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Brain Tumour Awareness Day

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Today is brain tumour awareness day. This day means a lot to me and those closest to me, and holds a special place in my heart. Without you guys having to guess why, i will tell you…

A year ago today, my Mum went for an MRI scan. She had symptoms of forgetfulness, dizziness, loss of balance, and headaches. She would forget the simplest of things. She had put tea in one night, but forgot, so Dad had cremated whatever it was. She still knew who we all were, but when around her, she wasn’t herself. She was spacey, not all there. Dad rang me worried. I

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don’t live at home with Mum and Dad, even though through that horrible time i wished i did. I hadn’t seen Mum for a couple days, in those couple days, Dad said Mum had got worse.

My Mum individually is strong, independent, kind, loving, beautiful, she is just amazing. All 3 of her kids and her 3 grandchildren think the world of her. She has never been one for getting ill, or sitting still, she’s always been doing something for as long as i can remember, so to be told that she had a brain tumour was more than a shock, it completely broke her (and

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us)

The Dr told us the MRI scan results, and all i remember was my Dads legs just sort of gave way like he was going to faint, then tears came to his eyes as he looked at me, and i watched my Dad fill up, i burst into tears and looked at my Mum. My strong beautiful Mum, who was also crying holding out her hand for Dad to grab onto. None of us expected that would of been the reason for all her symptoms. The Dr gave us sometime together to discuss it, and told us they would be admitting her.

She stayed in hospital that night, Dad, Nan (Mums’ Mum)

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and myself left after midnight. We were waiting for her to get a bed on the ward before we left her. Not that any 1 of us wanted to leave her in hospital. All was quiet in the car on the way home. I couldn’t cry in front of Dad, as knew it would set him off, and wanted him to think i was being strong for Mum (i wasn’t) We dropped my Nan off, and Dad drove down to his, where my car was parked. He gave me a hug and a kiss, and i told him I’d text him when i get home. All the way home, i cried, i balled my eyes out. I was absolutely heartbroken. What
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would happen to my Mum? How long would she be in hospital for? What do i tell my kiddies about Nanny? As they knew she was poorly. I just couldn’t stop myself crying.

I got home at 1am. My partner and kids were in bed. I wasn’t ready to go to bed, i boiled the kettle and had a sweet cup of tea, and googled brain tumours. I wish i hadn’t. Some of the stuff on google was helpful, but some of it was scary. I put my phone down, sat in the front room with my cup of tea. I felt sick. Tears still streaming down my face, worrying about my Mum being in

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hospital, and not at home with Dad. Worrying about Dad being at home without Mum. How would he cope? He’s never been without Mum. I texted him to say night, and that i loved him, and went to bed.

In the morning, my partner asked how i was, i couldn’t say anything. My lips wobbled, my bottom jaw stuck out a bit as i sucked in my lips, and tears came down my face again. I knew i would be like this for a while. I needed to get my head around it. I’m so lucky he was so understanding, and he was there for me, and my Dad, and the kids when we needed him

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the most.

I took on my Dads washing for him, as he was insistent on going back to work. Distraction i suppose. So i took care of the bits that if Mum was at home, she would be doing. I took Dad shopping, and he picked up a few bits for his tea. He came over to mine for dinner one afternoon before going to the hospital to visit Mum. We was up the hospital everyday. I didn’t take the kids up to see Nanny until the day before her operation. They were asking after her i felt they needed to see her, plus, i wasn’t completely sure what would happen during

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the operation, and it breaks my heart to say this, but if it had to be the last time, at least i had explained to them how poorly Nanny was, and they got to see her.

She got transferred to Derriford hospital. They seemed pretty good up there. Visiting hours were a bit more strict, but we still saw her every day, well tried too. She had her operation. Dad, my partner, and myself went up to see her. She was completely out of it. They had shaved off the majority of her hair, she had tubes everywhere. I stood at the end of the bed just staring at my Mum.

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I was shaking. I got the sicky feeling back again, that hadn’t really left since the day i found out about her tumour. We sat with her for as long as we could. Kept her drink topped up, i cleaned her mouth when she came round with a spongy lollipop cleaner and water. She had blood all around her mouth. My daughter had given me some lip balm to give to Nanny, so i put some of that on for her. She was in and out of sleep the duration we were there, but she obviously needed it after the operation she had done, so we left her asleep, and sat quietly.

She

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was out of hospital a week after her operation, and back home. Getting prepared to start radiotherapy. We were all so glad to have her back home, keeping an eye on her at home would be easier, and i told Dad I’d pop in every day to sit with her, help her, take her out if she needed anything, clean the house, wash dishes, whatever he needed me to do. She was almost back to herself. The Consultant said it would take a while before she’s 100%, and that the surgery went well, the tumour was benign. Thank god. She still had a way to go but after what she
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had been through, we were just so glad to have her home and be OK.

It has took a year to get my Mum back and feeling herself again, on the road to getting her driving license back, along with her independence and freedom. Not that not being able to drive has stopped her from venturing out and about. She’s always out, always doing stuff. She’s definitely getting back to her self, lol. Throughout it all, she has been absolutely amazing. My Dads strength to get through it aswel, and step up to be there for Mum, was so lovely to watch. After 32 years of

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marriage, they really tested their vows they made. I’m so proud of both my parents, and love them both so much. I always took them for granted, but after that, it has definitely made me appreciate them a whole lot more, and want to be there for both of them, the way they’re always there for me, no matter what the problem is.
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- 24 Mar 16

Today is brain tumour awareness day. This day means a lot to me and those closest to me, and holds a special place in my heart. Without you guys having to guess why, i will tell you…

A year ago today, my Mum went for an MRI scan. She had symptoms of forgetfulness, dizziness, loss of balance, and headaches. She would forget the simplest of things. She had put tea in one night, but forgot, so Dad had cremated whatever it was. She still knew who we all were, but when around her, she wasn’t herself. She was spacey, not all there. Dad rang me worried. I don’t live at home with Mum and Dad, even though through that horrible time i wished i did. I hadn’t seen Mum for a couple days, in those couple days, Dad said Mum had got worse.

