Please take a few minutes out to read my story Thank you.

 

In september 2006 I lost the sight in my right eye and after going between doctor's and Opticians I finally went to the hospital after getting advice from my friends and family.

 

On November 7th I went to the Hospital with a friend from my drama group who gave me help, support and advice.

After a few hours of eye specialist examinations they refered me for a CT scan the same day. I returned that night for the scan and the results followed. They told me that I had a front left cranial Brain tumour and that is was around 7cm. They also said that because of the damage it had caused to my right eye that they needed to operate soon after.

This left me in shock and disbelief. I started to panic and just started to ring my parents and my brother and the close friends who had persuaded me to go and see an eye specailist at the Hospital. 

 

My Operation was a week later on monday 13th November (06). I remember just before the Op, being in the anaesthetists room where I was being prepared for my 8 hour operation, putting needles in my arms and legs, spraying me with a numbing aerosol and putting a mask over my mouth, and that was it. I woke up that night all groggy and  I saw my parents at the bottom of the bed.

Click to see pics Here

There was alot of sleeping and more being awake and uncomftable, but all i had on my mind was what i was missing out on in the real world. Drama and university and the drive for my recovery to be over.

 

I spent a week after the Op in hospital, and i am grateful to everyone who visited me and sent me support and cards. Without which I wouldnt have got through that period in my life. I also had great support from the doctors the surgeon and the care worker who were constantly there for support and questions. They made the time go quicker. The food was nice too, and I did not lose my appitite.

When i left hospital i was very wobbly on my feet and could only take small steps! learning to walk again took me back to my childhood. I didnt let my recovery stand in my way.

 

I made it to the drama show that I had been part of before going in to have my Op. That was at the end of november, 'Puss in Boots'.

See pic Here

 

I also managed to go away at christmas to Blencathra (North England ! lake District) where I had lots of support from friends that I do not see often and also had alot of fun. 

See pic Here

 

In january I started back at University and got to go away to Italy at the end of that month. Continually getting support off family and friends.

See pic Here

 

Throughout the next two years I continued to design and paint sets for my theatre company and also helped back stage and front stage for our shows.

See pics Here

 

I Graduated University in july 08 receiving an award on the way for singular effort for my final year of study. I gained a class of 2:1 in A BA Art Practice.

See Pics here 1 and 2

 

On the 9th of sept 09 I had a scheduled scan that I had arranged with my consultant a year prior, so that i could have re-assurance that my head was all healed and recovering well from the operation. A week later on the 16th I went back to pick up my results from the consultant. The news was not good he logged into my results on the computer and showed me that I had another Brain Tumour. This one was 4cm and was on the right side and not the left like the first one had been. This was not what I was expecting to discover and I began to shake. I called for my mother who was sitting out in the reception. We all looked at the computer screen at the Mri results. All that I could say was 'Not Again' I have to go through it all again!!

 

It was not easy at first to deal with or my family, who i told over the period of the following few days. I did infact have a 3 day slump where I was tearful and emotional. My friends & Family were great and supprted me and without that I would have been in that slump for so much longer.

I continue to work and go to drama and this has helped me to get everything into perspective and it was actually in work that saturday 19th sept where i came out of the feeling sorry for myself stage and looked at the positives.

 

I have had an MRI scan on the 1st October 09 and I am being admitted into Hospital on the 19th October.

I decided to raise money for charity & chose SDBTT because I felt people in my situation need help coming to terms with their illness & know that they are not alone & i wanted to support this cause.

I appeared in the South Wales Echo on the Saturday before going into hospital to raise awareness for Brain Tumours & the Charity Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust. Pics here

I had my Operation on the 20th of October 2009. It was much the same as the first Operation in 2006, however I was kept in for just under two weeks as half way through the first week I had the same leak from my nose & it resulted in me having a lumber drain put into my back, much like in 2006.

 

I was released from hospital early November 2009 & suffered from agonising head throbbing which kept me awake and in severe pain for a few days, which was not a pleasant experience.

 

I began to get back to normal after november had passed & decided to go back to university to keep myself active whilst i was unable to work & to give me something to keep me occupied.

In late feb - early march 2010 I went back to work & at that time i was already back at drama painting the set for Hilltop's production of 'Fiddler on the Roof'.  Pics here

 

After i had left Hospital I had arranged with the sugeon that I would have more frequent check ups & I had an Mri scan in March 2010. This was to get a look at the healing process & to give the doctors a better understanding of ler treatments or course of action.

 

In july 2010 I went to an appointment with the surgeon as was planned from 2009 & the Mri results came back with more devastating news this time the finding of a 3rd tumour which had appeared central to my skull.

   The News hit me again, however by this point I was so used to the news always being bad that i took it in my stride & accepted that this will probably happen again and again & there is nothing that I can physically or mentally do about it. I have been supoorted well by close family who know about what has been going on but this time they are not going to do anything untill early 2011. I will probably have another MRI scan, & go from there.

I have great support from everyone including  family, friends and colleagues who have made the waiting time so much more bearable for me so i thank them with all my heart.

 

I do not want to sit back and let the world pass me by and I want to make a difference to people who have suffered the same condition and know what it is like to recover from brain surgery and other forms of illness. I have been researching like minded charities and sufferers and can relate to their stories and can take from them the positives as I have not once heard or read about a case of brain surgery that the individual has regretted or has not been positive about the outcome. Plus we get cool scars :).

 

I am looking to raise money for a charity that deals with Brain Tumour research and the Charity of Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust (SDBTT) has been an incredible power in my positive thinking and related real life stories.

 

I had a sponsored head shave on the 19th October 2009 at Hilltop my drama company the night before I went into hospital to raise money for SDBTT.

 

Thank you for reading my story and I hope you can spare a few pounds for this very related charity.

 

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far ! I reallt appreciate it and it will make a big difference to the charity :)

 

Kind regards

rhys (26)