15th September - the aftermath

During August dad began physiotherapy, we have since been told that he has ataxia, which is a neurological issue that can be caused by a trauma or can just occur in some people. We believe this has been caused by the bleeding which happened when he was biopsied. It has been suggested that if he had received physiotherapy within three months of receiving this injury he may have made some progress towards recovery, but since over a year has passed it is unlikely that he will 'get better' and the best we can hope is that he will learn how to cope with his disabilities. Not long after his biopsy he became seriously ill so may not have managed to undertake an physio, but it is still disappointing that his problems now not only stem from the treatment he received, but that he may not have been so seriously ill had they then done something to counter the issue they caused.

It has become clear to me that disability caused by a biopsy undertaken in the brain seems to be a serious and relatively common side affect and although my dad signed a disclaimer, which mentioned this, I'm not sure he felt like there was any real chance of it happening.

So where do we stand? Dad has been very fortunate that the physiotherapist he saw at the little local hospital arranged for him to have daily physio for 6 weeks at home, but if I'm honest, he doesn't seem to have made any significant progress, although he is a little more stable. We must face the reality that dad will never be independent again since a trip to the bathroom needs someone to accompany him in case he falls. This is a terrifying prospect as I am 300 miles away, Pete has just moved to Bristol so is 200 miles away and to make matters worse Lucy's husband has been posted to Lincoln which is 350 miles away so all 3 of dad's children are now too far away to be any real support. He is looking to get a companion to live in to help out and, while he is grateful to have survived an illness that should have killed him, the future is not nearly so positive as we had all hoped.

Once again both dad and I would like to thank you all for your positive comments and kindness throughout his illness and subsequent recovery.