Arran Malone

This is my 4year old son Arran's story,

Arran was a normal healthy boy always up to something. On the 20th Feb. Arran was playing outside with his friend in the keyhole where we live, this is a place where all the children are free to play. I was watching from the window, letting him believe he was a big boy, when my next-door neighbour reversed out his drive. This didn't seem too concerning as Arran had moved to the side and on to the raised area with his friend. Unfortunately for Arran my neighbour kept going and hit Arran, knocking him under the car. I ran out immediately screaming and picked Arran up, he was badly bruised, his legs were cut and he had a swelling lump on his head above his right ear, thankfully he was conscious.

Why had I let him play at being a big boy like his older brother???. I took him immediately up to Ayr hospital. He was placed in resus and put on oxygen, his heart rate was 220, a canular was placed in his arm in case in would not be possible later, the guilt!

My baby was x-rayed from head to foot, the paediatrician seemed concerned but concluded Arran may benefit from being monitored at home, we were discharged 6hrs later.

Arran was shaken for a few days; I slept beside him, just in case. He seemed back to normal and we resumed our normal routine. However on the morning of April 11th, the kids were back at school after the Easter break. Arran's older brother questioned why Arran was talking funny, I put this down to high antics and hurridly got them organised, Arran was his normal happy self. I dropped him at nursery and went to college. Mum called me on my mobile at 12noon to say that Arran had walked into a door at nursery and bumped his head, but he just didn't seem right. The nursery staff seemed to think he hadn't seen the door and that his eyes had been rolling, (this happened @ 10am) I rushed home immediately expecting Arran to be suffering from a virus. I arrived 10mins later, Arran's forehead looked swollen, his face was droopy on his left side and he looked as if he was burning up. Mum suggested calpol and a sleep but I was not happy to accept either. I asked Arran a few brief Questions and his speech was slurred, so I decided hospital. I lifted Arran from the couch and stood him up to put on his jacket, he was very unsteady and limp. I picked him up and carried him to the car, enlisting the help of my sister in law to sit in the back with him. We kept speaking to him to keep him awake as he was becoming really drowsy. The mark from the door was superficial on his left side.

On reaching Ayr hospital we were taken to a cubicle in about 5mins, the nurse examined Arran and looked very concerned. Arran was not his usual chatty self and looked very confused, vacant. He had no power in his full left side a paediatric doctor examined Arran 15mins later and decided a CT scan was necessary. He must have looked in his left eye about a dozen times on checking his feet his reflexes were complete opposite.

The CT scan showed 3 bleeds one from his accident in Feb. 6mm in length, one from 7-10 days ago and one happening. We were rushed by ambulance to Glasgow's Southern General Hospital in the company of a staff nurse (who was excellent in her care). The Southern didn't seem as concerned at all; a paediatrician who said there were no bleeds on the CT scan saw 2hrs after admitting Arran. Arran needed monitoring, he would be seen by the Neurologist surgeon the following day, Arran was complaining of a sore head and a thirst. He eventually got a drink at 8pm, but no pain relief was given.

He had a bad restless night even though he was shattered, in the morning a nice nurse asked for Arran to be placed on a drip, as his head was worse and so was he, 3 glucose bags he received. Miss Brown the neurosurgeon saw Arran on the 12th, saying she believed Arran to be having seizures, however an MRI would be needed. This would take a few days maybe a week, as it needed to be booked. On the 13th Arran was out of bed to be bathed, he was walking into things as if they weren't there including nurses, not only didn't he see them, but he didn't feel them either. Arran's sight was suspected to have gone in his left eye, Arran was examined and an MRi arranged for 14th. Watching him deteriorate was heart wrenching.

My sociable wee boy was going into a world of his own, distant confused. He stopped speaking on answer if prompted several times, as long as the question asked was repeated in full. The morning of the MRI Arran was put to sleep, the aesthetic blocked due to poor hydration, Arran was very distressed with swollen lips and blood all over due to there search for a vein.

