Neurosurgeon Saves Grandma Misdiagnosed With Terminal Cancer
A Maryland great-grandmother was told she had stage 4 brain cancer and days to live. A determined family and one doctor's instinct revealed the truth: a treatable tooth infection.
When Lynda Bush started slurring her words and losing consciousness, emergency room doctors delivered the worst possible news. Brain scans showed a massive lesion, and they diagnosed the Maryland great-grandmother with terminal stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to her brain.
"They said it had metastasized from her lungs to her brain," her daughter Amy Walls told CBS News Baltimore. "We could almost see her fading away in that bed."
Doctors started Bush on steroids but saw no point in surgery for someone they believed was dying. Her family refused to accept this fate and fought to transfer her to MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center.
That decision saved her life.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Jugal Shah took one look at Bush's scans and trusted his gut. "Infection can have the same appearance as a tumor," he explained, noting that something didn't add up.
Shah immediately scheduled surgery. The moment he began operating, his hunch was proven right.
"As soon as we opened the brain, yellow pus came out," he recalled. "I knew my suspicions were immediately correct."
Bush didn't have cancer at all. She had a rare brain abscess caused by bacteria from her mouth, specifically Streptococcus intermedius.
The infection stemmed from recent dental work on a front tooth. In extremely rare cases, this oral bacteria can travel through the bloodstream directly to the brain.
Without treatment, the infection would have killed her. Instead of hospice care, Bush spent two weeks in the hospital recovering.
Why This Inspires
This story shows the power of listening to both medical intuition and family advocacy. Dr. Shah could have accepted the initial diagnosis, but his experience told him to look deeper.
Bush's family refused to watch her fade away without fighting for answers. Their persistence gave doctors the chance to discover the truth.
"I probably wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for my family," Bush said. "They were like advocates for my care."
Her daughter's advice resonates far beyond this single case. "You have to question things," Walls urged other families navigating the medical system.
Today, Bush is alive and thriving, proof that second opinions and family advocacy can mean the difference between life and death.
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Based on reporting by Upworthy
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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