Englishman Michael Batten (36) woke up with vomiting, pain and extreme dizziness after celebrating the Thai New Year. Although, according to him, the doctors assured him that these were just normal monkey symptoms, they later gave him news that changed his life. , he overcame a serious stroke, which still causes him enormous health problems.
- Michael woke up with an excruciating headache.
- Doctors initially attributed his problems to a monkey and sent him home.
- Further examinations revealed that he had suffered an ischemic stroke.
- He underwent a craniotomy, but still has to fight health problems.
Michael, who moved to Thailand in 2019, woke up with terrible symptoms on April 14 this year. At first, he thought his condition would improve, but when breathing problems began, he immediately went to a local hospital. However, according to his words, the doctors told him that it was just a monkey after drinking alcohol. They sent him home with medication. “They took it lightly, but I didn’t drink much during those celebrations. I was home already at ten in the evening,” the man claims.
After three days in excruciating pain, Michael visited another hospital. There they did a CT scan and shortly after they gave him the shocking news. “I fell asleep because it was very late. Then the nurse woke me up, shook me and said: ‘You have a brain tumor’. I thought I was going to die“, he noted.
A teacher from England underwent an MRI to determine if it was cancer. An examination revealed that Michael did not have a tumor but had suffered an ischemic stroke and had a 4.5cm shadow on the back of his brain. “I’ve already experienced something similar. In 2020, I received an unexpected call from my sister that my father had a stroke and died. So you can imagine how my family felt“, he revealed.
Michael was rushed to the operating room, where he underwent a craniotomy – a procedure in which surgeons remove part of the skull. The goal of the doctors was to reduce the swelling of the brain. When he woke up, he didn’t recognize anyone around him, and it took several days before he spoke again. Although he can now communicate normally and has learned to walk again, he still struggles with brain damage that affects his motor skills, coordination and orientation.
These complications are likely to accompany Michael for the rest of his life and may prevent him from returning to normal activities, including football and basketball. With part of his skull still missing, doctors warned him that any blow to the head could be fatal. “I want to recover as best as possible. I hope my skull heals so I can go back to my original life“, he stated.
In addition to health problems, Michael also has to face financial difficulties. The reason is the high cost of treatment, which reached 16 thousand pounds. The insurance company suggested that he settle directly with the hospital while they reviewed his medical records. “They don’t want to issue me a passport because I haven’t paid the invoice. I don’t know if I will be able to visit my mother in the UK this year“, he admitted.
Michael’s friend therefore created a collection for him on the GoFundMe page to support him financially. “I want people abroad who are in a similar situation to me not to have such problems. Check your insurance, you may not be as covered as you think. If something unexpected happens, ask for help,” he advises.
