Mark's Story

By Joshua Whitehurst

!1

Mark Whitehurst (Dad). An amazing, loving, kind man who loves life. He works hard and has a
strong heart.
This is Mark's story.

July 30th 1958. The day Dad was born. He had his childhood in Blurton,
Stoke on Trent with his mum dad and four other siblings. He was close to his
family growing up and he always tried to help anyone when he could. He
didn't really do anything spectacular until the age of sixteen and got a job
(Whist going to college, studying painting and decorating) at Greenwoods in NewcastleUnder-Lyme. The funny thing is that there was a shoe shop across the Highstreet. At the
Shoe shop, a young lady named Jacqueline worked there just like him... Little did he know,
she was his wife to be (Mum)

They were both juniors at their work so they had to run
errands, usually fetching sandwiches for their senior
colleagues on their lunch breaks. They got to know each
other better and had a had a good friendship until my
Dad was 18. My mum thought he had got on with his life
by getting another job.

At the age of 19, Dad found out he had a brain tumour. (This is the reason that my mum no
longer saw my Dad). Even though this had happened, he did not let it get him down! His
brother, Clive took him out to Clayton rugby club to cheer him up. They were both enjoying
their night until an evil person assaulted Dad over the head with a metal grid. As you can
imagine, this left some damage also meaning he was in hospital for three months, slowly
recovering. He still did not give up hope.

After a slow but steady recovery, Dad met my mum again. (Some say "It was meant to be.")
They got into a proper relationship then got engaged. Dad then went back to work at Mr
Kipling's bakery. Dad got married to Jacqueline Bagguley, now Jacqueline Whitehurst on the
17th November 1984. (The girl he met at work at the age of 16) However, just before he
got married, his fiancs dad had passed away making things tougher than they already
were.
!2


They both continued to get on with life and moved out of their family homes and into a flat
in Clayton together. They lived here for just a year before moving out and into a three
bedroom house in Trent Vale. Here, they settled in and had their first child: Danielle on the
eighth of August 1988. When Danielle was four Mum and Dad had their second child: Natalie
on the second of July 1992. Just after the birth of his second daughter, Dad lost his Dad. (I
never got to meet any of my grandfathers, apparently, they were both amazing people.).
Then on the fifth of January 2000, Mum and Dad had their third child: Joshua. Their only
son. When I was born, dad said
"My little footballer".
What Dad didn't know is that there was something preventing this from happening just
around the corner.

When I was just six months old, Dad came home from work and collapsed onto the floor. He
was immediately rushed to hospital where he found out that he had had a stroke. The cause
for this was unknown. He remained in hospital until he was discharged thirteen weeks later.
He then had to learn how to walk, talk and eat again. (Which by now, he could not do very
well)

As he was unable to walk (Or climb stairs) Dad had to sleep on a bed in the back room
downstairs. He could not remember anything that much leading him to confusion and making
him a danger to himself. He had to finish work on ill health and my mum also had to finish
work to become his full time carer. (They both loved going to work so this was a real
shame) After about twelve months of getting used to how his life was going to be, Mum
decided that we should go on a family holiday in 2001.
We went to Alcudia, Majorca, of course, the use of a wheelchair was compulsory. He loves
spending time with his family. (He loves his family holidays.)

After getting back from Majorca, Mum and Dad received the news that their sister in law
was close to the end of her life due to cancer. Dad wanted to say go and say his last
goodbye however when he got there, he collapsed. Once again, Dad was rushed off to
hospital where he found out that he had another stroke. He now understood what was
causing these strokes after an MRI scan.
!3

Doctors found two more brain tumours. The stroke he had caused Dad's heart beat pattern
to go irregular so he had to be resuscitated. At this time, the brain tumours could not be
operated on as they were situated on a vital part of the brain. Whilst all of this was
happening, Mum and Dads sister in law had passed away but Dad was not aware of this
until a couple weeks later when he could fully understand things.

As Mum knew Dad wasn't going to get any better, she made
plans for a downstairs extension to be built for his new living
area. He came home to his new bedroom 3 months later having
been discharged.

