Our days have been busy and we have managed to keep moving at an energetic level- until 8:00pm. By 8:00 - the boys are in bed and Robert and I are close to it. We went to Ocean City and had a great time. We left on Fri. and returned on Tue. Yes- Tuesday. I had told many people that we would return on Monday and truly believed that this was accurate. It wasn't until we were at the beach that we realized the reservation was made until Tuesday. I had made the reservations and had incorrectly written it on my calendar. Oh well. Robert took and extra day off of work, Bryce missed another day of school, and Trey & I gladly accepted an extra day at the beach.
Since returning- life has picked up the pace and does seem to be moving faster then is possible. Robert has returned to work, Bryce has returned to school, Trey has attended two days at preschool, and I have made two trips to Johns Hopkins - scheduled appointments. Robert had his eyes checked again at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Hopkins. He got another good report. His vision is stable and there were no indicators of pressure on the brain. He will return in another six months for an exam.
As we come up on the 11 month marker of the day that Robert was diagnosed with a brain tumor, we are thankful for the lesson learned, the recognition of love and support, and the understanding that we have been and are blessed with good fortune. This is not to say that we are thankful for the diagnosis, but we are thankful for the increased awareness of the good fortune that still exists in our lives. We have our family and we have love.
It is sometimes difficult to watch our children grow and change and become more independent. I find myself - having to remind myself - that their changing behaviors and attitudes indicate that they are growing and developing as they should be. The fact that they are succeeding in new environments without us, means that they have learned the lessons that we have taught them. The fact that they are growing and changing physically, means that they are healthy. The fact that we are watching them change over time, means that we have had valuable time with them to build memories. I am trying not to hold on to the past or think to far into the future and am trying to enjoy the present. May you all have a great day.
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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:
Tammy, Robert & the boys:
Your blog brought this saying to mind:
"yesterday is History, tomorrow is a Mystery, but Today is a Gift...that's why it's called the Present"
Love you,
Sherrie
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