A dad is defying the chances after surgical procedure for mind tumour which made him satisfied his spouse was having an affair.
Father-of-four, Andy Hampton, 54, from Sturminster Newton, Dorset, turned distant and apathetic, and paranoid his spouse of three years, Gemma, 37, was dishonest on him.
That wasn’t the top of the uncharacteristic behaviour as after the delivery of his son Henley, the once-doting dad confirmed an uncommon lack of curiosity in his household and have become forgetful.
The household later found the reason for Andy’s weird signs was really a lethal glioblastoma (GBM) mind tumour.
“We’ve got all the time been safe in our relationship,” Gemma beforehand explains.
“Nevertheless, shortly after having Henley, I observed large adjustments in Andy’s character.
“I’d ask him to vary Henley’s nappy to which he would say he had a headache and I needed to do it.
“At first I believed it was an excuse and that he was struggling adapting to life with two younger kids.
“It felt as if Andy wasn’t listening to me, and since I saved declaring issues that he was doing flawed, his paranoia brought on him to consider issues that weren’t true.
“He saved saying he knew it was all in his head however he couldn’t cease the ideas.”
From March to Could 2023 Gemma describes her husband as being “everywhere”.
The “ultimate straw” got here when he was making the mattress and couldn’t work out methods to take the quilt out of the quilt.
He booked a test up together with his GP.
On the way in which to the appointment, Andy vomited and the physician referred him urgently to A&E at Dorset County Hospital with a suspected an infection.
Inside 24 hours Andy’s cognition had deteriorated. He had a scan and was recognized with a glioblastoma (GBM).
A glioblastoma is a fast-growing sort of tumour that’s the most typical sort of major malignant mind tumour in adults.
Andy had debulking surgical procedure on 31 Could 2023 at Southampton Basic Hospital adopted by six weeks of mixed radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
His spouse says “life has returned to his eyes” following the preliminary surgical procedure and therapy.
“Immediately after the operation Andy’s temper modified, and his character resembled the outdated Andy,” Gemma explains.
“We felt higher realizing that there was one thing guilty for Andy’s behaviour and that it wasn’t our marriage breaking down.
“We knew what we have been coping with and will work on a plan of motion on methods to battle the most cancers.”
Because of the high-grade tumour being positioned on Andy’s optical nerve, his eyesight is now severely impaired, and invasive radiotherapy has broken his listening to.
“It’s been over a yr since Andy was recognized, and we’re one of many fortunate ones,” Gemma continues.
“He was initially given a prognosis of 12 to 18 months, however Andy is a fighter, and he’s feeling extra like his outdated self after coming off chemotherapy.”
Regardless of the immense challenges the father-of-four might be scaling Yr Wyddfa, a 1,085 metre (3,560 toes) peak in Wales together with his four-year-old daughter Isabelle, elevating cash and consciousness for the charity Mind Tumour Analysis.
“The factor with Andy is he in all probability doesn’t have the power for this problem, however he all the time finds a method,” Gemma says of her husband.
Talking in regards to the climb, Andy, an skilled hiker and marathon runner says: “The very fact stays that this illness impacts kids greater than adults.
“I do know it’s too late for me, however I can’t go away a world the place kids are made to endure like this. One thing must be completed.
“This might be my first time tackling the mountain since my prognosis,” he continues.
“It is going to be tougher than ever earlier than, however I’m able to push myself to the restrict to battle this illness.
“I’ve all the time dreamed of getting a full English breakfast on the summit with the solar going up, so I simply have to return.”
The summit climb this week marks the third time the household have supported the charity since Andy’s prognosis and so they hope it can assist increase consciousness about signs to look out for.
“We didn’t know something about mind tumours earlier than the prognosis,” Gemma says. “Till it impacts you, you simply don’t realise how underfunded analysis is, and the way brutal the therapies are.
“I bear in mind watching Andy as he was strapped to his hospital mattress and had his mind zapped with radiotherapy. It’s stunning.
“Once we first took Andy to hospital, there was not a single leaflet to be discovered on mind tumours.
“We’re so conditioned to look out for breast most cancers, lung most cancers, and so forth, however are by no means made conscious of the indicators of mind most cancers.
“We had a mind tumour staring us within the face the entire time and we didn’t decide up on it.”
Louise Aubrey, neighborhood growth supervisor at Mind Tumour Analysis, has described Andy as “an inspiration.”
“Andy’s willpower and spirit within the face of this devastating illness is an inspiration to us all,” she says.
“Analysis we’re funding throughout our Centres of Excellence will assist lead in direction of bettering therapies and discovering a treatment for GBM.”
You possibly can help Andy’s fundraiser by making a donation at: www.justgiving.com/web page/gemma-hampton-1715798453002.
Further reporting SWNS.