Apart from regular brain scans and check ups, nothing else really happened up until 2004
when doctors and brain surgeons decided it was time to remove the brain tumours. Dad was
sent to Sheffield gamma knife centre. (One of the only two in the United Kingdom). Its a
surgery that involves 201 intersecting beams of gamma radiation to carefully shrink
tumours. This surgery however only shrunk one brain tumour but not the other two. Mum
soon found that the surgery had made Dad deteriorate more because medical radiation
destroys bad cells, but it can also destroy good cells. This resulted in Dad not being able to
walk (Just shuffle) or talk again. Life was getting hard.

Dad slowly started to deteriorate over the years. I was about six when I started to
understand what was happening. I can remember Dad going in and out of A&E at least once
every month without fail for the majority of my childhood. The trips were not planned (but
they were no surprise either). Around 2006 my mum decided it was time to go on another
family holiday. This time to Ibiza. We continued to go on holiday every year
or so until my Nan (Mums mum) passed away. In 2007 we went to Tenerife
then in 2009 we went on our last family holiday to Alcudia, Majorca. A
good location where you can push a somewhat heavy man in a wheelchair
around. Alcudia, Majorca is also the first place I went for a family holiday
with my Dad but now its the last.

!4

In 2010, Dad started to get worse again.

On July 16th 2011, me and mum were in Tesco when we suddenly heard a customer call out
calling..."Can Jacqueline or Joshua Whitehurst come straight to the customer service My
Mum thought that I had dropped something on the floor with our name on. (Or at least,
that is what she hoped) But no, what she hoped was not the situation. Actually, it was my
sister Natalie on the phone crying
"Mum come home quick, paramedics are with Dad!"
My Mum didn't even get the chance to ask why as straight after she heard the phone went
silent... My sister hung up as she had to go to the paramedics. We ditched our shopping
trolley and headed back home. When we got back, Dad was on the living room floor
unconscious with three paramedics surrounding him. He was taken to hospital where me,
mum, my sisters and doctors were able to understand what had happened. Dad had a TIA
while passing through the living room which made him fall to the floor. He banged his head
hard resulting in him having two brain haemorrhages. (Bleeds to the brain). This was serious,
Dad was taken to intensive care where he was monitored and his condition
checked 24 7. After about two months and a half, Dad was transferred to
Cheadle (staffordshire) hospital where he was observed for changes in his
condition. Dad could not chew or swallow so a Percutaneous Endoscopic
Gastroscopy (PEG for short) was inserted into his stomach so he could be fed. He
is given a mixture of nutrients in a rice pudding (without lumps) like liquid.

Ten months later, Dad came back home from hospital. His room was fitted with all the
medical equipment he needed. He was happy to be at home, makes a change being at home
instead of at hospital. At home you can see your family all the time
but at hospitals, strict visiting times occur. He was only at home for
three weeks as one morning, carers noticed something was wrong.
Dad was unable to move the left side of his body due to a stroke on
the right side of his brain. This now meant he was completely
bedridden. He was taken to hospital again. Dad remained in hospital
for a further four months.

!5

Now onto Friday 13th July 2012. An unlucky day (well at least it seems). It wasn't the best
day I have ever had I must say. In fact, it could possibly be the worst. I was told that my
Dad was going to die. We were told that he had three months to live. Dad was sent home
with the additional support of Douglas Macmillan Hospice and Marie Curie cancer care (Both
extravagant support charities). Dad has never been told that he is near the end of his life.
We were told that he had three months left to live six months ago. They dont know our Dad.
They don't know how strong he really is.

Dad has pretty much been fighting an illness for most of his life. He loves life and the
people around him. We know our Dad will survive. We know our Dad can fight this.
Mark Whitehurst is an amazing man and an inspiration to the world.

This is Mark's story.

!6




Dad has once featured in the local newspaper (The Sentinel) as a winner of
"The adult act of courage" award. Presented by Signal 1 radio.

!7






















Joshua Whitehurst S10. Mrs Lloyd room 46.

Marks story based on Mark Whitehurst.

!8