It is Oct. and it is hard to imagine that almost one year has passed since Robert was diagnosed. In some respects it seems like just yesterday and yet it seems like we have traveled through a journey filled with a vast amount of emotions that have forced us to grow and change over time. So much has happened and so much has changed forever.
We have been busy and active and thankful for the ability to spend time having fun. We are thankful for the time with family, and the chance to enjoy the boys. We have spent time with friends, and just been ecstatic to be surrounded by them. We are thankful for the continued support and caring attitudes of others. Your contributions to our well-being are working and we are thriving on the understanding that others care and wish us the best. It is possible to 'feel' the love.
Here is a thought that I have been contemplating today- When times are difficult, we are often given the advice to - 'live day by day' or 'take one day at a time'.
Here is a thought - some days just stink - and we have to think that the next day will be better
and - making future plans and having something to look forward to helps us to realize that situations can improve over time and that we will have fun again.
The emotional comfort & stability that allows us to look forward and plan for the future demonstrates the hope that we have in our hearts.
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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
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