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Nineteen-year-old Tavoy Senior, a resident of Red Hills in Westmoreland, did four brain surgeries in one week in January 2017 following the discovery of an abscess on his brain.

The sequence of events leading to Senior's brain surgeries came as a result of him experiencing swelling in his eye that blurred his vision, caused by a sudden numbness in the left side of his body.

Senior said that his situation was so bad that he was only able to see during the daytime. He sought medical attention at Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland, and doctors there quickly transferred him to Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St James, where he faced the drill and the surgeon's knife to drain the abscess that had formed on his brain.

"The doctor said I am young, but no one had survived so many brain surgeries in such a short period of time," Senior, who was in grade nine at Petersfield High School, told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Following the surgeries, Senior, who dreams of becoming a neurologist -- a medical doctor who specialises in treating diseases of the nervous system -- returned to school, but for a short time.

"I went back to school where I had to repeat grade nine. I was doing exceptionally well at school," Senior said.

He recalled that while he was in grade nine, he sat two Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects that are administered by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).

"I did two subjects, accounts and IT. I passed the IT at grade two, but the day of the accounts, I was having headaches and couldn't see anything on the paper. That's the main reason that caused me to fail the accounts," he said.

He was hopeful that the surgeries would have brought the relief that he sought; however, while the doctors were successful in draining the abscess, he was to face a new battle - seizures. His parents are now saddled with the cost of purchasing regular doses of medication to treat the abnormal brain activities being experienced.

He told THE WEEKEND STAR that he had to be admitted to Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital for a few weeks in July 2019, after experiencing several bouts of seizures.

The former school prefect now moves about with the help of a walker.

In addition to his mobility being impacted, the once vibrant Senior is no longer speaking fluently. There was a time that he travelled to Kingston to see a neurologist to help in his recovery, but that no longer happens. His mother, Cassandra McKenzie, cannot afford it.

"If I can get some help for him I would be grateful. I have to charter a car to take him to do therapy and to visit Kingston Public Hospital (KPH)," McKenzie said.

"I just need some help so that I can bring him to KPH and his therapy, which is costing $3,500 per session for therapy. It was every month that I have to travel to Kingston, but after him getting a little better the doctor said it's difficult for me to find the money to pay for the car from so far, so he gave me the medications. I was supposed to go back from November and all now I don't go back," she said.

Senior, too, is hoping that some good Samaritans will come along and help him in his fight to recover so that he can pursue his dream of becoming a neurologist.

"I want to become a neurologist very badly. I always say to myself that I will be my first patient, but I haven't really put much thought to see what it would be like. But I would like to run some test on myself to see what's happening, even though I would not have any problem with other doctors diagnosing me."

Persons willing to assist Tavoy Senior with his medical expenses can contact his mother Cassandra McKenzie at 876 789-2901. Donations may also be made to Cassandra McKenzie's bank account at Jamaica National Bank - A/C # 2 0 9 4 3 0 0 0 0 6 Branch: Savanna-La-Mar.