A few days before my birthday in June I went to the golf driving range with a few mate, Tom and Jos. I’m not able to hit a golf ball more than 100m because of the lack of sensation down the right side of my body. It was getting better, the sensations and feeling, as well as my golf. Heading home from the range, I tried to indicate to the driver to turn left. I realised that I had a limp arm. My elbow was raised, but my hand and forearm were hanging and I had a few small speech problems. It felt like I had just come out of hospital and the last 2 months of rehab hasn’t existed! There was obviously something wrong!

Jos’ mum took me to the Emergency Department at the Princesses Alexandria Hospital (PAH). Back to the old faithful!

The doctors got me in for a CT scan that night and an MRI scan the following day. My symptoms got a little better, but still quite lacking in sensation and control of my right side. The staff at the PAH wanted to keep me in the ward for a few more days, until the neuro team had assessment my scans. After a few chats and telling them that the next day was my birthday, the doctors agreed to discharge me. I was out of hospital at 8pm, so I could wake up in my bed on my birthday and come back in a few days later for my scan results. Those few days was a very nervous wait, but I was happy to be out of hospital and celebrating my birthday with a few friends!

During those few days, a lot went through my head. I could not really appreciate my birthday I was that nervous. The worst and best scenarios were running through my mind. Another tumour, my tumour grown already, or a bleed in my brain.

The day after my birthday the doctors gave me the results. For a bad situation it was the best I could hope for. It was a bleed in my brain and we would not do anything extra about it for now. Doctors said that they would let it absorb into my head as it was too deep. It took a few days to sink in and for the nerves to go away. Although the bleed left me a few weeks back on my rehab, I am lucky it was not the tumour already grow again.

After the weekend, I was back to start my second cycle of chemo (PVC, 2 forms of tablet chemo and a IV drip chemo) for the next 6 weeks with rehab every few days!! Situations like these show that although someone may seem ‘normal’, there may be other things going through a persons mind – so be kind to others. I am fortunate to have great people around me supporting through this!

Keep enjoying life

Mex