To: All my family; relatives; friends; neighbours; colleagues; service-users; my GP surgery; the doctors, nursing and other staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and at New Cross Hospital Wolverhampton; the churches at Penn Christian Centre, St. Philip's, St Aidan's and St Joseph's in the Parish of Pennfields, St. Bartholomew’s Penn, Penn Road United Reform and Holy Trinity Heath Town, Wolverhampton, and to numerous others of whom I may be unaware.

Purpose of this newsletter: To convey my heartfelt thanks to all who have supported me in diverse ways in the recent months and particularly since having had an operation to remove a meningioma, (colloquially known as a brain tumour). To provide you with an update on how I’m doing and to testify to God’s goodness.

So, to all of you who enquired how I am; had a kind thought; who signed a card; contributed a gift of cake, magazines, newspapers, store vouchers, chocolate, Lucozade, wine and a hat; who came to see me in hospital or at home; who transported me to/from hospital, church and Susan to shops and school; who phoned me on the ward or spoke with Susan and Hannah; if you prayed for me quietly on your own or with me in person; when you anointed my head with oil; advised me; you who dealt with the workload I had to leave behind at the office; who made me laugh and smile; who treated me with great skills in theatre; who nursed me in angel-like ways; who offered me water, tea, food and medication and you who swept the floor around my bed. To you, I give my grateful and heartfelt thanks.

A bit of background and update on a ‘physical’ level:

My story starts when I was perhaps around 10-14 years old when I am reliably informed that I received about three head injuries. My family lived on a Leicester Council estate, which was a bit rough at times. I remember a brick to the back of the head, my family also remember that a playground swing seat hit me and also I was accidentally hit by a golf club when I was standing too close. Ouch!

Around 1969, when I was 14 years old, I was diagnosed petty mal epileptic and was treated with Phenobarbitone and Phenytoin until 1978. My last convulsion occurred in 1975 and with the consent of doctors I started to withdraw from all medication around 1977. I have not had a fit since and I thank God.

In 2008 I became aware of an uncontrolled jerk of my right arm with a release of right hand grip. Embarrassing moments occurred, (particularly when attempting to pass a gravy-boat to father-in-law!), on six occasions in about 12 months. But these events were enough to take to my GP, Dr Obi, who immediately referred me to Dr El-Lahawi, Consultant Neurologist at New Cross Hospital. Two MRI Brain scans revealed in December 2008 that I had a meningioma on the left hemisphere. Dr El-Lahawi then referred me to Professor Cruickshank’s Neurosurgery Clinic at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham where I was seen on 23 December 2008. I was informed that I had a benign meningioma that was 4-5 cm deep, which had been growing very slowly over many years and may have resulted from a distant past trauma to the head! There was only one realistic option and that was to operate to remove it within the next 18 weeks.

Following a busy Easter and Bank Holiday Monday, I took some annual leave and was walking along a Ludlow road when I received a call from the QE Hospital on Wednesday 15th April 2009, requesting I go to hospital the following day and for the operation to take place on Friday 17th April. Initially phased by the immediacy and inevitability of events I duly accepted the offer. A left frontal craniotomy to excise the meningioma in parts was carried out by Mr Taha and his team on the morning of Friday 17th April. I understand it took me some four hours to come round after the operation and this was a stressful time for my wife Susan and our three (adult) children John, David and Hannah, as they tried to wake me up in the Neuro Critical Care Unit.

The operation was successful. I understand that Neurosurgeon Mr Taha had to leave a small piece of matter behind as it was in contact with, or in the vicinity of, the saggital sinus artery. The matter removed is benign.

I enjoyed my stay in hospital immensely. I ate the food, it was very tasty. I had wonderful opportunities to listen and talk with other patients on East Ground A, including two neighbours. The treatment I received from all staff was first class. I knew this was the right place to be. I adopted a compliant patient role and allowed the fighting, self-care routines and independent values I associate with mountain leadership, running, long-distance walking and past Scouting generally, to take hold. I found some measure of improvement on a daily basis.

I was discharged home from hospital on Thursday 23rd April 2009. I am left with some weakness of the right arm and hand and await the local Physiotherapy Service to contact. My GP, Dr Obi, removed the 50 or so metal staples on Monday 27th April. I currently have a very bad hair day! I am not in any pain. I don’t know how long I’ll be on steroid and anti-epileptic medication for, but I’m not allowed to drive for several months at the least. Also, I’ll have to wait at least 6 weeks before returning to running! But, it’s good to be back home!

On a more ‘spiritual’ level:

My story starts some time after 1969 when my family exchanged a Council house from the City estate of Eyres Monsell, to a picturesque Leicestershire village called Newtown Linford. This village provided access to Bradgate Country Park that was the home of Lady Jane Grey, the nine days Queen of England at the age of 16 years in July 1553, before her execution! The village had an Anglican church and an associated Christian youth group called Crusaders, (nothing to do with the Crusades and Islam), which I joined. It was through Crusaders that I began to hear about Jesus Christ and around 1970/1, I accepted Him in faith and trust to be my Saviour and the Lord of my life. To confirm my decision publicly I had the privilege of being confirmed into the C of E with my father in March 1971. Later on I joined Quorn Baptist Church and went one better with full emersion baptism in November 1972; I was then 17 years of age. My faith and trust in Jesus Christ has largely been steadfast and consistent from this time onward, I have not seriously wavered and His love has kept me close to Him.

There are a number of things I want to comment on under the present circumstances.

First, I consider God’s timing to be perfect. The operation occurred within the 18-week target window. Thankfully the operation was after the Walsall performance of ‘Rock’ that Susan and I were involved with singing on 20th March, also after the 18th birthday of Hannah on 29th March but leaving some time before her A-level practical examinations in May and her written examinations in June. At work I had opportunity to try to sort out my casenotes and to provide a list of notes for my colleagues. This just left my colleague Ron to return to work from his annual leave whilst, hopefully, not burdening my colleague Mandy with the caseload I had to leave her with, for too long. In addition, when I got the call to go, I was resting on annual leave in Shropshire and my bag was already packed!

Second, the peace of God I have experienced and continue to experience about the whole thing has been consistently overwhelming since I heard about the meningioma. I have not had a time of worry, anxiety and depression and neither have I shed tears about my condition. (Although, I do admit to some concern as to what was going to happen to my hair!)

‘Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 4 verses 6,7.

Third, it was on 23rd December 2008 after I saw Professor Cruickshank that I returned home to talk to Susan and the children. One of the many things I said that day was that whether I live or die, I am in the safe hands of Jesus Christ. Now, looking back over the last few months, this hope has surely been the source of peace I currently experience.

‘If we live, it’s to honour the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honour the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.’
Romans 8 verse 8.

Fourth, in the intervening months I did think it was possible that I could die. But again, even these thoughts did not worry me. During those months it did not seem right to ask God for his healing hand to be upon me because I was comfortable with whatever was going to be the outcome! I bought a Will Pack to complete and I even took a recording device on holiday with the intention of leaving some messages behind for family, friends and colleagues, but in the event I used neither.

Fifth, I recognise and appreciate your role in my treatment, rest and ongoing recovery.

Jesus said, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? … When did we see you sick…? “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
Matthew 25 verses 37-40.

So there, I’ve shared some very personal stuff with you! Hope you don’t mind too much.

Again, many thanks for your support.

Andy Augustus
E-mail: andyaugustus@hotmail.com

30.04.09