Tina Richardson

Hello, we are posting this on behalf of our youngest Sister and Auntie, Tina Richardson.

Hi, for those that don’t know me, I’m Tina and I’m 55, mother of Jayden (14), sister of Michelle, Darren, Tracy & daughter of the late Tom & Jean Richardson. I grew up on Salisbury road and worked at Pearsons newsagents from the age of 15 for a total of 30 years. When it sadly shutdown I took up a job at Crawshaws which has now become MeatMart and have worked there ever since.

I was asked by my family if I thought it would be a good idea to set up a “gofundme” page, in order to raise funds for my son, Jayden, which would allow him to experience things and access further education that I am no longer going to be able to provide for him. The decision to allow this was not an easy one, as I am a proud person that has always provided for my son & I, without help from others. However, I feel I must put my son’s best interest first given the circumstances and what may be ahead for Jayden.

Unfortunately, very recently my health has taken a turn for the worse and I wanted to share my story. This all started off 12 weeks ago when I went over on my foot, causing it to fracture. I visited the hospital and was sent home with a protective boot, thinking nothing further of it.

A couple of weeks later, on March 22nd, I suffered a seizure at home, in front of my son & great nephew, who called an ambulance. I was taken to hospital where test were ran and scans performed. I was later told that they had found a mass on my brain, liver & breast. I was then admitted to hospital.

After further tests & biopsies, the liver came back as a non-harmful cyst which had been there a long time & the breast was seemingly an anomaly, however, there was a further mass found on my lung. This was confirmed to be cancer & the primary source which went on to cause secondary cancer in my brain. I was told that In order to look at potential treatment plans, I would have to have a biopsy taken from the mass on my lung in order to see what grade of cancer we were dealing with, before my brain tumour would be reviewed for treatment.

Hence, I was booked in for a lung biopsy to enable the lung specialist team to review. I was subsequently told, a week later, that the team had not gone deep enough so the biopsy procedure would need to be performed again, the following week.

A week later the procedure was successfully performed & the biopsy was reviewed by the lung specialist team. I went back the following week & my results were discussed; to my somewhat relief, the lung cancer was not small cell cancer which meant, it was more treatable, however, I was told I was unable to start treatment on my lung, until I had received treatment for my brain tumour.

I then had further scans which were sent to Sheffield Hospital to be reviewed the following Wednesday. Unfortunately, in the meantime, the following Tuesday I suffered a further seizure at home alone. I managed to call my sister, who was able to come and help me immediately. I was rushed back into hospital, accompanied by my niece. Whilst in A&E, to my surprise the consultant confirmed that the two tumours had now become one. I was later told I could go home as they couldn't do anything for me at this stage, but as a result of the seizure I had lost the ability to function my left leg but believing that this was just a dead leg and would come back. Upon leaving A&E, my niece asked me if I could walk, to which I told her I couldn’t, so she took me straight back into A&E where they stated that they still couldn't do anything for me but I could stay & see the physio the day after.

I chose to go to my niece’s home, where I was physically carried into her house by my family. I had planned to sleep on the couch that night as I still couldn't stand. Soon after arriving home, my left arm started to feel really strange, so, once again, an ambulance was called and this time I was taken to Doncaster hospital as they have a specialist stroke unit & the paramedics wanted to rule out the possibility of a stroke. Once at hospital, that evening, I had a MRI at 11pm, then at 2am I suffered from a further seizure. Throughout the seizure, I was conscious, it lasted 56 minutes. The consultant monitored the rhythm of the seizure which started in my left foot and travelled up my body to my head, at which point I was given an injection to stop this seizure.

I was then later given the news I had suffered a bleed on the brain, which had resulted in the paralysis down the left side of my body. I was admitted to hospital that Wednesday morning & later that day I received a call from Sheffield stating that I would be starting radiotherapy on my brain the very next day, Thursday. However, at this point, the team at Sheffield were unaware of my most recent seizures and bleed on the brain, which meant, I was now unable to start radiotherapy. I then spent 10 days in hospital, waiting for a further MRI scan, which would need to again be sent to Sheffield for review. I received my MRI scan on Tuesday 13th May & my scan was reviewed by Sheffield on Wednesday 14th May. I was given the devastating news on Thursday 15th May that they could no longer offer me any radiotherapy or any other treatment for my brain tumour. This was due to the further seizures & bleed and the fact that the bleed was, and still is, actively bleeding.

It was at this point the specialists discussed briefly, that there could be a possibility to look to treat my lung but, my brain tumour would still be unable to be treated. I was then, later that night, transferred back to my local hospital.

On Friday 16th May, further discussions were held with the lung specialist team, where I made the decision, not to explore lung treatment, if offered as I couldn't receive any treatment for my brain tumour & active bleed; Therefore the precious time I do have left, I want to spend at home with my Son & my family, rather than in hospital & potentially becoming more poorly than I currently am. Later that day, things we're put in place at home, I was discharged from hospital and I returned home to be with my Son, and be cared for by my family.

Just to clarify any potential funds that get raised as a result of this page will be directed to a trust fund for Jayden in totality. Any care or funeral costs will be covered for by myself and my family.

No matter how big or small the donation, I will be truly grateful.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Love Tina.