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After being in a car accident, this student was taken to hospital – where routine scans revealed he had a brain tumour.
Drew Gunby (now 21) from Texas, USA, was involved in a car accident in January 2013.
Drew, 15 at the time, was in the passenger seat of his friend's car when his friend swerved and lost control of the vehicle, crashing into a fence.
The teen was flung forward and hit his chin, requiring a trip to the nearest hospital for stitches.
"The windshield was completely destroyed, and the car was totalled," Drew says. "I sliced my chin open and ended up going to the hospital by ambulance to get stitches. I was the only one who needed medical attention to the extent of stitches.
"I was in a lot of pain. My chin was burning badly, and my back was hurting severely. The impact of the car crash was the most physical pain I'd ever endured."
After having his chin stitched up, doctors suggested a CAT scan to make sure there was no internal damage, such as broken bones, from the crash.
The scan didn't show any internal damage – but it did show a tumour on Drew's brain.
"I started crying immediately. It was extremely scary hearing I could have a tumour in such a serious part of my body, and it was probably one of the few moments of weakness I allowed myself to have during this whole experience.
"The tumour was 5.5cm large, and I was told I could have been walking around with it for anything between two months and two years. There was no way of knowing though," he said.
Drew had surgery to remove the tumour on 30 January 2013.
Though the cancer is gone for the moment, Drew lives with the uncertainty that it could return at any time. He's chosen to not ever take anything for granted again.
Although his recovery was hard, there have been no lasting complications.
"I was very behind in school work, but besides that, life kept going on. I learned that no matter what happens in your life that brings you to a stop, life won't stop for anything.
"If I didn't have that minor crash, the brain tumour would have gone unnoticed for longer – possibly until I had a seizure to indicate a brain tumour. By then, it would've been much bigger.
"It has shown me that life can be taken from you at any moment, for no apparent reason. I want to live every day as if it's my last, and if I have several days in a row where I ask myself 'if today was your last day, did you do what you wanted to do?' and the answer is no, I know I must change it.
"I no longer seek to find a job that makes me the most money as there are plenty of miserable people with millions in their bank accounts.
"You should never take any aspect of life for granted, as it can all be gone in the blink of any eye."
Source: Magazine Features
Pictures: MEDIADRUMWORLD/WWW.MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA
