Plan A

Wednesday 12^th September 2018

 LGI again, this time in Mr Corns’ Clinic. I shake hands with the man who will be removing a section of my husband’s brain next week. He’s exactly how I imagine a brain surgeon ought to be. Fiercely intelligent; slightly dorky; and has a lively twinkle in his eye. I like him instantly.

He takes time to explain what the MRI scans show, and what this might mean. He explains the procedure, what he aims to do. All our questions are met with patience & are answered fully. He cares about his work, his patients & his outcomes. We will be in excellent hands.

Fergus has a growth in the brain that should not be there. That’s clear from the scan. It’s almost certainly a brain tumour, and probably grade 2 or grade 3. Not the best, not the worst. We have already learned that brain tumours are graded 1-4, with 1 & 2 classed as ‘benign’ and 3 & 4 classed as ‘malignant’, although this way of referring to the tumours is now falling out of use in the medical profession. We learn that what is actually far more important is to find out what type of tumour it is. There are hundreds of types, and they all behave differently. In fact, every tumour is individual and outcomes are hard to predict. There are so many factors at stake: location, size, genetic make-up, age & fitness of the patient, what stage it is detected at and many, many other things. The combinations of possibilities are endless.

For now, the focus needs to be on getting Fergus ready for the operation. We are to return the following day to meet up with some further members of the MDT (multi-disciplinary team) for a dizzying list of appointments.

I feel an enormous and overwhelming gratitude to the NHS and all the wonderful people who work so hard within it. I make a mental note to find a way to help the campaign to save our NHS. It’s a truly wonderful organisation.

As we leave the room, I shake Mr Corns’ hand once more. I ask him to please take great care of Fergus. He smiles warmly and promises me that he will.