How the rest of the medical community deals with cancer
Cancer has been following me around the past two weeks. I had my routine lady-doctor exam and all is well. Then the OB/GYN asked how everything was going with… um, you know… the brain cancer thing. “It’s the same,” I told her. My primary care doctor sent me to see a new physical therapist for...
Obligatory pre-MRI post
The last MRI of my brain was on February 24. A week after that I had a shoulder surgery. I went six weeks without Temodar chemo (as opposed to the routine 4 weeks) because of the surgery, and then last month Temodar was pushed forward a week due to a low platelet count. Why am...
Happy surger-versary, to me!
Best friend Mel fed me ice chips after surgery because I was starving. Today is the one year anniversary of my second craniotomy. Remember how I couldn’t walk after my second surgery? Remember I how I had to do physical therapy and use a cane? Remember how slow I had to take it on...
A shout-out to Brett Gibbs
I had an MRI on Wednesday and have been putting off this blog post for a few days–but not because of the state of my health. As a matter of fact, my MRI on Wed., Dec. 2 looked great. When “Super Awesome Nurse” compared my scan with one from May, we could see with our...
My first two seizures
The first part of my medical journey is about neurology, epilepsy, and uncertainty. I have found that uncertainty is scarier than a diagnosis, even when the diagnosis is brain cancer. This story is about my first two seizures and what they felt like. It is important for me to tell this story because early in...
My new job
Today was my second-to-last day at work. I am leaving so I can start my new job: fighting cancer. For an hour today (5-6 p.m.) I let myself grieve for my loss. When I accepted this new job back in July it was a dream come true. I was finally going to work as an...
Let’s get a look at that scar
Today I saw a neurosurgeon and an epileptologist in Redwood City to get a second (and third) opinion about a second craniotomy. I didn’t change my mind about my current neurosurgeon; rather, I got more questions answered and now feel even more confident in what will happen next. I was proud of myself at this...
Motor strip
Ah! My world got crazier today as my neurosurgeon expressed that he’s apprehensive about my second craniotomy. That might be a red flag for some people, but I’m not worried. Why? Because he’s not a neuro-oncologist; he’s a surgeon. He’s worried about getting too close to my motor-strip and causing neurological damage that could inflict...
Hi, I’m having a craniotomy
Last night I sent this message to my twelve doctors/medical advisers. Dear Dr. ______, Since you are a doctor who is involved with my care I’d like to give you an update about my medical condition. On 1/16 I had a three-month post-operative MRI and learned that the brain tumor has continued to grow. I...
