Third Eye Benign

I never wanted to create a blog for a negative reason, but this seems like the best way to communicate through this hump in the road. I am sorry that I am not contacting you all directly, I've seemed to be allergic to the phone the last couple weeks.

The next couple sentences will sound really bad, but know that it could be so much worse. On Friday, July 29th I had an MRI ordered by my Neurologist because of my frequent headaches and migraines. On Monday, August 1st (the day before Brody and I would go on our first vacation together) I was told I have a brain tumor. My tumor is called a Meningioma and is supposedly the kind you want if you get to have one. In most cases Meningiomas are benign, so PRAISE GOD for that. Typically they grow very slow and if you are older in age, they don't have to do anything because they calcify. Mine ate it's Wheaties or something because it's nice and big. As my surgeon said today, "this isn't your average Joe". They are guessing I have had it for 5 or more years, but no way to know. Being that mine is big and "smooshing" transverse sinus (important vein), they are removing it via surgery at Forest Park Medical Center next Friday (Sept. 2nd). The location of my tumor isn't directly related to migraines, but the fact that it is putting pressure (think kink in a hose) on a vein that is in control of blood flow from my brain, this could be the reason for the migraines and headaches. So next Friday after surgery I will be in ICU for 48 hours and then I get to move to a really "beautiful" Suite in the hospital for 3-7 days. They said there is even room for Bryce to stay the night if we want.

I am doing pretty good. Of course I have my teary days, but overall I think I am handling it better than my anxious self. In fact, my daily anxiety has left the building. I guess when something this big comes into you life, you don't sweat the small and weird stuff?! I strongly believe everything happens for a reason and God's plan is in action. Some proof (in my mind): Brody and I have been trying to get pregnant for the last couple months and we have been unsuccessful. I wondered why, but guess what....God knew why. If I would have gotten pregnant, "Toomy" would have a chance to grow to who knows how much larger. Meningiomas feed on Estrogen and can sometimes grow during pregnancy. Also, they want this tumor out and I wouldn't have been able to have surgery with a baby in the belly and would risk my own life growing it.

Some people don't deal with things through humor, but it works for me BIG TIME. Brody named it "Third Eye Benign" because it looks the size of my eyeball sockets in pictures. He can joke about it sometimes, but for the most part it's not funny to him. So I refer to him as "Toomy" and I like to blame things like laundry and durrrrr moments on him. First night we knew about it, we were out for Kane's bday and I knocked the table and knocked everyone's drinks over. "Sorry, it was the tumor". I then realized that's how I was going to deal.

Anyways, my main point in this blog other than updates is a request for your prayers. Maybe a prayer for peace for my family for the building up of surgery, a prayer for surgery, and a prayer that it's 100% benign. Small (very small) chance that mine could be malignant because if it's size. Also, a little prayer for my sweet little man, his Mommy is going to be out of commission for a couple weeks.

Thank you for listening and thank you for your prayers. I am no writer, so bare with me!!! Shay and Brody will be updating this blog after surgery and the next couple weeks.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!

Oh, I will post a picture of the tumor and a Meningioma link. Here is "toomy"......

http://www.braintumor.org/patients-family-friends/about-brain-tumors/tumor-types/Meningioma.html