Miss Brown - Neurosurgeon - came to see us at 4.30pm. She said "there are no bleeds, however, there is a mass in the core of his brain" which was not what she expected, she talked about needle biopsies being the only option, but surgery was not.

My world crashed, I can barely bring myself to think back, my partner had arrived, approaching me she became hysterical; Miss Brown agreed to explain fully in the morning.

On the 15th we were taken into the office to see the scans, it was unmistakeable right in the core. She pointed out the blood, the large blood supply and nerves attached, life would never be the same! The needle biopsy carried risks and that if it bled Arran would not survive. I could not sign the consent, my partner had to, It was arranged for Monday, Arran was put on steroids to shrink the swelling.

At 2pm the nurse informed us Arran was to have another CT scan, his mum and I walked him down. Hearts racing...after the scan the radiologist came from behind the screen touched my arm and said, "That was very informative".

We returned to the ward, Arran's dad had to sit with him as I was loosing the battle. I returned to the room the rest of the family arrived. We tried to stay centred for Arran.

At 5/6pm Miss Brown came into the ward, seeing us last, I was imagining allsorts, was it advancing rapidly? Was there no time left? Was he dying sooner rather than later? My head was spinning.

She entered eventually and explained she was very embarrassed that the radiologist now believed it was a stroke. I said "so he doesn't need the biopsy on Monday". The joy, I EVEN kissed her and ran out to my waiting family to tell them that my baby was going to live, George would still see his little brother. They were punching the air, cuddling, his Dad was ecstatic.

We were allowed home, to attend Yorkhill children's hospital in the morning. THE SHOCK was still on me, I think, however much I tried I couldn't shake the feeling of trepidation, fear. We attended Yorkhill, only to be told Arran could be on weekend pass. His stats Bp 88/40 - temp 35, O2 80 this only varied slightly temp to 36 Bp 90/40. On our return on Monday Arran was examined By Dr McWilliams said Arran was un-cooperative and had some residual weakness; Arran's behaviour had changed. We stayed overnight to be examined Tues.

On the Tuesday the speech therapist who had seen Arran, was happy with his progress. They tried to extract blood and failed, so it was rescheduled for the following day. Arran remained flushed looking, but his temp was low, especially at night, the cold hovered above him like a sheet, this alarmed me.

On the Wednesday Arran was put through the ordeal of bloods again, of which I'm unsure which tests have been undertaken, Arran was sent for an echo. The cardiologist reckoned Arran had a minute hole in the wall of his heart, on inviting another cardiologist to look, he failed to see it. The recordings would have to be discussed, following the discussion it was agreed the hole, although tiny was there. They recommeded closing it on the Friday, I declined due to the risk of infection, the need for further discussion and the mistake that nearly cost my son his life, The trust was not there.

On the Thursday Arran was observed in the ward. On speaking to Mr McWilliams I was informed that they were not able to fully diagnose Arran due to the Southern's reluctance to send over the 2 CT scans and the MRI scans. Eventually on the Friday a senior neurologist collected them personally, we viewed them with Mr McWilliams, They seemed less clearer than the previous ones shown to us, Mr McWilliams suggested Aspirin to thin Arran's blood. I knew the dangers associated and wanted to wait until the bloods confirmed the risk out weighed that of the aspirin, luckily after 3weeks Arran's bloods came back clear and he did not need the aspirin. We are now left, not knowing what happens next, the communication is dreadful, My GP has not as yet even been contacted by the Southern or Yorkhill, despite his constant letters and calls. Only Ayr has given a written account of Arran's time with them, their interpretation of the original CT and the cause, RTA, however Yorkhill will not commit as yet. This is the shortened version believe it or not, my mind is not yet back up to speed, but I am not the issue, my darling boy is and the reason this has happened.

He is so brave, resilient and we are all very proud of him, we take one day at a time fearful he will take another stroke. I am truly amazed by the bravery and strength of all the children I have encountered while staying with Arran in hospital, and the survivors stories I have read.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Thanks to Aaron's mom for sending in her profile. Anyone else who would like to share their story can send it along with a photograph (if you're not shy!)

• c/o PROFILES,
• Click here for address