"Support after a brain tumour"

After my husband had his brain tumour removed and came home from hospital he struggled to regain use of his right arm and hand and lost confidence in his ability to speak for himself. I felt worried that I was both doing too much for him and at the same time not enough.

Annalie, the community physiotherapist, visited and gently encouraged my husband to try new things and use the telephone again. She suggested strategies and offered some useful tips before going on to talk about exercise and taking him through a routine he could manage. She said she would also make a referral for him to join a balance exercise class.

She told us about the range of work undertaken by the community team and thendid a quick survey of our needs around the house. Although we don’t need anything at the moment she told us about things we could ask for help with in the future, should the need arise.

By the time she left my husband felt happier and more optimistic and I felt reassured about the support available for him in the future.