In 2016 I went in and had my wisdom teeth pulled in Indiana during that visit the dentist saw the tumor when he was doing an exam on my teeth. He told me to get it checked. At the time I was only in my 20s so when I went to the neurologist he told me that they are just headaches and typical for my age at the time he would only listen to my ex husband when he demanded an mri after multiple visits they decided to do one within a week they found a brain tumor size of softball I remember taking a picture of my son with me back to the operating room when I woke up I had no hair the steroids took over my body the first time looking in the mirror I cried thinking it was the end of me.
I was released with days after surgery was not cancerous so I was just in survival mode I could not work I was stuck in a controlled relationship and was working in getting disability so I can get a divorce so I had to fight for disability for 4 years they require you to continue with dr visits so I did as told. Year later I started getting more headaches. I knew something wasn’t right and the MRI showed another tumor grew, the first one benign. Second one melingonon after getting turned away by drs because I didn’t have the insurance they wanted I finally found one they removed what they could during surgery but had to leave 10% because it was going to kill me if they did all . After I had my daughter they decided I needed to either do chemo or gamo knife for my 3rd surgery so I opted for gamo knife- not knowing I had to be sober for 4 holes to be drilled in my head for a halo crown to laser the tumor. After the 3rd the mris started showing more brain cells turning black and the drs explained it just as me having empty brain. Years go by I get disability and file for divorce and move to Florida I decided to do physical therapy and seek mental therapy switching states took away my medical resources so I have had to survive on own lost the disability and now work 2 jobs one a salon and a college admission counselor for a massage and skin school. I don’t know when my time is up I don’t hate the world knowing a dr can never tell me there is a cure. I know I am still here with an inoperable tumor helping others changing lives making a purpose for the time I have. Sometimes you need to live no one is going to tell you this when you are laying in the hospital bed after surgeries. If I can help anyone with this story it would be stay strong the rock bottom is the new normal you have to know you will get back up one day. One day you will look in the mirror and know what you went through and know how strong you really are. It’s not over until you decide!!!!
