One morning in Baltimore: Patrick’s brain tumour story

At the age of 78, Patrick was diagnosed with a meningioma (a type of brain tumour) while visiting his daughter in the USA. Two years on, memories of the trauma remain, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel…

My whole body shook from head to toe

Trauma

It was fast approaching the last week of our stay with my daughter in Baltimore. My wife and I chatted for a while in bed, then I decided to get up and go to the toilet. I sat up and stretched my arms above my head. What followed has still left an impression on my life. I went into a complete trauma. My whole body shook from head to toe, yet I remained fully conscious; I could hear my wife screaming, "Pat, what is happening to you?"

Very large brain tumour

Fortunately my daughter, who is a nurse, was home and she held me until the trauma had passed (it lasted about 4 minutes). She then phoned for the emergency service and I was taken to hospital. I must say here, that the treatment I received was superb, and no mention was made of money or insurance on that first day.

Within 2 hours I had a scan, chest X-ray, and several other tests, and had been admitted to a ward. The doctor who admitted me then came in and broke the news that the scan had shown I had a very large brain tumour, the size of a small orange, and that I was being passed to the neurology unit for further assessment.

I was put on strong steroid medication immediately. I don’t know if our initial feelings were fear or disbelief. My wife, daughter, and I were in a state of shock. The realisation and the fear came later in abundance. I had previously noticed back home a feeling of deadness in my right arm first thing in the morning, but it passed off in about 5 minutes and I put it down to spending too long on the computer.

We had ample travel insurance, so that was never a problem. I shudder to think of the outcome if this had not been so. The final bill would have been impossible for us to have met, and I am a living example of why you should never travel without sufficient insurance.

Relief

On the first evening I was visited by the neurologist who told me the full details of the tests. He asked me did I want the bad or good news first. I opted for the bad. He then told me it was a very large tumour and it needed to be removed as soon as possible. And the good news? He doubted very much that it was malignant. He went on to say that in his opinion that it was a meningioma and its position in the brain made it quite operable. This brought a kind of relief that I had never experienced before.

The big debate then commenced between the hospital and the insurance company as to where the surgery should take place. The hospital said the risk was too high to fly me back to the UK, but the insurance people, for obvious reasons, wanted to get me home for treatment. But the neurologist refused to release me, stating that the last thing I needed was to cross the Atlantic in a pressurised cabin.

Eventually, after much debate, an agreement was reached. The insurance company would fly out a trauma specialist from a London hospital and he would decide if he would accept the responsibility for taking me home. He arrived 2 days later and the following day he examined me, in great detail, then checked all my medical records from the hospital. He then asked me what I wanted to do. I said that my wife wanted to take me home so I would settle for that. He stared at me for a while then said, “OK, I’ll take you home”.

Going home to the UK

The doctor arranged the flights on behalf of the insurance company. I had been placed on a very high dosage of anticonvulsant drugs by the hospital to compensate for the flight home, and I was now experiencing strong side effects from the medication. We had to wait 4 days before 3 seats could be booked in a first class cabin, as the doctor insisted I could only travel in one of the bed seats. While my wife and the doctor enjoyed the benefits of the pre-flight lounge, I was allowed a strong orange juice.

We arrived back in London early in the morning. Everything had been arranged and we were passed straight through Passport Control and Customs, and onto a private ambulance with a paramedic, which was to take us home to Bournemouth. We now said goodbye to the doctor; his job was now complete. He told me he was confident that I would make a full recovery.

The following day my GP visited me at the house. He checked what medication I was on, and looked at all the tests, X-rays etc., that I had been given in America. He made an appointment for me at the neurology department at my local hospital.

3 months on: brain surgery

The neurologist confirmed the diagnosis of meningioma and referred me for surgery. It was now almost 3 months since I had returned from the USA and I had become very depressed and very apprehensive about the surgery. The medication was having severe long term side effects and, worse, I had another shaking trauma, finishing up in hospital for the day. I was slowly losing the use of my right hand, and beginning to have regrets at not having the surgery done in the USA, where it would have been completed about a week after diagnosis.

Eventually I had a consultation with the neurosurgeon at my local neuroscience unit, in whom I immediately had confidence, and felt that he was on my side and in control. He quickly dispelled any idea that there was any alternative to surgery, showed me on the X-ray just what he would do, and pointed out all the risks involved in carrying out brain surgery. He could not say if my arm would improve, but he could guarantee it would not get worse.

I asked if my age would mean extra risk but he quickly dispelled this, saying that a man at forty with other existing problems would be a far greater risk, and all the tests showed I was in good condition for a 78 year old man. Then, much to our amazement, he told us he had a free theatre space the following week… and so the die was cast.

It’s normal!

So at 6.30 on a very dark, cold January Monday morning, we drove to the hospital, and about mid morning I was taken down to theatre, where I remained for 3-4 hours.

I came around from the anaesthetic while being taken on the trolley back to the ward. Surprisingly I was quite alert and comfortable. My first reaction was to try moving my head, arms, legs and feet. Everything seemed fine. Suddenly I realised that my right arm and my fingers were working normally, just as if there had been nothing wrong with them.

On the way back we passed my wife and daughter who had been waiting at the ward entrance. I shot my arm in the air shouting, “It’s normal!” The look on their faces said everything. Only later was I fully aware of just how much stress and worry they had gone through.

A complete success

In fact the operation had been a complete success, with no side effects whatsoever. The only sign of anything wrong was my head bandage. My operation took place on the Monday and I was told on the Wednesday afternoon that as I had ample care at home, and as the operation had been a complete success and only the wound required healing, I could be released in the care of my GP.

An appointment was made for 6 months later for a further scan and consultation with the neurosurgeon. This too proved that everything had been a complete success. The neurosurgeon showed me the "before" and "after" x-rays. The latter was completely clear without any shadow. He then told me there was little point in any further appointments as the tumour had been completely removed without any complications. All that remained was to thank him and all concerned from the bottom of my heart. It seemed a lifetime since that morning in Baltimore.

2 years on

It is now 2 years since the operation and to date there have been no further complications. However the memories remain, and believe me, I can still feel for anyone going through a similar trauma. But I realise now that though I couldn't see a light at the end of tunnel… it was there!

Further information

If you have any questions about brain tumour or any other neurological topic, call the Brain and Spine Helpline on 0808 808 1000 or email helpline@brainandspine.org.uk.

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