“I’ve got Equipsme to thank for prolonging my life, and preserving my quality of life. The diagnostic process was just so swift. It meant my brain tumour didn’t have time to get worse, and I have years and hopefully decades I wouldn’t otherwise have.”
When Katherine, 43, from London, started experiencing vertigo and earache, she thought it might be another in a series of ear infections. It turned out to be a brain tumour. It’s thanks to her company Equipsme plan that she got the diagnosis in a matter of days.
Kate explains: “I was having trouble for a week or so with dizziness and earaches. I’m American so I’m used to using medical insurance, and I called Equipsme’s 24/7 GP service. They gave me some anti-vertigo medication and antibiotics, which helped a little, but I still wasn’t quite right.
“I might have left it there, but I was about to move back to the US and thought I should really follow through and get checked out properly. The GP gave me an Open Referral to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist, and I arranged a first appointment with an AXA Health consultant a few days later.
“The consultant was wonderful, and he ordered a whole batch of tests including an audiology exam and an MRI scan. He said it was probably overkill, but recommended I do it all to be safe. Honestly at that point I’d started to feel better, so it did feel a bit over the top! I actually cancelled the MRI because I was busy with work and preparing to move - but something made me call up and reschedule it.
“It was when I went back for the results the doctor told me they’d found something very unusual. And then he said the words ‘brain tumour’.
Getting the diagnosis
“It’s very hard to explain what goes through your head when you get the news that you have any sort of life-limiting condition. I think I was in some form of disbelief and shock. I remember looking at my watch and thinking, I’m supposed to move in three weeks, we’ve got plane tickets - how do we get a brain tumour sorted in that time?
“After that I had to cycle home. I will never forget standing outside my front door with my keys in my hand, thinking that the minute I walk through and say the words, I breathe life into it – and life will never be the same again. I took a deep breath and went inside. I just wanted to give our three-year-old his bath and read him a story without a brain tumour being my reality. The fear of the diagnosis made this routine evening feel so poignant. I remember every detail; my eyes were truly open to our wonderful little family. It was only after he’d gone to bed that I told my husband - and that’s when it finally became real.”
Katherine’s doctor told her speed was of the essence and arranged further tests and an appointment with a neurosurgeon – all under her Equipsme plan.
Katherine says: “I got the brain tumour news on a Thursday evening. The next day, I was in having another MRI scan with contrast so they could see it in more detail. By Monday I was in a private neurosurgeon’s office reviewing the second scan and discussing the risks of a craniotomy. From the scans, he assessed it as possibly a Grade 2 tumour, which is not the highest or most aggressive stage, but they needed to operate as soon as possible to find out how aggressive it was, and to prevent it from progressing.
“Every day counted, and we spent the next 14 of them preparing for surgery with more scans and tests. My surgeon was brilliant, leaving no stone unturned, and explaining everything every step of the way. He also respected my decision not to be told what my prognosis was – because once you hear it you can’t unhear it.
Craniotomy
“Going in for the craniotomy felt really quick and really, really scary - but less scary than waiting weeks or months for information, while allowing a tumour in my head to grow.
“My experience at the private hospital was great. I was so well looked after and supported, from the nurses who prepared me for surgery to the doctors in the theatre and the speech and physiotherapists who were there in the days afterwards to help with my recovery. I really believe that my confidence in the care I was given was a contributory factor to how quickly I healed.”
After Katherine’s surgery, the tumour was sent to a lab for testing. She continues: “It was only after they removed the tumour they could biopsy it, and that’s when we found out it was cancer.
“Equipsme doesn’t cover cancer treatment, so at that point I was handed back over to the NHS. What was really good, though, was that I had the option to stay with my neurosurgeon and his oncology team - so I had that continuity of care carried through to my chemotherapy and radiotherapy.”
It’s now been more than two years since Katherine’s surgery. She says: “I count myself incredibly fortunate to have had Equipsme there for me when I needed it. I could have been waiting months for that first ENT appointment on the NHS - and for every scan and appointment afterwards.
“I don’t know if it saved my life, but I know I have Equipsme to thank for prolonging it, and for improving my quality of life. Brain surgery is complicated and comes with a lot of risks. There’s a huge difference between a Grade 2 and a Grade 3 tumour. The more advanced a tumour is the harder it is to remove - and the more damage it does.
Early detection
“I happen to have a friend who also had a brain tumour, and she was experiencing symptoms for 6 months before being taken seriously. By that time it was very late. With Equipsme, the diagnostic process was just so swift. It meant my brain tumour didn’t have time to get worse - and I have years and hopefully decades with my family that I maybe wouldn’t otherwise have.
“Unlike so many brain tumour patients I’m walking, talking, cycling and driving again. I’m even back at work full time. I’m not as resilient as I used to be, and I do get tired more easily. I have to concentrate on one thing at a time and my energy levels are never going to be what they were - but I’ve been really, really lucky.
“It makes me feel sick to think how close I came to not getting my own symptoms checked out. It’s so easy to get caught up in things like work and family life (and moving house) but your health absolutely cannot be something you put off for tomorrow.
“If there’s a lesson for anyone else to take away from my experience, it’s make the appointment. And if you’ve got a health insurance plan like Equispme, use it!
“The NHS is great in a crisis, but it can be a longer, slower process to get it started. It’s also there for the people who don’t have any alternative. If you do, you should get out of the way and be one less person on the list. With something like Equipsme, you get to take your health into your own hands. All it takes is a phone call. And you never know when it might end up making a huge difference to you, too.”
