Brain Tumour Awareness: One Year On

One Year On:

One year yesterday and I can safely say that most things do improve with time except for a growing brain tumour.

I thought I was a hypochondriac going to the doctors about a mild but persistent headache, and the occasional dizziness, as that’s all I could really describe it as at the time. But that doctor's appointment really saved my life.

My GP sent me for an MRI to ‘rule anything out’ and there it was. Following a completely unexpected brain tumour diagnosis in 2013 I was monitored for 5 years, until my stable scans showed a change in 2018.

Waking up from brain surgery unable to see, write, walk, feed myself or do the simple things facial paralysis made difficult, has been incredibly hard to accept after looking and feeling mostly well before. I don’t always feel ‘better off’ right now and have spent the best part of the past year relearning and correcting things.

But, I’m completely tumour free after being told I didn’t have long before the tumour completely blocked the CSF fluid in my brain that controls everything I do, causing a life-threatening collapse and becoming inoperable.

My post-op complications will continue to improve over time but a growing tumour definitely wouldn’t have.

So cliche to say but it really has been a reminder that life is short. It can change so fast and in my case, could have been far worse. I was incredibly lucky to have the surgery when I did and I 100% have early diagnosis to thank for that.

This post isn’t to be a google bot and say “oh you have a headache? That’s defo a brain tumour.” However, it is to say that there is absolutely no shame in going to the doctors about one that doesn’t seem to go away even. Even if, like me, you don’t for a second think it’s “bad” enough to be a brain tumour.

Early diagnosis can be life saving🧠

 

Other symptoms: nausea and dizziness, changes in vision, seizures, loss of concentration, loss of balance, tiredness, slurred speech.

Read also: Why It's Over For Everyone Else But Just the Start for Me

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