Margaret's Story
My journey started in 2012, though I didn’t know it at the time. I had an operation for Carpal Tunnel on my left hand and it left me with restricted movement in my hand. When I went for my follow check up I was told that it could stay like that!
In December 2013 I had a Melanoma removed from the lower part of my left leg. Shortly following this I started to drag my left leg and thought that this was due to the Melanoma. I went to the doctors and was told I had a balance problem and was sent to the physiotherapy department at the General Hospital. They gave me exercises to do which I did.
Then on Wednesday 28th May 2014 I had a seizure though at the time my husband and I thought it was a stroke. I was taken to the hospital and given a CT Scan and they found a ‘mass’ on my brain. I was kept in hospital and had an MRI Scan.
On the 10th June I was sent to Southampton for a meeting with the Consultant who told me that after seeing the scan I had a large Tumour and in his opinion I had had the Tumour for many years. He told me that he could remove it but couldn’t guarantee what state I would be in after. Though he said if I didn’t have it I would continue to get worse and could be dead in 6/12 months.
On the 24th June I went back to Southampton for the pre-op assessment, then on the 14th July I had the operation. When I came round I had lost the use of my left side and my core.
On the 24th July I was flown back to Jersey and spent 2 days in the General before being moved to Samares Ward at Overdale Hospital.
I then spent 4 months there and was given 2 physio sessions each week. We had monthly meetings to update myself and my family on what progress I was making.
Then at a meeting held on 26th September we were told that they were not prepared to continue treatment as I was no longer making improvement. I was discharged from Samares Ward on the 5th November with a list of exercises to do and was told that if there was any improvement in some of the exercises then to contact the Physio Department.
Since I arrived home I regularly did all the exercises they gave me and after several months there was improvement so I was given more physio sessions at Overdale. I then recovered some movement of my left leg and arm and my core started to improve.
I have continued to improve and can now walk a few steps with a frame and my left arm has practically returned to normal. Still a long way to go.
The JBTC has been a great help to me, they have helped in giving me the enthusiasm to continue. The monthly meetings are also a great help talking to other people in my position. I realise now that I am not the only person having suffered a brain tumour.