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The Unknown Growth in My Brain

Published on August 12, 2014 in Share Your Story

The Unknown Growth in My Brain

Christina

When I was 20 years old I started to get headaches along with the symptoms of Diabetes Insipidus, all in the same night with no indication as to why. I went on with my normal routine for a couple of weeks and the thirst and urge to run to the bathroom was getting worse. Then my head felt like it was going to explode on a Sunday morning and would not go away with any medication, so I went to the hospital and they did several scans of my brain with and without contrast. At the first hospital they found the mass in my third ventricle, blocking the cerebral spinal fluid from draining into the rest of my body.

Since they did not have any Neuro- Medical Doctors located at that hospital, they took me by ambulance to a second hospital with a Neurologist. That doctor put a drain in my head and sent me on Flight For Life helicopter to Denver, CO. where a nationwide neurosurgeon was located and he operated on the tumor. He was able to take it out through my nose and cause me little pain. While I was there I formed a Pulmonary Embolism and to get filters put in my neck before my surgery on my tumor. While they did that surgery, a technician pulled out my drain in head, causing me to have emergency surgery. After the surgery, I was blind for a week and I could not remember were and why I was there. I had a Interventricular Shunt placed a week later because my cerebral Spinal Fluid was still not draining correctly. I was in the hospital a total of a month missing the chance to join my Nursing Program and I had several other complications along with the tumor.

I had heart problems, bleeding problems, and my hormones will never be right without replacement. Then in 2013 when I was in the Nursing Program, my headaches started to come back. I waited for my appointment and my new scan, but I did email the doctor and never got anything back. My scan showed another growth off my Pituitary gland, I had to withdraw from the program. But not before I took care of my last patient, they are more important to me than anything else.

So I went in and told all of the professors and I spent as much time as I could with my patient as I could that day- doing her hair, feeding her, and just spending as much time there as I could. On April 26th, I had a Frontal Lobe Craniotomy and it took out all of my Pituitary Gland and my Stalk. It was growing out of my hypothalamus and ate most of my gland that I had, causing hormone problems. I now have a metal plate in my head to form my forehead back to normal and with bone forming clay over it, to regrow the bone. Both of my brain tumors were rare and have had a lot of research and tests done on them, I was thankful that they were benign and I was strong enough to continue my life after both treatments and go back to school. I have a wonderful and supportive family that has encouraged me to continue on with my dreams and not let these tumors get in the way.


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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