The beginning...

So here I go...

Hi everyone. I am starting this blog to help me (as a type of journal) to keep tabs for myself, family and friends. As you may know I was recently diagnosed with multiple brain tumors (brain lesions) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 at SW General Hospital.

I had gone to the hospital that morning because the Sunday before I was hit in the head while coaching one of my competitive cheerleading teams (it was blunt force trauma to the head by a girls bottom - what are the odds) and started getting major headaches, deep eye socket pain in both eyes, a blurred left eye, random speech problems (reversing words a lot), random writing problems (not knowing how to spell random words), random short term memory problems, random balance problems standing on my right foot, and pressure changes in head/not in ears.

When I got hit that Sunday, it did hurt but it was not a big deal ~ not an 'oh my goodness-I can't move from the pain' thing. I coach and have been coaching for quite a while and with that comes the occasional hit to the head by a flying body part while spotting a skill. This time was no different except I felt immediate pain in the back of my neck and an increasing headache began.

When I arrived at SW General, they got me in immediately: braced my neck, gave me an eye exam, gave me a muscle relaxer and gave me a CAT Scan looking for a possible concussion/neck injury, etc. The CAT Scan came back and was "positive" so they put me in for an MRI.

After the MRI the attending ER physician told me they found 3 brain tumors (1 in the left frontal lobe-1.6 cm/1 smaller tumor in right brain/1 smaller tumor in the backtop portion of my left brain) and they believed they had nothing to do with any head trauma by bottom. They wanted to bus me to Cleveland Clinic's Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center, but my insurance is an HMO and said no.

I went home that night with a completely surreal reality that resembled nothing of my life. My life was now on a different path.

I was able to have my insurance refer me to the Cleveland Clinic's Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center for that Tuesday. I then saw Dr. Angelov, http://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff_directory/5/Staff_4568.aspx, for a consultation. She reviewed my case and scheduled blood tests, a CT Scan of my torso and a mammogram. The tests showed a growth on my thyroid and small, multiple lesions on my liver- one which is approximately 1.5 cm. She believes these new findings have nothing to do with the brain tumors.

She stated that my case has more than one thing going on and as she is a neuro-oncologist she then referred me to Dr. Tekautz, http://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff_directory/8/Staff_7087.aspx. I saw Dr. Tekautz on December 17, 2008 as per insurance referral and she then scheduled me for a lumbar puncture, ultrasound of my thyroid, headache doctor and neuro-psych testing.

I am scheduled to have my thyroid ultrasound tomorrow, lumbar puncture on Jan. 6 and other testing done sometime in January (date TBA).

After the last tests they believe that the tumors are Primary. They do not know what made them, or if they're malignant/metastatic or benign. After the lumbar puncture they will know more and I will have some kind of a game plan. I am very tired with headaches/neck aches. Speach, writing and other syptoms still here. Some symptoms are getting better then come back. Just day to day right now.

I do know that I am very blessed to know all this now. Many people do not, or have it worse than me by 10 fold. I do thank God every day for letting me know now - and to find out because of a bottom bump to the head. You should have seen the doctors faces when they asked specifically HOW I came to go to the ER.

I'll keep updating this blog as I am able to...



About Noah - When we told Noah, he was very upset. But Mike and I explained that God wanted us to know about this right now for a reason. Not sure why, but at least to have faith that there's purpose even if WE can't see it. Church is really helping Noah (and myself) to cope, have faith and looking forward to whatever comes our way.

About You -
Thank you for all your prayers and love. I really do appreciate it even if my brain forgets to tell you... :) To everyone/anyone, please feel free to leave me a message, comment, idea, a message about something I forgot, etc. Thanks again!