Next week on Home and Away in the UK, Remi faces the most crucial moment of his life as he undergoes high-risk brain surgery.

 

In recent weeks, Remi (Adam Rowland) has been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour, with neurosurgeon Dr Swan (Brigid Zengeni) determining that the safest way to remove it is through an awake craniotomy.

The complex procedure will see Remi placed under anaesthetic for the initial stages, before being brought back to consciousness once his skull is open so that Dr Swan can map his brain function in real time—ensuring she avoids damaging critical areas as she operates.

With the surgery only days away, Remi headed off to the city with Eden (Stephanie Panozzo) to deliver the news to parents Graham and Nicola (Brian Meegan and Kate Raison).

But on their return next week, Eden tells Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) that Remi wasn’t able to go through with telling them, leaving her all too aware of what she’ll have to do if anything goes wrong.

When Sonny (Ryan Bown) arrives, expecting to accompany Remi to the hospital shortly, Remi instead tells him and Eden that he’s going to the hospital alone, insisting it’s something he needs to do himself.

The decision comes as a shock, particularly as they had planned to support him through it, but Remi refuses to change his mind.

Remi steps outside, and Eden panics when they subsequently hear him taking off on his motorbike, despite the risks.

At Northern Districts Hospital, preparation is already underway, as Dr Swan wraps up a briefing with the surgical team before they head off to theatre.

Staying behind, Levi (Tristan Gorey) speaks with her, as she admits the operation will be one of the most challenging she’s ever attempted, given the tumour’s position close to key functional areas of the brain.

Back on Saxon Avenue, when Remi eventually returns he admits to Eden and Sonny that heading out on his bike was reckless, but explains he needed the moment—aware it could be the last time he gets to do so.

Remi soon reveals he’s already arranged his own lift to the hospital, catching Eden and Sonny off guard as Levi arrives to pick him up.

With little more than a brief goodbye to his best mates, Remi leaves with him.

At the hospital, Levi talks Remi through what to expect, running over the stages of the operation with him.

As Remi faces the fact that he may not come through this, he asks Levi to ensure he tells Eden just how much she means to him.

Levi tells Remi he can tell her himself, as Remi turns around to find Eden has followed him to the hospital, drawing him into a big hug.

Clearly relieved to see her despite his earlier bravado, Remi softens, as Eden makes it clear she’s not going anywhere, staying with him as he prepares to head into theatre.

Inside the operating theatre, the first stage begins with Remi being placed under anaesthetic whilst Dr Swan and her team open his skull.

Once that stage is complete, he is brought back around so the team can begin mapping his brain. As the process is about to begin, Remi grabs Levi’s arm, needing his mate’s support.

As Dr Swan stimulates different areas, Levi guides Remi through a series of responses, asking him to identify objects and react to prompts, allowing the team to identify which areas control key functions.

At one point, Remi’s breathing quickens and his anxiety spikes, with his vital signs rising as the pressure of the situation hits.

With the risk of having to abandon the awake procedure, Levi steps in to steady him, talking him through his breathing until it returns to normal.

Once his breathing is brought back under control, the surgery continues, though Dr Swan makes it clear there is no room for further issues.

As the operation progresses, Remi is handed his guitar, with the team using his playing to monitor how his brain is responding in real time.

When he suddenly hits a wrong note and his hand seizes up, the mood in the theatre shifts, as Dr Swan immediately pauses—”Was that me or him?”

As Remi begins to falter, Levi steps in, urging him to focus and keep playing, while Dr Swan warns that if he can’t continue, she’ll have no choice but to put him fully under.

“I’m starting to regret letting you guys touch any part of my brain,” Remi states in frustration.

You want me to stop?” Dr Swan replies in her typically blunt fashion. “I’ll stop. But just so we’re clear, we do that, and the next time a guitar plays will be at your funeral.”

With everything on the line, Remi regains his composure and starts playing again, allowing the surgery to continue.

Dr Swan eventually confirms the tumour has been removed, with samples sent for testing to determine whether it is malignant.

Before being placed under again, Remi is asked a series of questions to assess his condition, responding clearly and showing no immediate signs of damage.

Eden remains at his bedside as he is brought out of surgery, with Levi confirming that the operation has gone as well as they could have hoped.

With no obvious deficits and the tumour removed, attention turns to recovery as they await further results.

The following morning, Eden is still by Remi’s side when Levi returns. With Remi’s obs stable overnight, there are no immediate concerns, and they wait for him to wake.

But when Remi does come round, it becomes clear something isn’t right.

Seeing Eden holding his guitar, Remi struggles to find the word—“my… thing… strings”—trailing off and grasping for it until Eden has to fill it in for him.

Called back by Eden, Levi runs further checks, asking Remi to follow instructions and testing his strength and coordination.

Physically, everything appears normal, with no issues in his movement or responses.

Levi suggests it may be due to swelling following the surgery, something that can temporarily affect speech depending on the area of the brain involved. When Remi presses for how long it might last, Levi is unable to give a clear answer.

To rule out any complications, further scans are arranged to check for issues such as bleeding, with Dr Swan on her way in to assess him.

All Remi can do now is wait to find out whether it’s a temporary side effect of the surgery, or a sign of a deeper complication…