A RETIRED art teacher has told of her battle with a brain tumour in a bid to raise awareness of its effects.
Carol Read, of Fabis Close, Swadlincote, was diagnosed as having a meningioma brain tumour after having a ’funny turn’ on October 31, 2007, and has decided to tell her story ahead of Brain Tumour Awareness Month which starts next week.
Doctors initially thought she had suffered a mini-stroke, but a scan revealed the tumour on the optic nerve on the left side of her brain.
The 63-year-old then had an MRI scan and was referred to Nottingham University Hospital for an operation to remove the 4.2cm tumour on April 1 last year — also her wedding anniversary.
After the operation, which took seven hours, the left side of her face was paralysed.
Although the tumour was benign, the married mother-of-three still suffered with her speech, sight and memory as doctors said it would take her two years to recover.
She was unsteady on her feet for nine months after the operation, meaning it was unsafe to go out alone.
Since developing the tumour, which can affect personalities, she lost her creative ability, which was a big part of her life.
Loud music, dancing, running about and jumping have been banned as they make her poorly.
Mrs Read, who also has five grandchildren and one great-grandchild, said: "Anybody who has suffered from a brain tumour will suffer differently in the long term.
"People can still be suffering from the after effects many years later, dependent on the position and the person.
"The pain, giddiness and fear were horrendous but there is nothing to help us deal with it."
Brain tumours are seen as rare because thousands of people affected, such as Mrs Read, are missed off official statistics, meaning they receive inadequate care due to a lack of funding.
She said: "Brain tumours are classed as rare which I think is a fallacy as if you are not counting them, how do you know? This is what Brain Tumour Awareness Month is all about.
"The surgeons are superb but they can’t be there all of the time.
"People used to stop me in the streets saying they had a tumour or knew someone that had one which was phenomenal considering they are meant to be rare.
"While in the ward I saw how badly affected by the tumour other people were and realised I was lucky.
"It has been terrible but my tumour was only mild so I am one of the lucky ones.
"It does make me wonder how people with other types or cancerous tumours are coping and feeling.
"In hindsight I realise I was suffering for about two or three years before the operation as I had lost my passion to learn and was always very tired.
"However, I have heard that Nottingham Hospital has just appointed a new link nurse which I am really pleased about."
More information on brain tumours is available at www.braintumouruk.org.uk.