Stories

Fighting a Brain Tumor After a period of sleep issues and balance problems, a CT scan last August revealed my brain tumor.  I was transferred to Duke Hospital for extensive brain surgery and 33 rounds of radiation.  I received great care.   Nevertheless, my last MRI indicated another growth, so I’m going back for more treatments.  Tumors are relentless, and […] June 16, 2025

From Provider to Patient: My Face, My Story I never thought I’d be writing about surviving brain surgery in my early 30s. For a long time, I didn’t even realize something was wrong. I just knew my body was starting to feel… off. Subtle balance issues. A weird tilt when walking. Falling episodes. Nausea that didn’t quite make sense. A growing sensitivity to […] June 16, 2025

The Only Way Out Is Through For the most part, I was a normal high school student. I was just getting to the final part of my senior year. I was working two jobs to save up money for my future, and in late February, I had been accepted into the nursing program I applied for.  Just two short days after […] June 11, 2025

Meningiomas I woke up one day in October 2022 with an earache that wouldn’t go away. Thinking maybe an ear infection, I had my ears checked with no sign of infection. Later in December, an MRI revealed several meningiomas. Went in for my first craniotomy in February 2023 and just had my second in June 2025. June 11, 2025

My Neuroscaretoma (Neurocytoma) Nightmare I had frequent headaches that my doctors never addressed any further than blaming them on my hypothyroidism.  In April 2021, I woke up feeling so dizzy that I could barely walk. I had consumed alcohol with friends the night before. My mother-in-law drove me to PMC (the closest hospital) for a check-up. They didn’t perform […] June 11, 2025