My Brain Tumor Story *UPDATE ON PAGE 3*

I've had some people ask how I found out about the tumor, so I thought i would write it all out in case anyone wanted to know about it.

I was diagnosed with a temporal meningioma on June 14th, 2012. From what I've read on wikipedia, 92% of these things are benign and not cancer. I usually get my health information from WebMD, but the symptom checker failed to tell me I had a brain tumor and said I was in a coma or had a virus. Wow, I thought the internet would be a little more accurate at diagnosing my symptoms. I was wrong.

I have 3 kids and my youngest is 9 months. I have a moody teenager, an autistic toddler and a baby, so you know what? I was tired all the time - just like all moms. I didn't realize this was actually a symptom of my brain tumor. Most of the time people are tired and don't have a brain tumor. I guess I got lucky. I also had some weird things happen when I was pregnant, but my OB was like suck it up, pregnancy is awful and everything hurts, especially when you are old and having a baby. She didn't use those exact words, but that's what she meant. I complained that my feet and hands were going numb and she said the baby was laying on a nerve and told me to stfu and gtfo - again, not really, but that's what I heard.

So, fast forward to April. I was exercising and eating well and feeling great! Saturday April 14th, I was standing in the kitchen after my husband and I got home from the farmer's market and everything started spinning. I laid down on the couch and he told me he wanted to take me to the hospital. For being dizzy? I was afraid they would think I was a hypochondriac and really didn't want a huge hospital bill, so I sat on the couch and watched the room spin for 5 hours.

The next day, I wasn't dizzy anymore, but I had this feeling of imbalance, especially when I turned my head. I fell a lot. My hands and feet were going numb again and my palms were burning like they were on fire. I tried to ignore it, but finally my gut said to make an appointment. I bypassed my GP because I knew he would send me to a neurologist and made an appointment with the neuro. He was very abrupt and told me that he could run a bunch of tests, but it was probably my ears and I should go see an ear, nose and throat specialist.

I waited another week for my ENT appointment and the doctor seemed very nice and said he was confident that I had vestibular neuritis - an inflammation of the nerves of the inner ear. I told him how relieved I was and that I was so worried I had a brain tumor! He laughed with me and said "no, you definitely don't have a brain tumor!" I get a little emotional when I think about that now. He ordered audiology tests, but it took almost a month to get the appointment. During this time I was dizzy every single moment of every day.

I had the audiology tests done and they came back abnormal. I had 25% vestibular loss. The ENT was still sure it was my inner ears, 99% sure actually, but ordered an MRI just to rule out the very rare possibility it was a tumor.

I drove myself to the MRI place at night. My MRI was scheduled for 8:45 . The tech was an older lady who was very nice, but my swaying made her very uncomfortable. At this point, I didn't think I was moving, I thought everything around me was. She did the MRI and asked me if I wanted the images on CD. I was like, smurf yeah! I don't have anything else to do tonight, might as well stare at these pics and try to play radiologist until 2 am!

And that is what I did.

The imaging place told me that the doctor would call me by Monday. I was shocked when I received a call the next day after the MRI, Thursday.

The Drs office handled it badly. I could tell that they don't have to do this very often. Here's how it went.

Nurse: Your MRI results are back. There is a benign process next to your brain

Me: Wtf?

Nurse: You need to call a neurosurgeon

Me: for what?

Nurse: The benign process

Me: what's a process?

Nurse: a tumor

Me: WTF?


And now I have to see the neurosurgeon on Tuesday.

I will update this thread if anyone wants to read it.

Sorry it was so long. If you read it, thank you. It's gonna be a hell of a ride!

oh, wow. good luck with everything hun, you'll be in my prayers!

Quoting Tikaytasha:" oh, wow. good luck with everything hun, you'll be in my prayers!"

Thank you! Much appreciated.

I'm sorry they didn't take you seriously right off the bat! I will be thinking of you and praying for you!!

Wow! Hope everything turns out for the better will keep u and ur family in thoughts and prayers! Will be checking back for your update!

Quoting The Blissful Six:" I'm sorry they didn't take you seriously right off the bat! I will be thinking of you and praying for you!!"

Thank you.
I don't really blame them, well when I get mad about it I do, but I realize that they are looking for the most common reason first and not something really rare. I have learned now to be more forceful if my gut tells me something isn't right. I was like, well, they are the experts, they know everything. That's not always the case.

Quoting Tattooed Mom 861012:" Wow! Hope everything turns out for the better will keep u and ur family in thoughts and prayers! Will be checking back for your update!"

thanks! I will update after my neurologist appointment on tuesday!  

i know you must be scared but im sure everything will be A OK! i know i already told you but my family recently went through this with my dad! he is in perfect health again (except like 20 lbs lighter which he brags about all the time LOL)  

Quoting Elliot Grace's Mommy :" i know you must be scared but im sure everything will be A OK! i know i already told you but my family ... [snip!] ... through this with my dad! he is in perfect health again (except like 20 lbs lighter which he brags about all the time LOL)  "

I am so glad your dad is doing well!

I have been looking for a diet that would let me lose 20 pounds! I was kinda hoping I wouldn't have to have my head cut open for it, but you know what? Losing weight is never easy! lol  

Quoting Baby Big Head TM:" I am so glad your dad is doing well! I have been looking for a diet that would let me lose 20 pounds! ... [snip!] ... I was kinda hoping I wouldn't have to have my head cut open for it, but you know what? Losing weight is never easy! lol  "

LOL-well i guess theres a bright side to everything! keep me updated i wanna know how everything goes!

Quoting Elliot Grace's Mommy :" LOL-well i guess theres a bright side to everything! keep me updated i wanna know how everything goes!"

Will do!

Quoting Baby Big Head TM:" Will do!"

and LOL at naming him steve. thats awesome

Quoting Elliot Grace's Mommy :" and LOL at naming him steve. thats awesome"

Every steve i have personally known has been a turd. I thought it was fitting  

I had no idea this has been going on for so long... Are you still dizzy? How quickly will they schedule surgery?

Quoting Jamils_ mommy:" I had no idea this has been going on for so long... Are you still dizzy? How quickly will they schedule surgery?"

I felt weird for complaining   so I really didn't tell many people. I am not really dizzy, but it's like the room moves whenever I hear loud noises or when I am around a lot of people, like at the grocery store.

My husband seems to think they are going to schedule it really soon, like in weeks. I think they might want to wait, but I honestly don't know.