing trials.

“We are grateful to Sharon and everyone who took part in vital trials, as without them we would be unable to find better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for Parkinson’s disease.”