I pick up lots of random bits that seem to stick. Other stuff, sometimes important, don't stick. Sometimes I surprise myself answering TV quiz questions on subjects I really know nothing about. Especially when the questions are about TV Soaps.
Very sorry to hear about a family member. My best wishes to you all in dealing with that, and I hope it ends well.
You seem to have your head screwed on well for a young man, well done.
My partner lost her mum on January 29th - it's been very tough and grueling on all of us, we have a 5 year old daughter who lover her so much too - this was hard but... at that age, they are kinda like bullet proof, she got upset a few times but she thinks nice things of her Nanny and she has taken it quite well.
This how the timeline was for us...
She had gone for an evening meal with her sister and mum (my partners aunt and nanna)
On her return home from the meal, she had a blackout when getting out of the taxi and landed head first into the pavement, a good few days later she wasnt feeling well at all, for the past 3 weeks she had a cold and felt a little hazy - nothing to moan about though, she was a wonder woman!.
Anyhow, since the black out, she lost feeling down one side of her top half, the doctors turned her away on the Monday morning, said it was most likley a mini stroke and she would be fine in the next few days...
My partner was with her mum, she wasn't having any of this, they complained and took her mum to A&E at the Bradford Royal Infirmary, later that day they did some scans and discovered a mass in her brain.
They where unsure what it was, was told that they would be called in the morning to go back for some more CT scans. the next day - no phone call, they called the hospital, they knew nothing about it and got funny on the phone, they rang back and got someone else who was so helpful and apologetic, they said come in first thing in the morning, we have booked you in for your scans etc.
Next day (wednesday) she went for some more CT's, they confirmed it was definatley a Mass that was growing rapidly, they referred her to a specialist team in Leeds at the Leeds General.
Friday came, she went to Leeds General, had more tests, an MRI etc then they where told the very bad news, her mum had a Primary Stage 4 GBM (Glioblastoma Multiform) one of the worst cancer's for spreading and it was stage 4.
They advised that it was too far down in the brain to operate and that they could do nothing about it, they offered to do a biopsy to confirm it was actually what they had said it was however, they did advise not have this done as the tumor was so far down on the frontal lobes etc that it would worsener the quality of life she had left (as it was not curable, not at this stage 4) and the consultant also advised of how strong he felt about the diagnosis already given.
In the end, the decision was not to have the biopsy as it wasnt going to cure anything and would of ruined most of what life was left.
Since that day - just over a week after they found a mass (quite out of the blue too...) she had been told she has around 2 months left.
From that day - things went down hill very very quickly, so from around 2nd december things changed rapidly and she sadly left us on January 29th.
Cancer is terrible, its in-humane, i would not wish it on anyone what-so-ever.
The damage it causes leaves ever lasting worry, doubt and all sorts.
It's quite Ironic that I work for Macmillan Cancer! however, i dont work in direct services, fund raising or support line, I work in the IT operations department providing support to the Macmillan domain.
Me and My partner are hoping to do some fundraising this year and I may even consider changing my role for one in the fundraising support teams (for various reasons, its not about the money as it would be a pay cut) but hey ho... this company is wonderful and has provided much needed support to me, my partner and also my daughter!.
Can't thank them enough.
End of my little story, just some thoughts for you all - live life to the full and dont worry about next week, next month, next year - you could be gone within weeks of a disease or the next morning crossing the road, value what you have got, cherish the ones you love and be nice to people!
