Dad V encephalitis V tumour

March this year my elderly (86) but young at heart – driving, shopping, going to soccer games and church going father said he felt a bit unwell, wanted to go to bed for a good sleep, then he started taking 2 or 3 seizures which I woke him from. I called emergency services as I thought it a stroke. They got him stable next day and transferred him to another hospital for intensive care treatment, lumbar puncture was clear, it was a mystery.

A week later he returned to original hospital for MRI and CT, eventually a diagnosis of encephalitis was given. He was treated and sent home.

So, 2 weeks later the speech was back to being strange and mobility bad. Dr called but it was put down to recovery process. Another few weeks pass and speech worse. Back into hospital, discharged with no explanation. After another 3 weeks he gets worse, this time a stoke is the diagnosis, so he gets discharged to a nursing home were he continues to regress and now with no verbal communication at all.

Finally he is currently very ill in hospital with a serious uti and in the corner of the ward a young doctor told me the MRI we carried out on Thursday has revealed several leisions which she eventually called brain cancer. My father is the most placid gentleman you could wish to meet. Up until he became ill he would call me if I was out offering a lift home! We are distraught and just living hour to hour. It’s also a bit crap being an only child at times like this but hey, we just get on with things.

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Opinions expressed within this story belong solely to the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of the National Brain Tumor Society.