Timothy Franklin Gurney

Timothy, now aged 6, had a stroke at 22 months. His story has been written by his mother.

The majority are led to believe that a stroke is an older person's brain attack, but here is another story of a child stroke survivor.

Tim, one Friday evening when aged 22 months, vomited and I swear that I saw his face go green in colour but was reassured by my husband as I am always known for being a worrier where the kids are concerned. The vomit had a real frothy texture and was quite hard, almost like gooey bread. We gave him some calpol as he started to get a temperature and I kept him close to me as he looked in discomfort and wasn't lively at all. On the Monday we took Tim to the doctor. Tim is the youngest of four siblings, so we were used to our kids getting unwell.

Tim seemed very weak and I could see his breathing wasn't too good. He sat on my lap whilst the doctor took a look at him. The doctor's diagnosis was a double ear and chest infection due to his inner ear looking extremely red and his breathing difficulties. The doctor didn't examine Tim's limbs and I guess, like us, wouldn't think of stroke. We were told to continue giving him calpol and a dose of antibiotics and to bring him back on Thursday so the doctor could view his progress. When I mentioned that I swear he had turned green at one point, he told me I was a panicking mother. We continued to carry Tim everywhere and I remember seeing him on the floor at one point where he had rolled off the sofa and obviously couldn't get up.

The Thursday he was due to go back to the doctor I carried him to his car seat to go with me to take the other three children to school. When we got back home and I stopped the car outside the front door, Tim was playing about with the hazard lights on the car dashboard. "Oh you're much better, now then Tim lets see if you are strong enough to walk now". I took Tim out of the car and lifted him down to see if he had regained his strength to walk but instead he fell to the floor. I still didn't really realise what was going on. But it was obvious he was weak somewhere.

I spoke to the doctor, she didn't look at Tim but asked me if I had transport to take him to the hospital. I could see that Tim's face looked lopsided, I hadn't noticed that before and he was dribbling! One of the nurses said don't worry he probably has Bal palsy. Bal palsy? Don't panic? Isn't that bad enough? "They can do a lot with that these days", she said. Bal palsy, stroke? Doctors and nurses all around us. What is going on? I was trying to evaluate it all. Blood taken, heart monitor on. We were given a little room. Tim was taken away for a brain scan.

"I am sorry to bring this news Mrs Gurney and especially with no support at this time but Tim has had a stroke, I can't tell exactly how bad it is - our scan isn't a full MRI scan just a CAT scan, but it looks like a large part of the right side of his brain is damaged", said Dr Latham. " When the brain has died it goes white on the scan and goes to mush, he needs to go to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford."

Well we arrived and I will cut the story short, Tim wasn't awake very much that week. He had so many tests!! - including, and as well as the normal tests, MRA's of the neck, MRIs of the brain scans, spinal fluid tests, a muscle biopsy heart scan, and the blood taken during that time was enough to fill a sink. We shed so many tears for our beautiful little boy going through this, plus for the other suffering children in the ward. We were told he could have a metabolic disorder but a heart scan showed cardiomyopathy and we were told we could lose him by the age of ten.

Yes Timmy did have cardiomyopathy but it turned out to be temporary, probably caused by the stroke. They say his stroke was caused by an embolism from the heart, but Tim's last heart scan showed no more cardiomyopathy a year later. PRAISE THE LORD !!!!!!!!! Tim has an abnormal gait and left hemiplegia, he suffers from TIAs, but not so regularly lately. He has a blind spot that seems to be getting much better! He wears a leg/foot support support.

Tim continues to have physiotherapy and is monitored regularly.

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

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