A MUM who underwent the same brain surgery as Davina McCall says life has never looked more beautiful.
Hartford resident Laura Taylor was diagnosed with meningioma, a benign brain tumour, eight years ago when she started going blind in her right eye.
In August, just two months before her wedding, she got the unexpected news that the tumour had grown by 8mm and would need to undergo a craniotomy - the same procedure TV presenter Davina recently underwent.
Laura, 32, had the surgery earlier this month and says she now feels ‘happier than ever’.
She said: "I can't explain how beautiful life looks, smells and feels.
"The British weather is so gloomy but it looked like the most beautiful oil painting.
"The hospital food tastes Michelin-star. I feel so empowered.
"You feel you can never stress about anything ever again - it's not worth it.
"Reading about Davina I can relate to what she is feeling.
"It seems she's in the same situation as I was."
Laura, mum to two-year-old Arley, first noticed symptoms eight years ago.
She said: "I started going blind in my right eye. It started off as a dark circle and it would go all fuzzy."
Doctors initially thought she had a migraine but after going for a scan they spotted an inflammation on Laura's brain.
She was later diagnosed with a meningioma.
Laura said: "It's the best kind of brain tumour a girl can wish for.
"They said it will likely never grow."
For the last eight years Laura has been having yearly scans to check the growth and nearly didn't go to this year's check-up as she was struggling to find childcare.
"Something in me was like 'I need to go',” she added.
As she hadn’t any ‘visual disturbances’ for years, Laura was shocked when doctors told her the tumour had grown by 8mm and would need removing.
It was getting close to her bloodline - and if it had been allowed to carry on growing it would eventually cause stroke symptoms.
Laura was able to get the operation postponed until after her and now-husband Jamie Taylor, 35, had tied the knot and been on their honeymoon.
She was taken into surgery on November 7.
"It was really scary. What if I never see my son again?” Laura continued.
"What if I wake up and my brain is not there? I'm not going to be me.
"I'd joined Facebook groups and family members had said they'd never been the same again."
Laura came home from hospital on November 13 and despite not yet being back on her feet, she says the operation has given her a ‘new perspective on life’.
She said: "I'm the happiest I have ever been.
"I'm grateful to the doctors. It was found early. I'm in a lucky position nothing had been damaged.
"I've got this new perspective on life. It's the marking of a new chapter."
Davina, who made her name as the presenter of Big Brother, announced last week that a 'very rare' benign brain tumour known as a colloid cyst had been found.
On Monday (November 19) the 57-year-old's partner, Michael Douglas, confirmed she had left the intensive care unit where she had been placed as a precaution following the surgery.
He said: “Mega progress these last 24 hours.
“Massive relief to see some light breaking through. Thanks for all the good vibes coming in from all angles, up and up."
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