Canberra dad fighting for his life after headache reveals 'ticking time bomb' condition
A Canberra father has been left critically ill while on holiday with his family in Japan after a series of brain haemorrhages from a rare condition he didn't know he had.
Jacob Burridge, 38, was about to return home to Australia with his wife, Waka, and his eight-year-old daughter, Matia, when he began complaining of a headache.
The primary school teacher was rushed to a nearby hospital in Kochi, in Japan's southwest, and was unconscious within minutes.
Doctors performed a CT scan and discovered massive brain haemorrhages on both sides of his brain. He was placed in an induced coma and rushed to emergency surgery.
Unknown to Burridge, he has been living with the rare and potentially fatal condition arteriovenous malformation, or AVM, which triggered the haemorrhages.
His brother Thomas revealed the condition could strike at any moment and could prove fatal.
“It’s a congenital condition... like a ticking time bomb, he had no symptoms in the lead-up,” he told News Corp.
"Once it ruptures surgery is required or death will occur in next rupture."
His family has since flown to Japan to be by his bedside as doctors initially told his loved ones to say their goodbyes with his chance of survival slim.
Burridge's condition has gradually improved with his condition being downgraded from fully critical to critical but stable. He remains in a coma.
He faces vital surgery from three brain surgeons on Monday which is expected to be up to 20 hours long. They plan to remove the AVM before reconnecting all veins and vessels affected.
He had been in Japan on an annual trip to the country to visit Waka's homeland and to allow Matia practice her Japanese.
She has since been used to translate between doctors and Burridge's family members.
The family had travelled without insurance and has been receiving assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
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A GoFundMe page has since been set up to help raise funds to pay for Burridge's ongoing care and medical expenses while in Japan.
Thomas thanked for the huge support the family had received, especially from medical staff in Japan.
“We are so grateful and thank everybody for the help,” he said.
