Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

My lovely husband Ross was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2012, I hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting him yet. Ross and I met in June 2015 and we were inseparable ever since! Ross always thought I was too good for him and that he couldn’t be loved because he was unwell, what he didn’t know is he was too good for me and I was lucky to meet him! All of my family and friends instantly loved Ross and he fell right into place with us all. We had only been together for 3 years and 10 months but with everything we have been through it felt like a lifetime (in a good way). 

In 2016 we went to New York which is where Ross has always wanted to go so that was one tick off of his list. Later on that year we moved in together. A few months later we received the devastating news Ross’ tumour was growing and he would need brain surgery. 

Ross’ tumour was so large that he had to have two operations. One was in April 17 and the other in August the same year. Ross recovered from the first surgery amazingly! The 2nd op affected his speech and with all of our help and speech therapy we were trying to get Ross’ speech back. Ross did get more fluent but still struggled here and there and would always fill the gaps with a joke! The surgery had gone well and we were looking forward to getting back on track. Prior to the surgery and in the middle of the preparations for a difficult time, Ross and I went on holiday to Tenerife where he proposed and I of course said yes!!!!

In December 17/Jan 18 we received more devastating news that the tumour looked like it was growing. Ross was offered and had radiotherapy for 6 weeks followed by chemotherapy. We decided to book our wedding for November 18 as we were advised Ross should be well enough and chemo would not affect the wedding. 

We got married on 16 November 18 and it was a fantastic day, Ross looked absolutely handsome and like a model, I knew I’d really lucked out with him. We were so happy. We then went on our mini moon in Suffolk.

In December 18 a scan showed a new mass. It wasn’t known what it was so Ross waited for a different scan to take place in January 19. In this time, Ross was having lots of headaches and problems with his vision. He soon went blind and had 20% vision left. The 2nd scan showed signs of radiation damage so Ross was treated for this going for hyperbaric oxygen treatment every weekday for 26 sessions. Every treatment was the equivalent of a 10 hour flight. This failed to make his eyesight better or worse so the treatment was withdrawn. Coincidentally Ross lost the residual sight shortly after and was now completely blind. Around the same time his speech was slurring. We begged his hospital team to see him but they wanted to manage Ross’ symptoms. I think we are now into March 19 and we celebrated Ross’ 29th birthday with a birthday tea at my parents. All the family came and Ross enjoyed it as he always would. A week later Ross lost mobility on his left hand side. This was scary because his tumour would usually affect his right hand side. We admitted Ross to A&E and had an MRI completed, it took 4 days to get the MRI done and then a further two weeks to get the results. The results showed the tumour was now in Ross’ brainstem and it wasn’t radiation damage. In April Ross had a seizure - his first since his surgery in 2017 and then he didn’t really recover. He was exhausted and lost even more mobility. Ross told social workers he wanted to be at home and cared for as we had been living at my parents since the March hospital discharge. We went home and that week we had district nurses, occupational therapists and a saint Francis hospice nurse round the same day, it was crazy! Then we had carers start and endless equipment delivered. 

Ross moved into a hospital bed in our spare room and I bought a spare bed so I could sleep next to him. Everything was getting harder and harder and Ross was soon bed bound and wasn’t eating, drinking or speaking. We took him back to hospital at the end of April to put him on fluids. Ross perked up and started to eat and drink a bit more and said the odd word(s), then we were referred to Saint Francis Hospice and got the biggest and best room in there. Our experience was amazing and I can’t thank everyone enough. Ross was doted on and loved by all of the nurses! I had a bed which went right next to his so I could once again give him cuddles and sleep next to him instead of on a chair in the hospital. 

We were in the hospice for 2 and a half weeks and I left a handful of times, otherwise I was stuck to Ross like glue and spending all the time with him I could. Ross never wanted me to leave him and so I didn’t. We have had amazing support and now we would like to say thank you by raising some funds.

Anything at all would be a great help for a great cause. We never imagined we would need anything like this and now don’t know what we would have done without it. Ross was such a proud man and they really did allow Ross to be cared for in the best way! 

Ross I love you babe, may you rest in perfect peace and I’ll see you in some hours (I hated saying bye) 💙 xx