I've kept quiet about this for ages - years in fact! I just didn't want to embark on another tale of woe and thought if I kept quiet about it then it might just go away ... (big fat chance!!) But - well let me just tell the story, and there is a happy ending though a big hiccup on the way!
So, some years ago I was changing specialists for the bronchiectasis (and don't even go there!!). The new specialist wanted to do lots of CT scans, not just of my lungs, but why not my sinuses too. And then he discovered a "benign brain tumour"!! A meningioma!!! Well, this was just too too much! When my biggest fear (pre-cancer anyway) was that if I had a headache for more than 3 days I probably had a brain tumour!! Arghhhhhhhh ...
But eventually with the help of a neurosurgeon, Dr David Walker, I accepted it and ultimately came to annual MRIs and reviews for a few years.
But all good things come to an end! This year when I had my MRI and review he told me that was in fact growing slowly, and I should really get it taken out within the next year. Cue more tears! That was in April I think and again I ultimately accepted it. But I decided to delay it till this month as a) an overseas friend was visiting in September, and b) I wouldn't be able to drive for 3 months!!
So, cut to the hospital. Oh, wait. When Dr Walker was telling me about the operation he also listed the risks ... which because of my bronchiectasis, included having a coughing fit, in turn leading to a stroke or epileptic fit!
So anyway, the op took place on the 13th October. It went fine and I was recovering well in the ICU when sometime in the afternoon / evening I started coughing. And then I started having strokes! I was rushed into CT scan and there was some bleeding / bruising on the brain. Several subsequent Scans revealed no further progression but I definitely had some aphasia (speech problems) ... Over the weekend I made a bit of progress, but it wasn't until I was able to get out of ICU to the ward (bit of a logjam) and had some much-needed rest that I really started to make progress!
And now it's the following Wednesday. I've been out of hospital for a couple of days, home since yesterday. I have a friend staying overnight for 2-3 nights, and I'm so happy! I know there's still rehab work to do on my speech but I'm completely confident I can make a full recovery!
Phew - that wasn't so bad! Always good to get it out there, eventually!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad Air
So, some years ago I was changing specialists for the bronchiectasis (and don't even go there!!). The new specialist wanted to do lots of CT scans, not just of my lungs, but why not my sinuses too. And then he discovered a "benign brain tumour"!! A meningioma!!! Well, this was just too too much! When my biggest fear (pre-cancer anyway) was that if I had a headache for more than 3 days I probably had a brain tumour!! Arghhhhhhhh ...
But eventually with the help of a neurosurgeon, Dr David Walker, I accepted it and ultimately came to annual MRIs and reviews for a few years.
But all good things come to an end! This year when I had my MRI and review he told me that was in fact growing slowly, and I should really get it taken out within the next year. Cue more tears! That was in April I think and again I ultimately accepted it. But I decided to delay it till this month as a) an overseas friend was visiting in September, and b) I wouldn't be able to drive for 3 months!!
So, cut to the hospital. Oh, wait. When Dr Walker was telling me about the operation he also listed the risks ... which because of my bronchiectasis, included having a coughing fit, in turn leading to a stroke or epileptic fit!
So anyway, the op took place on the 13th October. It went fine and I was recovering well in the ICU when sometime in the afternoon / evening I started coughing. And then I started having strokes! I was rushed into CT scan and there was some bleeding / bruising on the brain. Several subsequent Scans revealed no further progression but I definitely had some aphasia (speech problems) ... Over the weekend I made a bit of progress, but it wasn't until I was able to get out of ICU to the ward (bit of a logjam) and had some much-needed rest that I really started to make progress!
And now it's the following Wednesday. I've been out of hospital for a couple of days, home since yesterday. I have a friend staying overnight for 2-3 nights, and I'm so happy! I know there's still rehab work to do on my speech but I'm completely confident I can make a full recovery!
Phew - that wasn't so bad! Always good to get it out there, eventually!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad Air
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