A BASINGSTOKE-BASED author died with high levels of paracetamol in her system after a two-year battle with Motor Neurone Disease, an inquest heard.

Annette Gisby was living with the late stages of the condition when she passed away at her home in Benham Road, Basingstoke, on May 21, 2020.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard how the writer ‘never let her condition get her down' and she was cared for by her husband, John.

Annette was originally from Banbridge, Northern Ireland, and moved to London as a teenager before settling in Basingstoke with her husband.

Mr Gisby described his wife as “very cheerful” and said that she enjoyed “getting out and about as much as she could”, particularly enjoying trips to the cinema.

He said she “never really let the disease get her down” and was “enjoying life as best as she could”.

He added that the 49-year-old “liked playing computer games” and was “very grateful” to Oxford-based charity SpecialEffect who provided her with the tech she needed to continue playing even when she began losing use of her hands.

On May 20, 2020, Annette was at home when she complained about being short of breath. Mr Gisby noticed her breathing was heavier than usual and called 111, who called for an ambulance at 10.16pm.

Fourteen minutes later, an ambulance arrived to give Annette oxygen. A report from the ambulance service said the patient "clearly" stated they didn't wish to go into hospital.

As her condition worsened, the report said Annette “was absolutely adamant she wanted to remain at home” and end-of-life medication was given to her. The writer passed away shortly after midnight.

The court heard how Annette was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2018 and was mainly cared for by a team of specialists at St Michael’s Hospice in Basingstoke. She also had a speech therapist and a nutritionist. Over the next two years, she became “increasingly frail and immobile”, spending more time in bed with her speech becoming less clear.

In the month prior to her death, Mr Gisby said she was struggling to hold her head up which caused neck pain.

Speaking on behalf of Annette’s family in Northern Ireland, her sister, Siobhan, said: “We know that John did everything for her, he really did. John looked after her the best he could all of their married life.”

Area coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said there wouldn't usually be an inquest into the death of someone who had died due to MND, however, the post-mortem showed “indications of drug toxicity”.

A post-mortem examination found MND and paracetamol levels to be the main cause of death, followed by underlying type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Although her heart was in good condition, Annette’s “respiratory system was very congested” and there were “high levels” of paracetamol found.

Mr Gisby explained that he was tube-feeding and administering Annette’s medications and that this included two paracetamol tablets three times a day for pain relief, as advised by her doctor.

The coroner said it was unclear why the levels appeared so high, given that Annette was taking less than the maximum dosage, but suggested it was possible that her body had been unable to process it.

However, she added that, even without the presence of the paracetamol, the symptoms Annette was experiencing prior to her death were consistent with those of the late stages of MND.

She recorded a verdict of “natural causes”.

Ms Rhodes-Kemp added: “I have looked after people with MND and I think it is one of the cruellest conditions that anyone can suffer from. I am very sorry that Annette had to go through that ordeal, and that you as a family did too.

“It is obvious that John devoted his life to look after her. That leaves a huge hole, not just because you love someone, but because looking after someone at that level takes so much time and dedication that when suddenly that person isn’t there anymore it’s a huge void.”

The coroner praised the hospice team, saying they were "very responsive and very good" in the support they gave.

In her career as an author, Annette published several fiction books across the thriller, romance and fantasy genres, including Shadows of the Rose and Silent Screams.