Today we are tired. Tired - but 'good' tired. We have been busy and I look at the activity as a sign of our current state of well-being. Robert is working the 8 hour days. He typically goes in early and gets home early. Bryce likes to have his Daddy pick him up at the bus stop. Trey often asks where Daddy is during the day and tells me that he wants Daddy to come home.
The boys have been having play dates and the world seems to revolve around them again. This is a good thing when you are three and six. Bryce had a school friend over and will reconnect with some of his old preschool friends tomorrow on his day off. Trey has had a neighbor friend over and we have babysat a friend's baby twice in the last couple of weeks. We went out to dinner with friends on Fri. night and had friends to the house on Sat. Time spent eating, talking, and playing- great! Last weekend we went to Robert's work party and spent the night downtown. We enjoyed the time there and the opportunity to sleep in. Knowing that the boys were camping out at their aunt & uncle's and with their cousins gave us nothing but time to ourselves.
All of this activity has been made easier because of the fact that we are well and because of the fact that we are surrounded by good people who care and always wish us well. Surrounding yourself around good people gives you energy to stay positive in your life. There is so much that is difficult to understand, but one thing that is obvious is that - having good people in your life is the most important gift received. We have received many gifts in our lives and we love you all.
We watched Extreme Home Makeover tonight and I was struck by a comment made by the new home owner. He expressed his amazement at the fact that so many people gave their efforts to help his family without receiving any benefits themselves. While I understood his thinking, I couldn't help but to think of the fact that everyone who volunteered to help him had given and gift and received a gift as well. By giving to others they understood the joy & satisfaction that comes with helping others. They understood the power that we all have to make a difference. They must have felt a deep sense of gratification for their part in impacting and making someones life better. It doesn't take an enormous act of building a house to make an impact in someones life - it can be the 'little things' that impact others.
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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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