So we’ve told the kids. Now it’s time to kick this brain tumors ass! Eviction time!

For those who know me, know that I go to the doctors when I need to go. I’m not one to go for everything headache or everything. That may be right or it may be wrong. I don’t really know. Part of me thinks if I would have gone sooner I would’ve caught the tumor when it was small enough to try radiation therapy or something other than surgery.

Now that my brain tumor is 3.7 cm it’s considered to be large. Alternatively, incidentally discovered meningiomas have an average diameter of 2.3 centimeters

My Tumor:

Foramen magnum meningiomas are rare tumors, accounting for only 0.5 percent to 3 percent of all meningiomas, and usually appearing in men and women ages 40 through 70.

People diagnosed with this rare type of meningioma can experience a slow progression of symptoms over the course of two years before actually noticing them, or more before getting an actual diagnoses of the condition.

Over time symptoms can worsen making them more of an annoyance causing some type of action. The loss of balance, involuntary twitching, involuntary tremors related to the lower cranial nerves, loss of muscle tone in the tongue, legs, arms, and hands, pain in the upper neck, back of the head, and/or behind the eyes, and sensation changes to the arms or legs, etc.

Now to deal with this tumor! My primary doctor referred me to a neurosurgeon who was supposedly top notch. My husband and I read up on him and he sounded amazing. My sister who works for the hospital that I would be having my surgery at said this doctor was the best! And that’s exactly what I needed.

Unfortunately it turns out he is now in private practice and was not taking in new patients. (Figures right?) so I then got a referral to another neurosurgeon. My husband and I diligently researched him and he looked outstanding on paper and I could still have the surgery at the hospital where my sister works. She has a higher up position so I felt more comfortable knowing she’d be there.

This was such a long process. Because when I finally got my appointment to see this doctor (who will remain unnamed in this blog) I spent little time with him and felt like I just left a used car lot.

He referred me to get another MRI, which I did. And to get an angiogram. Which by the way I do not recommend if there’s any other way! Any of tests that can he done in replacement of this very painful and very invasive test.

The time has come…

We went to our second appointment with the neurosurgeon to go over the results of my tests and to come up with a game plan. He told us that chemo would not work, nor would radiation. The tumor was too big and would not respond to it. My only option was surgery. Needless to say my husband and I were freaked out. I cried. I didn’t want to have surgery. let alone Brain Surgery. I was terrified I mean who wouldn’t be?

We told the doctor we wanted to think about it more, possibly get another opinion, and definitely not do the surgery until after the holidays. Thanksgiving was coming up and our family always celebrates each and every holiday together. And we do it big! I was worried about the recovery time. not being able to celebrate with my family.

This doctor reassured me I’d be fine for thanksgiving and if he had an opening why would I want to have the tumor removed. Honestly, I felt pressured. And never having gone through anything like this before I had no idea what to expect. This doctor was on the board of neurology for the hospital I wanted to go to. He had a private practice and operated out of that hospital. He looked great on paper, I kept telling myself. All the while not feeling 100% with him. Like I said, I felt pressured. Like I was buying a used car. Not to mention the fact that this was all happening way too fast for me. I just found out I had the brain tumor in September 2022. Now he wants to plan surgery for November 18, 2022. That’s literally 2 months to wrap my head around this, tell my family and come up with a game plan.

The doctor told us that from the first time I came into see him I only had 30 days to book a surgery with him or I’d have to do all the testing all over again. I just didn’t think I could do another angiogram. It was brutal. And not to mention, after an angiogram you can’t have another one and the same artery again. You have to wait a year. We went in through both of my wrists for this test so that means I’d have to go in through the groin which is much more invasive ( if you can image that) and more risky. I was just not trying to do that again and definitely was not in my right frame of mind.

He convinced us to do the surgery. Which we now have a theory on “why” but for now now will keep that to myself.

We went home, talked about it depth, talk to our kids and family, pros and cons, and agreed to do it.

doctors, yes plural. As you can imagine I now have a whole team of doctors.

Please read part 4. The surgery.