This woman revealed the gruelling 23-hour surgery she went through to extract a rare and aggressive tumour, which left her paralysed, unable to swallow, speak, or use her arms and hands. 

Lauren Wagner began experiencing an ache in her upper back and initially dismissed it as muscle spasms before seeking medical advice, where her concerns were brushed off as insignificant.

Undeterred, she visited a massage therapist and chiropractor but their treatments yielded no relief.

It wasn't until her chiropractor noticed alarming signs that further investigations were conducted.

However, Lauren’s x-rays failed to reveal any issues, leading her to seek a second opinion at a walk-in clinic.

There, she was informed that her discomfort was likely due to an ergonomically unfriendly workstation and was advised to invest in an expensive ergonomic chair, which proved futile. 

Frustrated and in persistent pain, she underwent an MRI in mid-August, finally receiving a devastating diagnosis: a mass in her cervical spine.

As weeks passed without definitive answers, she turned to the emergency room for help and after enduring an 18-hour wait, a doctor scheduled her for a biopsy, confirming the presence of a giant cell tumour in her cervical spine. 

Lauren underwent an arduous 23-hour operation the next year to remove the rare and aggressive tumour, however, the treatment rendered her paralysed, preventing her from swallowing, speaking or using her arms and hands. 

Her recovery journey was fraught with challenges, including infections, pneumonia and multiple additional surgeries. 

Despite setbacks, her determination and the efforts of a dedicated medical team led to a breakthrough discovery: a tear in her oesophagus caused by a spinal plate inserted during the initial surgery.

A subsequent successful surgery brought her hope and progress but the road to recovery remains ongoing. 

Lauren now lives with permanent nerve damage and requires long-term antibiotic treatment to prevent future infections. 

Grateful for her life and the support she received, she cherishes each moment as an invaluable gift, vowing never to take her health for granted again. 

 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Piano Walz by Frank Schroeter
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9360-piano-walz
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license