Hi all, just wanted to let everyone know why I'd been absent from the forums for a while, in case you'd been wondering.

At first it was just that I was on holiday but, just as that time was coming to an end, I had my first ever epileptic fit (and in association fell out of bed, banged my head and knocked myself unconscious).

No arguments about insurance vs. national health care, please... I needed both! First I got ambulanced to the private hospital for an immediate CT and MRI scan set paid for by my holiday insurance. Then the results were sent with me to the specialist neuro unit at the public hospital which did not actually take holiday insurance cover and had to be covered by the European Health Card (the old E111) ... we couldn't find the cards before we left and I almost said "Don't bother, what are the chances?"... take my advice, get both sets of cover (as appropriate), it CAN happen to YOU!

Turns out I had a (probably benign but rather large) brain tumour which had caused the fit... probably been there for years. After a few days in hospital I'd responded well to meds and not had any further problems so got discharged but then had to wait another week whilst the insurance company organised a doctor to escort me home on the plane... basically they weren't willing to risk me fitting during the flight and forcing the plane to divert so costing them about £25K; I can see their point!

So now I'm home and off to the GP to refer me for treatment and an op to get it removed... hopefully I can stay at home until they're ready to go given I'm doing fine on meds, but I have a feeling the GP will over-react so I'm preparing books and podcasts whilst charging my phone and tablet etc. in case they send me straight to hospital!

Anyway, now you know why I've been absent... am already planning DVD/BD watching schedule during post op recovery. I have a large pile of foreign language subtitled films on my to watch pile if all goes well... if the brain surgery isn't as good as hoped I have a few Steven Seagal movies to watch    - gotta keep positive or it becomes too scary! 

BTW here's an MRI of my brain... the white splodge isn't supposed to be there...

Sorry to hear about that Voltaire. I wish you the best of look in your treatment!

It does look rather large in those pictures. At least it looks like it's near the top though, and not way down inside where they can't get at it to treat as easy. My best friend is actually a doctor, but I'm not too well versed here I'm afraid!

By coincidence this was the song playing on Winamp when I read your post.

Good luck with the op and recovery.

Whenever I see persons such as yourself who show courage and optimism in the face of tremendous challenges, it helps put things into perspective: What is important, and what is not.

You are to be commended for sharing your situation, which will undoubtedly serve as inspiration to others - for the rest of us, unknown challenges lie ahead, and it is good to have some role models to think about at those times.

Best wishes. Keep us posted.

Very sorry to hear about your ordeals, Voltaire! Amazing how big such a tumor can get before causing any symptoms to make it get noticed.

Hopefully it is indeed benign, and the same goes (perhaps even more so) for the small one lying deeper inside your brain.

Hopefully you can be operated on soon. Here's wishing you a speedy recovery!!

Take care!

DJ

Best of luck mate.

Oooo, what a pretty brain you have

Surgery is never fun, of course, but a positive attitude can often work wonders. I have to have "routine" minor-to-major surgery every 5+ years (the most recent was this past December. I call it "maintenance" ) and just feeling positive about it can make everything so much easier. Not only can it help you feel better, but it's better for those around you which then reflects back on you as well. The only thing that it doesn't do is make the hospital food taste any better!


Best of luck with it all.

One can only hope it goes better for you than it did for poor Mr Gumby.