Six months later…

(I started writing this post on 9/25, but I fell asleep and then forgot!)

I haven’t had much to say on this topic lately, so I’ll start with a brief update and see if anything else decides to be written.

I had my 6 month follow up with my Neurosurgeon, Dr. Levy, yesterday.  As usual, his nurse evaluated me first, including a series of coordination tests which I think are the same as roadside sobriety tests.  I think if she were a state trooper, I would have had to take a breathalyzer to prove I was sober, but she thought I did great.  I found out that I had a fever of 100 F, and that the brain tumor has not grown at all in 6 months since first being discovered!  I didn’t feel like I had a fever, but that was awesome news!

Did you catch what I did there? Bob is now THE brain tumor and not MY brain tumor.  Semantics?  Not at all.  I heard a wonderful thing from a friend the other day.  His mom recently told him about finding out she had breast cancer, and she told him that her body has cancer, but SHE does not have cancer.  Bob is not MY brain tumor, although it is a tumor on my brain stem.

He pulled up the images of my first MRI on which Bob’s existence was revealed, as well as the 3 month MRI, and this recent one at 6 months and walked me through it all again.  Totally a Grey’s Anatomy experience, with my brain as the star patient. Also, with about a trillion times less anxiety than our first consult.

What does it mean?  Well, as long as Bob remains quiet, it means no dangerous biopsy, and no treatment necessary!  I’m feeling mighty graced right about now. It also means that I may need to find something else to blog about 🙂

Dr. Levy wants to follow up with 3 month interval MRIs until I’m a year out, and if there is still no growth, we will discuss pushing it to 4-6 months apart.  You know you’re accustomed to MRIs when you look forward to the warm blankie and a little nap time, but I would be thrilled to make that co-payment less times per year.

In the meantime, I adopted a puppy!  Which has nothing to do with this post, but everything to do with embracing life and the joy of living!

Thank you for reading.  More will be revealed…

Dawn