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Endurance

Published on July 18, 2016 in Share Your Story

I have been a doctor for thirty years. This has been a dream come true because it was my life’s goal since I was 10 years old. I have been a primary caregiver with a philosophy always to treat patients the way I would treat myself or my family. I have always been a teacher and leader at hospitals and in medical business relations.

At 55 in 2014, I found a breast mass that turned out to be Stage 2 breast cancer. This put a large rock suddenly stopping the fast rolling wheels of the peak of my career. After the mastectomy, chemo and radiation, I picked back up the fast pace as a Hospitalist, traveling all throughout Arizona and Oregon. Being a wife and a mother of 2 beautiful teen girls. Thank God my cancer genetics were showed no suggestion of a familial risk. Life continued and I felt confident that the breast cancer would never be the cause of a shortened life for me. I FELT AWESOME.

At my one year cancer-free anniversary, I was planning to relocate Tucson where I and both of my daughters were born. They planned to attend the University of Arizona. It was very exciting. I found a very old, needy house to buy and was celebrating with my girls, yard-saling, when I suddenly awoke intubated in the ICU of a Tucson hospital. After the breathing machine was removed, I was informed that I had a grand mal seizure and they had found a tumor in my right front brain. The neurosurgeon was new to me, but I had worked for many years with the rest of my doctor care team, many of whom were long term friends.

I agreed to have the tumor removed. Initially we all believed it would be metastatic breast cancer, but the surgeon discovered that it was a GBM. He removed as much as possible and placed the Gliadel wafers.

OMG. When I was told the mass was a GBM, I got on my iPad and read for hours. Needless to say, IT SUCKED. I started planning end of life necessities. The usual regimen of radiation and oral chemo was completed. I added OPTUNE DEVICE September 2015. To this day, I continue to have a normal physical exam, again thank God. The months of June and July this year, I completed the measles virus injection at Mayo in Rochester, with a total of 3 more brain surgeries. Major stress and fear, but with my family present, I and we are doing well. I am home in Tucson.

Now I resume dealing with the fact I have no income since I have no job since June 2015. Thank God I have a wonderful, supportive and involved family. I am starting to look at creating a brand new a job as a physician who will be a partner and advocate for cancer patients. I hope to start a new business as a patient advocate who will provide the needed networking and personal touch that we all need as we see our doctors and have tough decisions to make. I am anxious to start.

I am reaching out now for where and how to start this business. I do not want to stop being a doctor, a mom or an independent person taking care of all my needs. But, now I need to redefine my role and accommodate my special needs.

As I finish with this brief story, I must acknowledge that the most wonderful discovery brain cancer has brought to me has been a renewed connection and partnership with God. My faith, hope and plans for a long future keep me from feeling alone or hopeless or suicidal. I now plan to create a purpose for myself. I want compassion, education and empowerment to become contagious in brain cancer patients.

I am with all who are going through this terrible, devastating adventure with brain cancer.

Belinda


Opinions expressed within this story belong solely to the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of the National Brain Tumor Society.

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