Steven’s fight

Steven’s Fight

Tanya

Steven had been having really bad headaches and nausea and vomiting for several months off and on. Thinking it was allergies, we kept putting off seeing his PCP. Finally that Monday February 17th after school he was like mom take me to the doctor. The morning of his appointment February 20th with his PCP he threw up for 45 minutes. Once we got to the doctor she gave him some meds for migraines. She told me to take him home and watch him. Well the next morning I woke him up and asked how he felt. He said really bad and his head hurt worse. I called his pediatrician and she was like take him to Cooks. On February 21, 2014 I took my son, then 16, to Cook Children’s hospital thinking he was having migraines. The ER doctor was going to admit him and do migraine protocol. She then told me she was going to do a CAT scan to make sure she wasn’t missing something. I asked how long it would be and she said 15 minutes for the scan and about an hour for results. I was like ok I’m going to the cafeteria to get something to eat. I had just sat down to eat when my phone rang.

I answered it and they told me they needed me back in the ER. I threw my food away and sprinted down to the ER. Once the nurse left the doctor told me and Steven that had had a 5cm tumor on his cerebellum. I looked at her and said “WHAT”!!!!! She explained that we needed to do a MRI and several doctors and other hospital staff would be in and out over the next couple hours. Steven had his MRI in severe pain. We saw the surgeon that evening.

We stayed in the hospital two nights then went home on Sunday. I went to work and Steven to school on that Monday. Tuesday he has IQ testing. Surgery was February 26, 2014. He was in surgery for 6 1/2 hours. Doctor came out said they are confident they got it all, but Steven was moved to recovery but they couldn’t get him awake and he was still on the ventilator. Talk about scared. Finally about 6:30 that evening we where moved to ICU. He went six hours after MAJOR brain surgery without pain meds. He spent a day and a half in ICU. We moved to the fourth floor Med/Sug Friday at 3:30am and moved to inpatient rehabilitation that Monday.

Four days after brain surgery my son was starting rehab. The doctors were amazed at how well his progress was going. We were in inpatient rehabilitation for two weeks. Steven got discharged on March 13, 2014. He started outpatient therapy. He started back to school EXACTLY one month from surgery date. He ended up cutting back to three half days a week. Steven’s therapist incorporated basketball into his therapy. After 3 months he was discharged from therapy.

He started back to school full time the next school year. We are now doing a six month MRI with and without contrast. There is a spot they are watching cause they don’t know if it is a brain tumor not lighting up or scar tissue. He is now a senior in high school and plays on a select basketball team. We developed a motto when we were in the hospital. WE GOT THIS, WE FOUGHT THIS, WE WON THIS FEBRUARY 26, 2014.

God has a plan for him. Don’t know what yet but we will. When you are in doubt turn to prayers and God. God will get you through everything.

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