A mother of seven is sharing a dire warning with her fellow parents after her daughter was diagnosed with a tumor after she kept falling out of bed.
Lisa Provart, from Cheshire, first became concerned about her daughter Imogen after she noticed that she was falling out of bed frequently in the summer of 2022.
The four-year-old also had trouble walking properly and was ill.
Shortly after these symptoms began, Imogen suffered a near-fatal seizure and was rushed to hospital.
Once there, a CT scan revealed she had a craniopharyngioma, a rare brain tumor.
Ms Provart calls on other parents to look out for the signs of a brain tumour.
Lisa Provart, from Cheshire, first became concerned about her daughter Imogen (pictured) after noticing she was falling out of bed regularly in the summer of 2022
The four-year-old (pictured) also struggled to walk properly and was ill
Ms Provart, 45, said: “We went to Wales.” [on a trip] and she kept falling out of bed and getting sick.”
Imogen also walked slowly, but her parents blamed it on her breaking her legs three months ago.
They brought her to ApShe went to the pediatrician and made several visits, but was only advised to change her shoes.
But after Imogen fell out of bed one night, she had a seizure and…“I died young,” Ms. Provart said.
Her parents immediately called an ambulance and Imogen was taken to hospital.
What are the symptoms of a brain tumor?
- Headache
- Attack
- nausea
- To throw up
- sleepiness
- Mental or behavioral changes
- Weakness on one side of the body
- Vision or speech problems
Ms Provart said: “It was terrible, my whole world came crashing down.” At that moment everything changed and I wanted to be swallowed.
“I knew they would get something. We were told there and then that it was a mass in her brain.
‘It [your child being sick] will be everything, there are so many questions and we didn’t know anything.’
After the scan, Ms Provart and her husband Andrew (46) were immediately referred to Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport in September 2022.
She said: “She was so scared we thought she had had a stroke. Imogen wouldn’t go near anyone and as things progressed doctors had to give her a sedative to treat her.”
After spending a full week in the hospital, her parents were told the growth was a cystic tumor – a fluid-filled cavity in the brain.
These tumors can arise anywhere in the body. Although most are not cancerous, they can develop into cancer, as in Imogen’s case.
Headaches, loss of balance, lack of coordination and difficulty walking are signs of a brain tumor.
However, falling out of bed can be the result of any of these symptoms, the Brain Tumor Charity told MailOnline.
“Loss of balance and coordination is also associated with the sensation that allows us to perceive the position, movement and action of body parts (also known as proprioception) – which may be associated with an increased risk of falling out of bed fall.”‘ that said.
Imogen’s tumor is near her hypothalamus, a part of the brain that controls hormones.
Unfortunately, Ms Provart said that because of the placement, the Imogen tumor could not be safely removed as it would be “similar to removing chewing gum”.
She was discharged from the hospital 20 days after admission.
Imogen has since undergone 15 operations, including regular cyst drainage and replacement of shunts in her brain.
She is now blind in one eye because the tumor is pressing on her optic nerve.
To monitor her tumor, she undergoes a full-body scan every three months and undergoes proton therapy, a form of radiation.
Shortly after these symptoms began, Imogen (pictured) suffered a near-fatal seizure and was rushed to hospital
Ms Provart said: “She absolutely hates it but she’s going on.” “Imogen (photo) is so brave”
Working with the Brain Tumor Charity, Ms Provart encourages parents to pay attention to warning signs and trust their instincts
Ms Provart and her husband said the family survived with the support of their six other children, Anna (21), Luke (18), Lydia (16), Isabel (14), Ashley (10) and Violet (3) (photo ) deal with Imogen’s illness.
Ms Provart said: “She absolutely hates it but she’s going on.”
“Imogen is so brave.
“She’s had about 80 to 90 MRI scans now and is starting to understand.
“I am worried about her future, she will always need full support and care.”
“This journey is so emotionally draining.
“I’m not the same person I was three years ago.” “It’s terrible to see your child struggling and not getting better.”
Working with the brain tumor charity, Ms Provart encourages parents to pay attention to warning signs and trust their instincts.
She said: “Sometimes it can just be a headache, or their eyesight is a bit poor, or they can fall out of bed like Imogen did.”
“Go to your doctor and be persistent.”
“As terrible as this situation was, it made me a very brave person.”
Ms Provart and her husband said the family was getting on with Imogens with the support of their six other children, Anna (21), Luke (18), Lydia (16), Isabel (14), Ashley (10) and Violet (3) deal with illness.
She added: “It affects everyone, emotionally they suffer from anxiety and don’t know what the future holds.”
“Medical appointments dominated my life for so long that I spent so much time in the hospital.”
“Life is a little easier now that we have fewer appointments.”
“But as a family it brought us closer together and made us stronger.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.