A young and previously active man in Edinburgh is preparing to undergo brain surgery for a mystery illness that has caused double vision and weeks of debilitating symptoms.
Wesley Klok started to get painful headaches and felt drowsy all day long. This was followed by double vision which left him unable to work or even get out of bed.
The 25-year-old had moved to Edinburgh from Amsterdam to stay with a friend in 2020 but just two years into living abroad in the Scottish capital he found himself alone in hospital undergoing major brain surgery.
READ MORE: Edinburgh holidaymakers issued France warning by Ryanair, Jet2 and easyJet
Speaking to Edinburgh Live Wesley said: "The first time I got diagnosed with a benign tumour was in the hospital last September (2022) after weeks of visiting my GP with symptoms.
"I knew something was wrong a few weeks before I found out but my GP kept telling me to come back and see if the symptoms went away. I was really drowsy, couldn’t walk straight and felt like I was drunk all day for three weeks.
"At first they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me or what I needed then finally I had an MRI and they discovered a tumour on my brain.
"There was a major improvement after the first surgery, within a couple of weeks I felt like I was back to my normal self and they were happy they had taken out most of the tumour."
Wesley discovered he had a benign brain tumour which is a non-cancerous mass of cells that grows relatively slowly in the brain and is usually removed by surgery.
He continued: "The tumour was growing again and all of my symptoms came back. In March this year, I started to get double vision in my left eye and went back to my GP.
"They sent me to Specsavers for further tests and I went two or three times. They said there was nothing more they could do and I went back to my GP who referred me to the eye hospital."
The symptoms continued and last week the 25-year-old was rushed to the hospital where he required more emergency surgery.
"Last week I went to the hospital and had to have emergency surgery again to reduce swelling in my brain and remove the fluid behind my eyes.
"I have another appointment next week for major brain surgery where they will try to remove all of the tumours. Every time I visited my doctor they tell me to phone back or I have to wait weeks to speak to a doctor it's ridiculous.
"I work at retail premises on Princes Street but I can't work at the moment and spend most of my time in bed," he said.
Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox
Finally, Wesley added: "I'm kind of used to going through major brain surgery now... They don't know what is wrong or causing the tumours to come back which is frustrating.
"The tumour is benign but in the place it is located - it is not and causes problems.
"They don't know what is wrong but this time they want to get it all out and we will hope for the best. It takes me around four weeks to recover from the surgery and I used to be really active but can’t get out now."
Symptoms of non-cancerous brain tumours include persistent headaches, seizures, feeling sick all the time, being sick, and drowsiness, mental or behavioural changes, such as changes in personality, weakness or paralysis, and vision problems, or speech problems.
Wesley will get an MRI this week followed by another major surgery to remove the tumour which medics hope will not return.
You can find help and advice from the NHS here.
READ NEXT:
Kind-hearted West Lothian Asda worker paid for young mum's shopping after card failed
Edinburgh train passengers facing huge delays as car crashes into rail bridge
Celebrity chef James Martin calls for common 'horrendous' ingredient to be banned
Tributes to Edinburgh songwriter behind Merry Christmas Everyone as he dies age 76
Scottish Hollywood star spotted in West Lothian pub as filming takes place
