A FATHER-OF-TWO whose life has been blighted by crippling multiple sclerosis for 14 years, is gearing up for hospital treatment to become 'Bionic Bruce'.

Bruce Barrett, 40, has secondary progressive MS and faces an uphill struggle to carry out even the simplest of daily tasks, from putting his socks on to cleaning his teeth.

But after an 18-month wait there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Carterton man, who is to have electrodes planted in his brain at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital.

Mr Barrett was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 14 years ago and now has 'secondary progressive' MS, characterised by relapses or attacks of symptoms.

He said: "Walking to work I was getting slower and slower, like I was walking through quicksand; I thought my shoes were too tight.

"One day I woke up and the whole right-hand side of my body was completely numb.

"The doctor stuck pins in my foot and tickled under my foot with a feather, and I didn't move at all. I got off the couch and nearly fell over."

As well as being unable to walk without a rollator or wheelchair Mr Barrett has a tremor that causes both hands to shake uncontrollably.

He said: "It affects all the things you take for granted. I can't make a cup of tea or drink from a cup without throwing it all over me or the person next to me."

Finally last year Mr Barrett was told by an MS nurse to apply for deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical procedure normally used for Parkinson's patients.

On Wednesday, April 5 he will be awake as surgeons drill into his skull and implant electrodes down to the thalamus at the bottom of the brain

Controlled by a battery device inserted into his chest, which will be done under general anaesthetic, it could stop up to 70 per cent of the tremor.

Mr Barrett said: "I've been waiting for about a year and a half. I've had a 40-minute MRI scan, blood tests and two hours of psychological and psychometric tests.

"Consultants gave me a mobile phone app to measure the tremor. When I managed to hold the phone they said they didn't even need to bother taking a reading."

DBS comes with some risks is only used for very disabling tremors but Mr Barrett, who has two sons, Sebastian, 13, and Finlay, nine, said it was worth the gamble.

The keen charity fundraiser said: "I'm going to be Bionic Bruce. I'm apprehensive, but I've had enough of falling over. But I can't do any more skydives.

"Going down to the gym and working out properly will be good. I used to play rugby for Oxford for years, and I haven't been able to throw a rugby ball for my boys.

"I'm looking forward to doing that, and going to the park with them and running around, and just being normal."