TV presenter Nicki Chapman bravely appeared on This Morning on Wednesday, just five weeks after undergoing a life-threatening operation to remove her brain tumour. Talking to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, Nicki opened up about her decision to speak out about her shock diagnosis, and the terrifying thoughts that went through her head in the lead-up to the operation. At first, the Radio 2 presenter didn't realise the extent of her illness. She said: "Because of my age, often you put things down to other things, I was tired and not concentrating, but then I was doing a photoshoot and realised I couldn’t see."
Nicki Chapman has opened up about her brain tumour surgery and her recovery
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Nicki was then told that she had a stroke, and had to undergo various scans. She said after being told she had suffered a stroke: "There was a big tear permanently falling down my right eye, I couldn't stop crying. Then they said they needed to do more scans and I realised it was more serious. I was then told I had a brain tumour, and that I had actually had it between one and two years." The former Popstars judge went on to explain that while her operation was a success, she still had a bit of the tumour. "I still have a bit of him left – I call him Burt – you have to have a bit of a sense of humour" she told Holly and Phil. Before having the operation, her neurosurgeon assured her that it wasn't an emergency operation and gave her a few weeks.
Nicki praised her husband Dave Shackleton for being her rock
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In the lead-up, Nicki tried to stay calm, but admitted that in the last few days she was extremely worried, especially as she was told that she could lose her sight and may not be able to walk. "The last few days I was on my hands and knees sobbing, that's when my husband was there," she said. "You know your friends and family are good, but they really come into their own when something like this happens." Luckily, Nicki is now recovering well and said that she felt "really good". "As soon as I came around I could see and I could speak. And as soon as I came out I could start walking," she said.
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