It’s not a normal scan

Not long after his 3rd birthday, we noticed a sharp deterioration in Zac’s speech.  All of a sudden, he would be unable to pronounce certain words and his speech became increasingly slurred.  He had experienced a seizure in the summer, and we took him to A&E where he was checked over and it was agreed we would keep a close eye on things as he appeared otherwise fit and well.  The sudden change in speech led to another trip to A&E where a wonderful doctor named Mark scheduled an urgent MRI and EEG (brain recording activity test) for that week.

Zac and I arrived early in the morning, being nil by mouth in anticipation of the general anaesthetic he would require for the MRI.  We were told the MRI was scheduled for 2pm and that the EEG would be first.  Crap, I thought, I’m going to have to keep a very active 3-year-old boy entertained and distracted all day with no food.  Little did I know then how accustomed we would become in doing this over the coming months.  We had a great time waiting for the tests, reading, doing puzzles, and opening some early Christmas presents.  Dr Mark checked in on us and was happy to see Zac doing so well.  The EEG was fine and then it was time for the MRI.  I held Zac while the expert anaesthetist cannulated his tiny vein, administered the anaesthetic and within seconds he was out.  I cried leaving him, but the nurses reassured me and told me they’d let me know as soon as he was done.

Time passed slowly and then went on, and on, and on.  Then I heard Zac crying from the other side of the door and the anaesthetist entered the room, rolling Zac in on his little hospital bed.  He looked serious.  “Call your Husband,” he said. “It’s not a normal scan.” Even writing those words I get the feeling like I’ve swallowed a sack of stones.  The rest of that day is a blur: calling Seb, him rushing to the hospital, various doctors flooding into the room.  We meet the surgeon and the oncologists, and they tell us there’s a mass in Zac’s brain, they don’t know what it is but we need to get it out.  We are in complete shock but utterly grateful for this team of people here to fix him and guide us through.  The surgery is scheduled for Monday.