Hi there my name is Heidi Robinson, I am 24 years old from Brisbane, Australia.

 

2022 has definitely started out with a very emotional bang to say at the least,

After visiting three different doctors to request an MRI in the duration of two and a half weeks for constant debilitating headaches, double vision and pins and needles to be told it’s your medication, you might need to see a chiropractor and that an MRI isn’t necessary as I had one four years ago that was clear. I was left at what felt like a dead end, days continued and nothing changed.. I still felt the same & that’s when I knew my body was telling me to not give up and that what I’m feeling isn’t normal or okay. So I went and saw my fourth doctor who thankfully listen to how I was truly feeling and agreed to refer me to get an MRI, next day Approaches and it’s the 6th of January 2022, I went to see my doctor who had the results of my MRI (a day I’ll never forget).

The first words were “we found something” even just typing that makes me tear up, because hearing them words is something I wish for no one to ever have to go through. I felt numb and I cried harder than I ever have before.

I found out I have Trigeminal Nerve Schwannoma for those who don’t know what this is, it’s a rare skull based Tumour. It’s located on my Trigeminal nerve causing debilitating Headaches, double vision and pins and needles on the right side of my face where my tumour is located. I am thankful & feel like I have won the lotto daily due to the fact that these types of tumours are mainly “benign” meaning they aren’t cancerous. It doesn’t take away how scared I feel, how anxious I am about everything medical, how my anxiety is through the roof, the panic attacks and I know that I have a long way of recovery not only mentally but physically with my road of recovery ahead.

I’m not entirely sure what’s next, I am expecting to have surgery in the next four weeks and will have a recovery time frame of 6-12 weeks, this also means that I will not be able to work in the duration of this time which means loss of income, as being a university student studying pharmacy it has put a financial strain on my family with living away from home with all the financial strings that comes with.

 

any donations no matter how big or small would help myself and family out drastically during this very difficult time while I recover, I hope to also donate any remaining funds to the Neurosurgery Department at the Royal Brisbane Hospital for helping me and thousands of others going through similar situations.

 

 

Thank you so much for all your support,

Heidi xx