Alice Kate Murphy was born on 21st May 2003, a healthy 8lb 9oz, and a much wanted baby sister for our 2 year old, Isobel. She was a happy contented baby who grew into a gorgeous blonde haired blue eyed toddler.
In early summer 2006, shortly after her 3rd birthday and just as she was about to start nursery school, she started to complain of headaches. Not every day, and not terribly painful, but enough to concern me, as she was also a little pale and lethargic. Four weeks later, after visits to our GP, A & E department, an optician and a paediatrician, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. To try to put our feelings into words is pointless. The shock is never ending.
We were transferred by ambulance from The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough to Newcastle General Hospital, and placed under the care of the paediatric oncology team. Two long days later, after more tests and another scan, Alice had surgery, which removed 90% of the tumour. There followed a short spell in ITU and a terrible 5 day wait for the histology results. We found this so difficult. Not knowing is almost worse than bad news, and as we were in constant contact with other families on the ward with ill children, it was hard not to swap stories and worry ourselves senseless. But when the results finally came, we got the news we had been longing to hear. The tumour was low grade, showing no malignancy. A grade 1 astrocytoma, which her consultant said was very good news and Alice’s outlook was excellent. I felt like I hadn’t been able to breathe for a week, and suddenly someone had thrown us a lifeline. We were discharged from hospital in no time and Alice has gone from strength to strength ever since. She is the happiest child I know. She loves ice-cream, cake and princesses and wants to be the tooth fairy when she grows up.
Her diagnosis came 12 hours before we were due to fly to Portugal on holiday. Obviously that didn’t happen. But as I sit here and write this for the SDBTT website, it is a year to the day since her surgery. On this same night last year, we sat by her bed in ITU, trying hard not to wonder what the future held. I can tell you now, that in 3 days’ time we are taking that holiday to Portugal. I am a little aprehensive about leaving the country with Alice, but her toys are packed and her and her sister are ready to go.
Obviously we still go to clinic regularly, and her scans are 6 monthly at the moment. We still live with the threat of the tumour regrowing, but if that were to happen, it is still “very treatable” they tell us.
So, a year on, we have every reason to feel positive. I know I will never get over the shock of finding out what was wrong with Alice, but we are moving forward now. Her consultant said there is no reason why she won’t be propping up the bar when she’s 80, though I’m not sure how we will explain to her about the tooth fairy. Her surgeon said she is his shining star, and whatever she eventually decides to do with her life, she will always be ours.
Emma Murphy