It is snowing outside - Bryce is ready to play, Trey is napping, and I am ready to curl up with a blanket and watch the snow falling. While Bryce is ready to jump in and play in the snow, I am content to sit inside and enjoy the snow fall without ever touching it. It strikes me that everyone tends to appreciate things in their own unique way. We all can appreciate the same things for different reasons. We each look at the same things with different perspectives and therefore evoke different feelings. For Bryce the snow means fun sledding, snowball battles, and eating the snow. For me it means beauty- until I have to shovel the driveway, clean off the car, and drive on the roads. And yet- If I force myself to seek a different perspective, I recognize that I can enjoy the moment much more if I view the snow as the children will. I will enjoy watching them laugh& play and remember that some of my most fondest memories as a child were playing in the snow (sledding, building snowmen, snowmobiling, etc.) The point is --- there is always a different perspective and we must attempt to find the perspective that brings us joy in the moment. We know that if we never had the snow- we would miss it.
Robert had to drive home in the snow as he is still working a full 40 hour week. He is beginning to feel more energized heading into his third week behind treatment. We stayed up to watch most of American Idol. I'm not kidding. While we joke about his early bed time I find myself falling asleep while watching television- sometimes while sitting up in the chair. We continue to be thankful for the incredible amount of support that has been showered upon us. Thanks to all.
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My Condition - Glioblastoma Multiforme (or GBM)
I was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). This condition has four different grades (I - IV). My tumor is a grade IV GBM. This is the most aggressive GBM tumor. I have included a little section of The Essential Guide to BRAIN TUMORS below to describe the condition more completely.
Astrocytoma
An astrocytoma develops from star-shaped glial cells (astrocytes) that support nerve cells. These tumors can be located anywhere in the brain, but the most common location is in the frontal lobe. Astrocytomas are the most common primary CNS tumor.
The physician, usually the neurosurgeon or neurooncologist, will discuss the type and location of an astrocytoma. The pathologist will assign it a grade. Astrocytomas are generally classified as low or high grade. Low-grade astrocytomas (grades I and II) are slow growing. High-grade astrocytomas (grades III and IV) grow more quickly. The main tumor type is listed for each grade. There are additional tumor types in each of these grades.
The WHO classification divides astrocytomas into four grades:
- Grade I Pilocytic Astrocytoma
- Grade II Low-Grade Astrocytoma
- Grade III Anaplastic Astrocytoma
- Grade IV Glioblastoma Multiforme (or GBM)
Characteristics
The characteristics of an astrocytoma vary depending on the tumor’s grade and location. Most people are functioning normally when diagnosed with a low-grade astrocytoma. Symptoms tend to be subtle and may take one to two years to diagnose. This is because the brain can often adapt to a slow-growing tumor for a period of time. Highgrade tumors may present with changes that are sudden and dramatic.
Symptoms
- Headaches
- Seizures or convulsions
- Difficulty thinking or speaking
- Behavioral or cognitive changes (related to thinking, reasoning, and memory)
- Weakness or paralysis in one part or one side of the body
- Loss of balance
- Vision changes
- Nausea or vomiting
1 comment:
Your blog is so amazing and inspirational. Yes, we do have to approach every situation in a positive way, even when we don't want too. I too was content to watch the snow but found myself running around like a kid pretending to hide from the peanut sized snowballs the kids were getting me with. It was five minutes of laughter, that even though I initially dredded,made my day and the kids day brighter..We all need to keep positive thoughts and embrace magic moments. Glad Robert you are feeling a little better. I can imagine you are very drained-but know we are always in you heart and you in our minds...Love, Amy
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