My Fourth Grade Experience
Madison
Last year, I struggled in fourth grade. I felt sick to my stomach sometimes. I was tired all the time. I had difficulty focusing. I couldn’t stay organized or do as well in school. I developed facial tics and sometimes wet my pants. My teachers thought I had anxiety. My Mom and Dad were worried. My Mom took me to every doctor and then started me on acupuncture and an intuitive. No one knew what was wrong. As my balance worsened, my parents went back to my doctor and demanded answers. I had a MRI on my spine on August 2 and a brain MRI on August 3. They discovered that I had hydrocephalus due to a tectal glioma. I had surgery on August 5 and my symptoms disappeared. I am being monitored every 3 months and I feel like I have been given a fresh start. In October, I walked to raise money for brain tumor research. I have told my story at school. I know I am lucky.