The Kinberg family is doing well and we have all been busy and active. The boys are still trying to play with all of the new toys that they have received during the holidays. We have been adjusting to the boys going back to school and Robert going back to work after periodic days off during the holiday season. Robert is feeling well and we are thankful to be able to play together.
This morning when I woke up and I didn't know the date. This is not an uncommon occurrence and can be good or bad depending on the perspective and circumstances of the day. If we are unaware of the date because we are wrapped up in the moment and focused on the events taking place in our lives, then time time/date is not important. However, after discovering the date I realized that I had forgotten to take Bryce to a birthday party yesterday. I write about it only to emphasize that we all have moments of regret that can not be resolved, but that we must try and accept and rectify later. I have no excuse for my forgetfulness and can not understand how this happened. I feel terrible. I am thankful for the consideration of others who did nothing but try and make me feel better. The kindness of others who do not take my actions - in this case non-actions - personally and only laugh with me in my attempt to express my sorrow. People can be and are often more forgiving of others than we are to ourselves.
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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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