Health & Fitness
Normal Is Just a Cycle On the Washing Machine!
May has been designated Brain Tumor Awareness Month, in honor of that I am chronicling my journey through the diagnosis and surgery of my tumor, and how it changed my perspective on life.
My musings on life after a brain tumor.
The tech slid me out of the MRI machine and told me my neurologist was on the phone for me. I knew that was not a good sign, when I picked up the phone he spoke the words that would forever change my life; “You have a brain tumor.”
It all started with ear pain two years prior. The pain was excruciating and would last for a few days. Then with the pain came facial tingling and my scalp was so tender I winced every time I brushed my hair. Each visit to my doctor brought a different diagnosis; ear infection, shingles, or migraine.
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The scariest symptom started when, out of the blue, I fell over. One minute I was walking and the next thing I knew I was sprawled out on the sidewalk. The first time I chalked it up to bad luck, but when it happened a few more times, I knew there was something wrong.
Having lost faith in my primary care doctor, I took my laundry list of bizarre symptoms to my rheumatologist who thought I had damaged my vestibular system; the part of the inner ear that controls balance. She referred me to an ear, nose and throat doctor for balance tests. I passed the balance tests, but my eyes tracked abnormally leading them to the conclusion it was a neurological problem.
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It was the neurologist that sent me for the MRI, and he was left with the job of breaking the news that I had a lemon sized brain tumor compressing my brain stem. He believed it was a benign tumor called a meningioma, but the size and location meant I would have to have surgery.
My tumor was growing through the cranial nerves that controlled my hearing and balance, which is probably what lead to my symptoms. According to The National Institute of Health, the most common symptoms of a brain tumor are headaches, seizures (especially in older adults), weakness in one part of the body, and changes in the person's mental functions.
Other symptoms include loss of balance, loss of coordination and numbness or tingling on one side of the body.
I had a month to prepare myself and my family for the fight that lay ahead of me.
To be continued….
