Mother-of-two is diagnosed with a brain bleed that had been a hidden 'ticking time bomb' - as she reveals the warning sign she missed and the life-changing advice she got from Dr Charlie Teo

A mother-of-two who suffered a bleed on the brain has been warned by renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo she is three times more likely to experience the same horror again unless she undergoes $100,000 surgery.

Shelley Harvey, 48, from western Sydney, learned she had a bleed on her brain in March 2019, which turned out to be a cavernoma - a 2.2cm cluster of abnormal blood cells.

She told Daily Mail Australia the only warning sign prior to her shock diagnosis was twitchy toes.

The news has turned her life upside down in the 19 months since.

Her health has deteriorated, including the development of a tremor in her left leg that has constant movement, which causes further problems.

Desperate for answers, Ms Harvey made an appointment with Dr Teo, who recommended surgery as soon as possible.

Shelley Harvey (pictured right) has had a series of health setbacks since a scan revealed she had a bleed on the brain. She's pictured with daughters Emma and Taylor

'He said it was three times more likely it would bleed again because of the size of the cavernoma, my relatively young age and the trouble it has given me since,' Ms Harvey told Daily Mail Australia.

'The best way to describe it as it looks like I have Parkinson's Disease, but only on one side of my body.

'It was a massive shock to find out I have a ticking time bomb inside me that could kill me.'

Worst case scenarios include complete paralysis on her left side, epilepsy, seizures or even a stroke. 

Ms Harvey insists she had very few symptoms before her diagnosis.

'Every case is different,' she said. 

'For me, I didn't have any headaches but I had twitchy toes so I went to the doctor, who thought it was a bit odd and referred me to a neurologist to have an MRI.'

Shelley Harvey's life has been rocked since the shock diagnosis in March 2019

Scans revealed the 2.2cm cluster of abnormal blood cells on Ms Harvey's brain, also known as a cavernoma

Ms Harvey now suffers a multitude of frequent symptoms, including blurred vision, dizziness, migraine headaches, off balance when walking or standing still, memory and speech issues and muscle tightening.

She's now trialling Botox after the previous six medications failed to provided any relief to her symptoms.

'It's had a huge toll on my life,' Ms Harvey said. 

'I work in a pharmacy where I've had to reduce my days at work because I'm constantly on my feet.'

'I can't wear thongs, heels or slip-on shoes because I often lose my balance and trip over all the time.

'I worry all the time I'm going to have a serious fall.'

Shelley Harvey (pictured centre) has described the bleed on her brain as a ticking timebomb

Ms Harvey's deteriorating health has also taken a toll on her daughters Taylor 21, and Emma, 19, who both still live at home. 

Taylor, who found out about her mum's diagnosis on her 20th birthday last year, has become her carer.   

'It's being very hard carrying a lot of stress, which isn't not something I would want anyone my age to go through,' Taylor said.

'COVID-19 has been tough but finding out about Mum's diagnosis was the worst birthday imagined. 

'It would mean everything to me to see mum get better and lead a normal life again.'

Shelley Harvey (pictured received treatment) has undergone numerous MRI scans in the last 12 months along with a EEG to check for possible seizures

The western Sydney mum (pictured with her daughters) has since developed a tremor in her left leg which has caused further problems

Ms Harvey will seek another medical opinion before she makes the final decision to go ahead with surgery.

'I want to get as many opinions as possible to make an informed choice,' Ms Harvey said.

'If they say the best thing is to have surgery to remove the risks, that's what I'll be doing.

'I will need to learn how walk and talk again after the surgery.

'But I want to be there for my daughters, who have their whole lives ahead of them.' 

Surgery could be the only option for Shelley (pictured with her brother Troy and dad Ralph)  

The only factor holding Ms Harvey back is the estimated $100,000 bill for surgery and rehabilitation.

'My daughters aren't working at the moment and it's hard paying the mortgage and bills on my own,' she said.

Taylor has set up a GoFundMe page, which has raised more than $9,000 so far. 

'While cavernomas are not cancerous they still pose a serious threat to her and can still be deadly,' the page states.

'Further bleeds can cause a stroke and possibly seizures which is a higher risk to her daily life.

'The longer she waits to have the surgery the more at risk of further bleeding and neurological damage.'

Shelley Harvey (pictured with her daughters) is hopeful she will lead a normal life again