A dad who was told he would never walk again following a devastating cancer diagnosis is now preparing to run a half-marathon just one year later. Ross Andrew was diagnosed with CNS lymphoma last November after waking up with pain in the bottom of his back. When he later developed sepsis, a doctor told him: "I cannot believe you’re not dead".
From marathon runner to disabled in days
The keen runner initially believed it was sciatic pain and struggled to get a diagnosis. Weeks later, the 30-year-old, originally from Strathaven and now living in Anstruther, woke with double vision and was forced to wear an eyepatch after his eyes stopped working together. Despite attending A&E, he was sent home after brain scans showed nothing. Two days later, the dad-of-one woke unable to move either leg.
He said: “I had gone from someone who runs marathons to being disabled in a matter of days.” After being sent home again, Ross returned to his GP with wife Alana and their then nine-month-old son Max. He was admitted to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, where doctors initially treated him for suspected inflammation on his spinal cord.
Diagnosis and setbacks
As his condition deteriorated and he could barely move his arms, Ross feared doctors were missing something. He continued: "I told them to stop the antibiotics as it was clearly not working. I told them, ‘you can’t miss this much longer or I know I’ll be dead’." Medical staff decided to do a lumbar puncture and send it to Edinburgh for it to be tested. Later that night, he was told he had lymphoma.
Ross said: “I had no clue what that was. They replied, ‘You have cancer’. I just broke down. I asked them, ‘Am I going to die?’, but they couldn't tell me as the haematologists had gone home for the weekend." Chemotherapy followed, and after three weeks in hospital he made it home for Max’s first Christmas. But days later, Ross became desperately ill. Alana took him back to hospital, where he was diagnosed with sepsis.
Ross said: “My doctor told me, ‘I cannot believe you’re not dead’. I am so lucky that my wife took me to hospital that night." After finally leaving hospital in January, the keen runner was given another devastating blow as his wife Alana, who had been told she was pregnant around the time of Ross’s diagnosis, had miscarried. He said: “She had a miscarriage due to the stress of my cancer and nearly dying. It was a horrendous time. It felt like I couldn't be there to support her due to my illness."
Further heartbreak and recovery
As Ross continued treatment, his 10-year-old German shepherd was diagnosed with a 10cm tumour in her chest but thankfully survived after a successful surgery. Tragedy then struck again when Ross’s dad, Bill Andrew, who had been bedridden and seriously ill, died on February 9 at the age of 75. Ross said: "My dad held on until I was out of hospital following my second round of chemo but I was determined to walk his coffin down the aisle. My six brothers carried it but nothing was stopping me being there for him. I'd have crawled if I had to but I managed to power behind with crutches."
Further treatment brought more setbacks, including another two more MRSA infections, which previously led to him contracting sepsis. After four rounds of chemotherapy, Ross is now in remission and has turned his attention to rebuilding his strength before taking on the Edinburgh Half Marathon in November for Lymphoma Action.
He said: "I'm a very stubborn person who will never be told they can’t do something. So when doctors told me I’d never walk again, my first thought was, ‘Do you want to bet?’." Ross has been learning to walk again alongside Max and is now managing four minutes of running at a time. He continued: “It's been a long journey. I don’t have a time in mind to complete the race, I just want to finish it." Over £1,400 has been raised on Ross' GoFundMe so far. Ross added: “It’s been very surreal the amount of people who have supported the fundraiser. It’s not something I’m used to but the support from strangers, my family and friends has been unbelievable."
