Living with Glioblastoma

My name is Laura, and I am living with glioblastoma. I was diagnosed at 51, I am now 53. August 30 will be two years since my awake craniotomy.

My symptoms just started one day (although I was having some symptoms but I always had a reason, being a nurse for 29 years). One evening in Trader Joe’s I felt like I was having a stroke, came on suddenly. I finished my shopping because I didn’t want to cause a scene. Then I called my husband and son, one took my truck and the other drove me home. Of course me being me, I said I was fine and just went to rest. Hubby does trivia on Wednesdays I told him to go, I was feeling better. My son was home, around 10 p.m., I went out to kitchen to throw something out but couldn’t figure out how to open lid and my right arm didn’t work and I wasn’t making sense. He called hubby and of course he wanted me to go to ER but I was able to talk and walk so to a nurse it’s not an ER visit. Thank God he persisted.

CT showed “something “ uncertain if it was MS, an infection, or a tumor. MRI next day confirmed tumor but thought it was metastatic. Test after test to find initial site. Biopsy was don’t while at hospital but pathologist still uncertain but still believed metastatic, tumor was sent to another facility. Two and a half weeks later I was diagnosed with GBM. By the Grace of God we found Duke (two other hospitals said tumor was too deep). I did standard of care and 12 rounds of 5/23 (some rounds were a week late so to low platelets), but I finished Nov 22. MRIs have been stable, and I plan to stay stable. I have lots more to do.

TAGGED WITH: #GBMDay

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