Thanks to Niagara Health, I got to see another day
“If people are able to donate to Niagara Health Foundation, I think they should because new, cutting-edge equipment is going to save someone’s life one day,” says Niagara resident Anthony. “It saved mine.”
It happened on a November day. Anthony had just come back from a concert when he started feeling ill. At first, he felt extremely sick to his stomach and then he started noticing that something was wrong with his eyes. “My eyes were pointing in different directions; it was really worrisome.” Concerned by his symptoms, Anthony went to a walk-in clinic. “The medications they prescribed didn’t help,” he remembers, “and I was only getting worse, so I called an ambulance.”
Anthony was brought to the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines, where he was immediately admitted. “They did a CT scan the next day and discovered that I had a large benign brain tumour on my pituitary gland, right at the base of my brain.” The news shook Anthony to his core. “I am a veteran, I served with the Canadian Armed Forces for seven years. I have seen and been through a lot, and I guess I always thought I was indestructible.” Scared by the diagnosis, Anthony asked the first question that came to his mind: “Am I going to die?”
“They did a CT scan the next day and discovered that I had a large benign brain tumour on my pituitary gland, right at the base of my brain.”
“I was really scared. I am only 64 years old, I was 63 at the time. They needed further tests to decide what had to be done next, so I had an MRI done, and once my doctor, Dr. Jensen, had the results, she referred me to Hamilton for brain surgery.”
When Anthony met with the surgeon, he learned that the tumour was pressing against his optic nerve, which placed him at risk of losing his eyesight. “That explained why I was experiencing problems with my eyes. The possibility of going blind frightened me. I am an amateur photographer and love to see things.” Anthony was also told that he could die. “The tumour was pressing against major blood vessels in my brain. I was really scared.”
A few weeks later, as Anthony made his way to Hamilton for surgery, he pondered how fragile life really is. “I just went outside to look at things and enjoy my eyesight as much as possible. I was worried that I might die or that maybe this would be the last time I could see.”
Thankfully, Anthony’s surgery went well. “I remember waking up and the nurse looking at me told me that my operation had gone well. I was so relieved – that I could see and that I was okay.”
Anthony was released the next day, and his recovery hasn’t been an easy journey. His nose and lips were swollen, he struggled with nose bleeds, was tired and hardly ate for weeks. “And then one day, I said to myself, Tony, you need to make yourself get better.” He began preparing food again and slowly started getting stronger. “I had to force myself into getting better. I want to improve my health, so I eat foods that are rich in iron. I have also started lifting weights and exercising.”
“Without those tests, my story would have gone very differently.”
As terrifying as his diagnosis was, Anthony was so touched by his care at Niagara Health that he decided to make a Gift of Gratitude. “Everyone in the hospital was fantastic. People were so kind to me. I am grateful that the CT and MRI were ordered when I came in. Without those tests, my story would have gone very differently.”
Anthony felt he was treated with respect and care in both St. Catharines and Hamilton. “I was overcome by the kindness of everyone involved in my diagnosis and treatment. Doctors, nurses, PSWs, the technicians, the porters who helped me get around the hospitals… I made a donation to thank them all from the bottom of my heart for getting me better.”
While a first follow-up MRI showed that there was still some swelling in his brain, Anthony is happy to say that the tumour is all gone. “I have more MRIs scheduled over the next couple of years, but if those continue to come back clean, we can be confident that this is not returning or spreading.”
In the meantime, Anthony is determined to embrace life as best as he can. “When I woke up in the ICU, and I could see again, my thoughts changed completely. Instead of leaving things off for another day, I will live every single day to the fullest.” One of his favourite things to do is go to concerts, so in the coming months, he will see artists like ZZ Top, James Taylor and Paul Simon, to name a few.
“My experience was a reminder that life is short. I’m really grateful for what they’ve done for me. Thanks to the team at Niagara Health, I got to see another day.”
Thanks to Niagara Health, I got to see another day
“If people are able to donate to Niagara Health Foundation, I think they should because new, cutting-edge equipment is going to save someone’s life one day,” says Niagara resident Anthony. “It saved mine.”
It happened on a November day. Anthony had just come back from a concert when he started feeling ill. At first, he felt extremely sick to his stomach and then he started noticing that something was wrong with his eyes. “My eyes were pointing in different directions; it was really worrisome.” Concerned by his symptoms, Anthony went to a walk-in clinic. “The medications they prescribed didn’t help,” he remembers, “and I was only getting worse, so I called an ambulance.”
Anthony was brought to the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines, where he was immediately admitted. “They did a CT scan the next day and discovered that I had a large benign brain tumour on my pituitary gland, right at the base of my brain.” The news shook Anthony to his core. “I am a veteran, I served with the Canadian Armed Forces for seven years. I have seen and been through a lot, and I guess I always thought I was indestructible.” Scared by the diagnosis, Anthony asked the first question that came to his mind: “Am I going to die?”
“They did a CT scan the next day and discovered that I had a large benign brain tumour on my pituitary gland, right at the base of my brain.”
“I was really scared. I am only 64 years old, I was 63 at the time. They needed further tests to decide what had to be done next, so I had an MRI done, and once my doctor, Dr. Jensen, had the results, she referred me to Hamilton for brain surgery.”
When Anthony met with the surgeon, he learned that the tumour was pressing against his optic nerve, which placed him at risk of losing his eyesight. “That explained why I was experiencing problems with my eyes. The possibility of going blind frightened me. I am an amateur photographer and love to see things.” Anthony was also told that he could die. “The tumour was pressing against major blood vessels in my brain. I was really scared.”
A few weeks later, as Anthony made his way to Hamilton for surgery, he pondered how fragile life really is. “I just went outside to look at things and enjoy my eyesight as much as possible. I was worried that I might die or that maybe this would be the last time I could see.”
Thankfully, Anthony’s surgery went well. “I remember waking up and the nurse looking at me told me that my operation had gone well. I was so relieved – that I could see and that I was okay.”
Anthony was released the next day, and his recovery hasn’t been an easy journey. His nose and lips were swollen, he struggled with nose bleeds, was tired and hardly ate for weeks. “And then one day, I said to myself, Tony, you need to make yourself get better.” He began preparing food again and slowly started getting stronger. “I had to force myself into getting better. I want to improve my health, so I eat foods that are rich in iron. I have also started lifting weights and exercising.”
“Without those tests, my story would have gone very differently.”
As terrifying as his diagnosis was, Anthony was so touched by his care at Niagara Health that he decided to make a Gift of Gratitude. “Everyone in the hospital was fantastic. People were so kind to me. I am grateful that the CT and MRI were ordered when I came in. Without those tests, my story would have gone very differently.”
Anthony felt he was treated with respect and care in both St. Catharines and Hamilton. “I was overcome by the kindness of everyone involved in my diagnosis and treatment. Doctors, nurses, PSWs, the technicians, the porters who helped me get around the hospitals… I made a donation to thank them all from the bottom of my heart for getting me better.”
While a first follow-up MRI showed that there was still some swelling in his brain, Anthony is happy to say that the tumour is all gone. “I have more MRIs scheduled over the next couple of years, but if those continue to come back clean, we can be confident that this is not returning or spreading.”
In the meantime, Anthony is determined to embrace life as best as he can. “When I woke up in the ICU, and I could see again, my thoughts changed completely. Instead of leaving things off for another day, I will live every single day to the fullest.” One of his favourite things to do is go to concerts, so in the coming months, he will see artists like ZZ Top, James Taylor and Paul Simon, to name a few.
“My experience was a reminder that life is short. I’m really grateful for what they’ve done for me. Thanks to the team at Niagara Health, I got to see another day.”
