My name is Brent and this is my story.
I’m going to shorten it and keep to the relevant facts bease otherwise we would be here all day.
I was born in July of 1987. Happy, healthy, with a loving family. The works! On my very first Christmas that all changed.
December 24th 1987 I was diagnosed with Bilateral Wilms Tumor (cancer in both kidneys)
The next 2 years was spent in a hospital in Toronto Ontario with only my mom. My dad was working 60+ hours a week to cover the additional costs that OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) didn’t cover.
My 5 year old sister and 3 year old brother stayed with my mom’s parents for that duration. On the rare occasion I was able to leave the hospital for a weekend I would go spend time with family (obviously) only one serious flaw was found. My mother…as strong as she is…didn’t know how to tell such young children that their brother will likely die. So she told them I was at Wonderland.
I don’t resent my mom for that. She did the best she could with what she had but that single statement shattered the rest of my “normal” childhood.
As a result, they grew to hate me. And I mean truly honest to God hate me. I took mom and dad away for two years while I was at wonderland. ….and they were with memere and peper. I don’t blame anyone. But man it was hard.
At the age of 4 I was diagnosed in remission and I went home. To a household of hate and resent from all but my mother. So anyway years go by without much issue. I has a cyst removed from my sternum at 14.
Around that time I was experiencing severe pain in my lower back. When I say intense I mean it floored me everyone. So more doctors and more tests only to find out I have severe nerve damage.
So 5 more years pass and I’m managing. Finished highs school did the college thing and BAM another cyst ruptured in my right kidney. It was may 5th 2009. I will never forget that day.
I have never experienced pain like that. The nurse (who is a close friend of mine) informed me that I was feeling pain equivalent to child birth. I doubt that as childbirth is……woah. but anyway it friggin hurt. Lots!
After that was the real struggle. A family of 3 at the time. And no means of supporting them. Thankfully I was accepted on Disability in my province fairly quickly but that was mainly due to episodes of psychosis brought on by stress and medical issues. There are chunks of time, weeks on end, that I still dont remember. I hope I never do because what I do remember is…….life changing.
Anyway that brings me to now. I had my adrenal gland removed in July (the day after my birthday….hurray) because I had an adenoma tumor growing on it which essentially caused me to become bipolar. Weird right? Anyway that’s my (revised) story. Thanks for reading ^.^
Spoonies are not always women! Want to read another Spoonie Male story? Read David’s story here.
