Home Bargains shopper collapses after 20 seizures before devastating diagnosis
A 31-year-old man has been told he has months to live after collapsing in Home Bargains.
Luke Streeter had 20 seizures out of the blue while shopping in the discount store with his mother, Linda.
He has decided not to have treatment because the odds are low, stating that he doesn't want to spend all the time he has left in hospital.
Speaking to Wales Online, his mum Linda said being told by doctors "to go out and make memories" was “horrendous”.
The diagnosis comes four years after Luke was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in December 2018, which his family thought he had overcome after he went through a course of treatment.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
Luke, who is fit, healthy and a regular gym goer, underwent surgery the following March, and after a lot of rehabilitation to relearn to walk and talk, started to get back on track.
Luke was with his mother Linda at the time of his collapse (Linda Streeter)A further set back occurred the following year, when doctors told him he had a grade two astrocytoma. Luke underwent six months of chemotherapy and recovered well.
In July 2022, Luke was walking with his mum when he started to feel unwell.
Linda recalled: "We went into the local Home Bargains and he had 20 seizures out of the blue."
He was rushed to hospital and ended up in a coma in intensive care. Over the next four months, Luke continued having seizures but it wasn't until November 25, 2022 that he had an operation to investigate the cause of his fits.
During his surgery, Luke had another seizure and ended up back in a coma for two weeks.
Luke has decided against having treatment for his cancer (Linda Streeter)While there, he caught pneumonia and a bowel infection. The results came back and he was told he had a progressive grade four cancer and the only way forward was chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Two weeks ago, doctors told Luke and Linda that without treatment he'd be dead within six months.
"It was horrendous," said Linda. "I thought my heart was broken when they told me he had a brain tumour four years ago. To be told by the surgeon to go away and make memories, I just can't describe how horrendous it is."
It was particularly hard because Luke was seemingly well again. “He’d been really starting to get back to some kind of normal life and getting back into his gym routine,” said Linda. “Then this curve ball arrived.”
Disabled woman paralysed after falling from wheelchair on plane walkway dies
Linda has said she "can't describe how horrendous it is" (Linda Streeter)He can be affected by seizures at any time - night or day - and Luke wears a lanyard detailing who to call if he’s out and about. Linda added: "It just takes over your life just completely takes over your life."
She added that Luke is struggling. "He keeps popping out with things like I won't be here for Christmas and I say you are, you're going to fight," said Linda. "Because he has fought a hell of a fight for the last four years. And part of me thinks maybe they're wrong, maybe they've got it wrong, because you just want to think that don't you."
Luke is now under the palliative care team at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.
Linda revealed that the staff at Home Bargains are now throwing everything into a fundraiser for Luke to help him make the most of the time he has left, which will take place on his birthday.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
