UK Dad Thought His Headaches Were From Parenting 2 Kids, Turns Out It Was Brain Tumour

Ever wondered how hard raising children could be? Well, for one father in the UK things looked so bleak, that he thought his brain tumor was just a headache from parenting. Initially attributing his headaches to the challenges of raising young children, discovered they were caused by a brain tumor.

What Happened?

SWNS

At 38, Gary Mackay attributed his headaches and fatigue to the stress of balancing a 40-hour workweek, caring for his kids, and keeping up with a social life. He disregarded the discomfort until November 2022 when he collapsed in his bathroom during the night, waking up feeling disoriented.

Emergency services took Mackay to the hospital, initially suspecting a stroke. However, after a CT scan, he received a different diagnosis on his 37th birthday: a Grade 2 astrocytoma, an uncommon type of brain tumour.

When he got his diagnosis, he told SWNS, ¡°Everything started making sense.¡±

How Did It Happen?

SWNS

A Grade 2 astrocytoma infiltrates healthy brain tissue, growing relatively slowly and often lacking well-defined borders. Surgical removal is somewhat effective, but complete extraction proves challenging due to the tumour's tentacle-like extensions into surrounding tissues, potentially allowing it to persist.

While awaiting surgery, Mackay was discharged home. Unfortunately, during this time, he experienced a severe seizure in the presence of his four-year-old son, Sebastian.

He explained, ¡°I had started preparing dinner and put some water on to boil. My next memory was waking up as my wife, Lisa, returned home with Holly, and Sebastian saying, ¡®Daddy¡¯s been asleep for an hour.'¡±

In the subsequent months leading up to his surgery, Mackay received medications to control his seizures, although his recollection of that period remains fragmented.

In February, he underwent a craniotomy to extract the five-centimetre tumour from his brain. Despite the success of the operation, Mackay harbours concerns about the potential recurrence of cancer in the future.

For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram.