Five days before my fifteenth birthday, I walked into the house that I share with my mum and my dog. To me, it was a normal day, but looking back, i should have guessed that something was wrong. My mum had called me just three hours before, and strangely, asked me why the kettle was not working. I responded, "try plugging it in."
Anyhow, I walked in and called to my mum, who was laid on the sofa, "are you okay?" My mother replied with no, and when i stepped into the living room, it was apparent why she was not feeling well. She looked me in the eyes as I inspected the grazes and bruises on her face, then she suddenly started screaming - a scream that still chills me now. I screamed, and ran outside, I was scared, but i realised what i had to do. I walked back in and tried to put my mum in the reconvery position, but it was like trying to manouvre a dead weight as she jerked violently. I rang an ambulance whilst she foamed at the mouth.
The paramedics were amazing, they helped me and my mum massively, and they calmed me down despite my fear of hospitals. They also arrived within 5 minutes of my call.
At the local hospital, it was established that my mum had had two fits, one outside, and therefore had gained bruises and a black eye, and the second one when i found her. After a very tense few hours, the local hospital gave my mum a CT scan and showed us the results - they were fascinating, but daunting. They showed 4 areas of bleeding on the brain that had under gone calcification (hardened to the density of bone) and a shadow.
My mum was kept in overnight and was then transfered to a Neurosurgical Ward in a hospital that specializes in Neurosurgery. The day before my birthday, my mum had brain surgery, but because the tumour was the size of an adult's fist and included two major blood cells, not all could be removed. I felt so selfish, and i still do, because i was so scared that i would lose the only family member that I care about.
Two week after the op, we were told that my mum's brain tumour was a malignant Grade 3 Oligodendroglioma. This meant two important things; 1) my mum has (and always will have) cancer, and 2) the cancer is quite agressive but is treatable. The neuro-oncologist broke the news that my mum has approxiamately 5 years left with us, but hopefullly, her strong spirit will add some more time to that average.
My mum has taken the news well, well, as well as cancer news can be taken. She starts her radiotherapy sometime soon and is eager for her treatment. I feel selfish, I feel like it should be her writing this blog, not me. She says I'm brave, but I know that I am not, but I will try and stay strong for her - its all I can do.
Amber
