3 days ago
Gran's terrifying seizure at work led to doctors finding mass on her brain
Doctors initially put Lesley Arnott's unexpected seizure down to epilepsy before a scan revealed something more sinister.
A grandmother has told how a terrifying seizure at work led doctors to discover a life-threatening brain mass.
Lesley Arnott, 53, was getting ready to leave work in Strichen, Aberdeenshire on March 22 last year when she was suddenly gripped by the unexpected fit.
She was found by her colleagues who called an ambulance. The manager at Farmlay Eggs was confused and incoherent, even after her seizure began to subside.
Lesley told the Record: "I remember changing my clothes but I don't really remember anything after that. It was just out of the blue.
"I came to and saw paramedics in front of me, and they told me the helicopter was coming. I wasn't really with it, I remember saying 'why is that coming?'. I must have lost about half an hour."
She was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in just 15 minutes, a journey which would have taken almost an hour by road, and rushed straight into A&E.
Lesley recalls not being able to communicate, as she had to think hard about what she was saying. She had experienced no prior symptoms or warning signs before the frightening episode.
'I was struggling to answer questions. I do remember seeing red uniforms walking towards me though. I'd never had a seizure before, but I suddenly had no recollection of time," she said.
Doctors put her seizure down to epilepsy after they were unable to find anything unusual during a head scan.
A few days later, she suffered a second seizure and was rushed back to hospital. An MRI found a large abscess on her brain which required an urgent operation to drain it.
Although rare, a brain abscess is a life-threatening condition that can cause permanent brain damage if left untreated.
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Lesley underwent two operations to drain the abscess, and was in hospital for three days before being allowed home to recover.
She said: "I slept a lot but pushed myself to keep going, and was back at work five days a week by the first week in July."
After regaining her strength, she decided to fundraise for Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance after learning the average call-out costs the charity around £4,500.
With the help of her husband George, 55, daughters Debbie, 32, and Laura, 31, and their community, Lesley has raised £16,262 hosting coffee mornings and a Bridgerton themed event.
Lesley added: "We received such strong support from the local community. My husband is a farmer, and we live in a farming community, so many people in the area understand how important the air ambulance service is.
"I'm very thankful for the crew who helped me when I had my seizure, and my family were so relieved to know I was getting the care I needed."
