Normal

 

Of the three types of brain tumor, you want mine. Meningioma is the most common and statistically the least threatening of any brain tumor. Most are identified early and remain small, unobtrusive, not interfering with the function or form of the body. Most surgeons avoid cutting into the skull unless life or functionality is threatened. I know someone living with a meningioma for decades, few complications and yearly monitoring. Below are some things I have learned about meningioma and how blessed the path was to save my life.

• Most meningioma are harmless and patients require no other interventions other than annual monitoring. (Until the tumor begins to interfere with body and brain function.)

• Surgical removal is the preferred treatment for meningioma tumors. Skull-based meningioma are more difficult to remove surgically than many other types of brain tumor. Complete removal is ideal.

• Complete removal decreases the likelihood of the tumor regrowing; a possibility for most meningioma, especially within the first year after removal.

• Hospital stay following occipital craniotomy averages 2.2 days; 96% are elective surgeries, mine was not elective I stayed for 5 days. (see "Cake or Death")

• Of all surgeries 4% continue care to a rehab facility, unable to return home but no longer needing the intense services of the post operative nurses.  Thanks to supportive family and friends, I was able to go home. (Part of my care restricts me from caring for my children alone or even driving.)

• In-patient mortality from the tumor/surgery (likelihood of death) was 0.9%. All fatalities were cases like mine where the tumor became invasive and the surgeons were unable to help the patient.

• Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Speech therapy may all be included as aftercare for the patient to regain function. (I am lucky to experience all three; seriously they are great people and help me to keep perspective.)

• Full recovery for craniotomy tends to take up to two months; when asked about this my surgeon pointed out that that statistic is generally true for elective surgery. He stated that that is the recovery time for a post occipital craniotomy, I receive the added complication of trauma created by the tumor and its subsequent removal. (He got to poke around my brain tissue to access the tumor and ensure as complete a removal as possible.)

• Recurrence of tumor increases in likelihood unless there is a complete removal of the tumor. Follow-up MRIs are often ordered at three, six, and twelve month intervals by the surgeon as part of follow-up care. If the tumor does reoccur it will happen within the first year, it is often malignant.

The identification and treatment of my tumor was outside normal. We were looking for an infection, instead we found a large, but benign, tumor. Within 24 hours from that time, 56 hours from the time of any symptoms (I thought it was the flu), I was in surgery. Thanks to good medical providers and a plan directed by God, I am still alive.

In my case, I have come to accept that I am the odd man out. I am an outlier, outside of normal. So in the words of my surgeon..."Lets see what [I] can do."

Sources
www.surgeryencyclopedia.com
http://healthhub.brighamandwomens.org


 

 

 You are amazing and I love you. God loves you and you are ever in his care.