My Mum individually is strong, independent, kind, loving, beautiful, she is just amazing. All 3 of her kids and her 3 grandchildren think the world of her. She has never been one for getting ill, or sitting still, she’s always been doing something for as long as i can remember, so to be told that she had a brain tumour was more than a shock, it completely broke her (and us)

The Dr told us the MRI scan results, and all i remember was my Dads legs just sort of gave way like he was going to faint, then tears came to his eyes as he looked at me, and i watched my Dad fill up, i burst into tears and looked at my Mum. My strong beautiful Mum, who was also crying holding out her hand for Dad to grab onto. None of us expected that would of been the reason for all her symptoms. The Dr gave us sometime together to discuss it, and told us they would be admitting her.

She stayed in hospital that night, Dad, Nan (Mums’ Mum) and myself left after midnight. We were waiting for her to get a bed on the ward before we left her. Not that any 1 of us wanted to leave her in hospital. All was quiet in the car on the way home. I couldn’t cry in front of Dad, as knew it would set him off, and wanted him to think i was being strong for Mum (i wasn’t) We dropped my Nan off, and Dad drove down to his, where my car was parked. He gave me a hug and a kiss, and i told him I’d text him when i get home. All the way home, i cried, i balled my eyes out. I was absolutely heartbroken. What would happen to my Mum? How long would she be in hospital for? What do i tell my kiddies about Nanny? As they knew she was poorly. I just couldn’t stop myself crying.

I got home at 1am. My partner and kids were in bed. I wasn’t ready to go to bed, i boiled the kettle and had a sweet cup of tea, and googled brain tumours. I wish i hadn’t. Some of the stuff on google was helpful, but some of it was scary. I put my phone down, sat in the front room with my cup of tea. I felt sick. Tears still streaming down my face, worrying about my Mum being in hospital, and not at home with Dad. Worrying about Dad being at home without Mum. How would he cope? He’s never been without Mum. I texted him to say night, and that i loved him, and went to bed.

In the morning, my partner asked how i was, i couldn’t say anything. My lips wobbled, my bottom jaw stuck out a bit as i sucked in my lips, and tears came down my face again. I knew i would be like this for a while. I needed to get my head around it. I’m so lucky he was so understanding, and he was there for me, and my Dad, and the kids when we needed him the most.

I took on my Dads washing for him, as he was insistent on going back to work. Distraction i suppose. So i took care of the bits that if Mum was at home, she would be doing. I took Dad shopping, and he picked up a few bits for his tea. He came over to mine for dinner one afternoon before going to the hospital to visit Mum. We was up the hospital everyday. I didn’t take the kids up to see Nanny until the day before her operation. They were asking after her i felt they needed to see her, plus, i wasn’t completely sure what would happen during the operation, and it breaks my heart to say this, but if it had to be the last time, at least i had explained to them how poorly Nanny was, and they got to see her.

She got transferred to Derriford hospital. They seemed pretty good up there. Visiting hours were a bit more strict, but we still saw her every day, well tried too. She had her operation. Dad, my partner, and myself went up to see her. She was completely out of it. They had shaved off the majority of her hair, she had tubes everywhere. I stood at the end of the bed just staring at my Mum. I was shaking. I got the sicky feeling back again, that hadn’t really left since the day i found out about her tumour. We sat with her for as long as we could. Kept her drink topped up, i cleaned her mouth when she came round with a spongy lollipop cleaner and water. She had blood all around her mouth. My daughter had given me some lip balm to give to Nanny, so i put some of that on for her. She was in and out of sleep the duration we were there, but she obviously needed it after the operation she had done, so we left her asleep, and sat quietly.

She was out of hospital a week after her operation, and back home. Getting prepared to start radiotherapy. We were all so glad to have her back home, keeping an eye on her at home would be easier, and i told Dad I’d pop in every day to sit with her, help her, take her out if she needed anything, clean the house, wash dishes, whatever he needed me to do. She was almost back to herself. The Consultant said it would take a while before she’s 100%, and that the surgery went well, the tumour was benign. Thank god. She still had a way to go but after what she had been through, we were just so glad to have her home and be OK.

It has took a year to get my Mum back and feeling herself again, on the road to getting her driving license back, along with her independence and freedom. Not that not being able to drive has stopped her from venturing out and about. She’s always out, always doing stuff. She’s definitely getting back to her self, lol. Throughout it all, she has been absolutely amazing. My Dads strength to get through it aswel, and step up to be there for Mum, was so lovely to watch. After 32 years of marriage, they really tested their vows they made. I’m so proud of both my parents, and love them both so much. I always took them for granted, but after that, it has definitely made me appreciate them a whole lot more, and want to be there for both of them, the way they’re always there for me, no matter what the problem is.

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Typical stay at home mum of 2 kiddies. Enjoy lazy days in pjs with kids and partner. Very bubbly, and can be loud!

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