NEED TO KNOW
Graham Bell, 61, opened up about being diagnosed with a life-threatening brain abscess, which he contracted via a cracked tooth
He wound up having a “life-saving brain surgery,” after “a mass in [his] brain was discovered” in mid-March
“It was bizarre because I had no pain or swelling in my mouth to tell me there was something wrong,” he recalled
A British man is speaking out about being diagnosed with a life-threatening brain abscess after a crack in his tooth became infected.
Graham Bell, 61, and his wife Sue, who are based in Wirral in the north west of England, were preparing to head to Wales for the day when he started complaining of bad headaches.
Sue also noticed Graham’s face “had fallen on one side,” per a news release shared by The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, which is the hospital in Liverpool, U.K., where he was treated.
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A stroke was ruled out, but Graham ended up having “life-saving brain surgery,” after “a mass in [his] brain was discovered” in the days that followed. The hospital confirmed in an email to PEOPLE that Graham underwent the operation in mid-March.
The Walton Centre/Bell Family
Graham Bell
He recalled, “It was a lot of information to take in a short time. I had the family around me, but I think we were all in a bit of shock. I was not well, so finding out what was going on quickly was key for all of us,” per the release.
Graham’s wife, Sue, said, “By this point Graham had deteriorated greatly. The ambulance brought us to The Walton Centre, and once there I knew it was serious,” the post noted.
“Graham was prepped for surgery right away. The team was so professional, but it was obvious that speed was of the essence,” she continued.
A 3 centimeter abscess was discovered in Graham’s brain as he was admitted for emergency surgery, the release stated.
“The first operation to essentially drain the abscess was a success, and Graham began to improve,” the hospital noted, adding that his condition worsened days later after he contracted sepsis.
The Walton Centre/Bell Family
Graham Bell with his family
The Cleveland Clinic states that “sepsis occurs when your immune system has a dangerous reaction to an infection.”
“It causes extensive inflammation throughout your body that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and even death,” the site adds. “Many different kinds of infections can trigger sepsis, which is a medical emergency. The quicker you receive treatment, the better your outcome will be.”
Graham recalled, “I was rushed back into surgery to drain the abscess again and they gave me high doses of [antibiotics] to help tackle the infection,” per the release.
“My clinical team worked to understand what was going on, and found that the infection had actually come from an infection in a cracked tooth I had. It was bizarre because I had no pain or swelling in my mouth to tell me there was something wrong,” he added.
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A photo of The Walton Centre in Liverpool, U.K.
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Graham, who spent six weeks recovering at the hospital, “still has issues with communicating and moving around” after surgery and treatment, but the family are “following the therapy and on our way to getting back to as close to normal as possible,” his wife, Sue, said.
“It’s early days, and his latest review in July was encouraging,” Sue shared, per the release, as well as thanking the hospital.
Sue continued, “The hospital saved his life. For that there is nothing we can do to thank them enough!”
“But as a family we can raise some money and give something back to support the outstanding care they give to patients every day,” she added, referencing Graham’s kids, Rob and Aimee, who raised over $4,200 by doing a sponsored walk to raise money for The Walton Centre Charity.
Read the original article on People
