Photo taken about a year and a half prior to diagnosis.

How did we know I had a brain tumor? Well, hindsight says that I had some behavioral changes over the past 3-4 years but I thought that was just me getting old and grumpy! Ha-ha! What freaked out my wife and got me to the ER was a 3 week long severe headache, and I stumbled twice in one morning actually hitting the floor once. That may not sound so bad but I DON'T FALL DOWN! And headaches are usually just an aspirin away from being gone! I can look back now and I realize that for a period of at least two to three years I used to get what I called the "Nail," headache. It just so happens that nail driving sensation was exactly where the tumor was.

May 29, 2006: We went to the Urgent Care and were told to go over to the hospital ER and demand a CAT Scan. (Good call U/C Doc) We did so and they came back and straight faced said "Well it looks as though you have a brain tumor. A Neuro consult is on the way down." The ER Doc was so blase' that I actually thought she was joking. Then she walked out! My wife and I were completely shocked. The Neurosurgeon came down and spoke with us for a bit and set us up for an MRI. This guy had style! He was East Indian from Canada and very self confident and very gentle in word and manner. Even after the MRI reported that it was, what he termed, probably a slow growing tumor about the size of an orange that had completely compressed and consumed my right frontal lobe, he continued to be positive and caring.

Right off the bat they put me on Dexamethasone to ease the swelling in my brain. The headache disappeared and the nightmare began. From that moment, I did not sleep or eat well. The Dexamethasone had me wired to the ceiling. I could barely sit still and could not lie down and could not for the life of me close my eyes. And All of my senses were wired as well. I was hypersensitive to light, sound, smells, physical movements, and my taste buds had pretty much given up and died. (That last bit really nailed me because my wife is an awesome cook and specializes in well seasoned and spicy Mediterranean foods that take me to heaven and back with each bite).

 Dr. Modha, my neurosurgeon, was concerned about getting the tumor out and doing the biopsy as quickly as possible. He said that the size of the tumor could have killed me in a matter of a few weeks.

June 13, 2006: Surgery! I am prepped, mapped, poked, and knocked out! Tip for those getting brain surgery: Shave your own head. They only shaved the front of my head, leaving a bloody post surgery mess. They cut me literally from ear to ear across my scalp and peeled my face down over my eyes and nose and bored a 2 inch diameter hole in my right front skull! After scooping out what he reported to be at least 95% of the tumor (there are always fibers not retrieved) I was plugged, pinned and screwed together and they flopped my face back up and over and took out all the wrinkles to boot! I woke up in Intensive care some 6 hours later with more needles and tubes and tape in and on me than I thought possible. The next few days and a couple of weeks are the worst thing I'll ever have to remember. About a week into it I described the sensation as having an over blown balloon for a head and a Tesla Coil at full spark inside it!

 

HOW TO REDUCE SCARRING: It seems that many of you have asked about heavy scaring.  The reason my scars have healed so well is because as a physical therapist I’m familiar with scar management.  The biggest problem with a scar is adhesions tying the upper tissues of the scar to the bone which creates discomfort.  The other problem is the formation of keloids which create raised scar tissue.   Gently rub the scar, moving the tissue over the bone and moving your fingers over the scar breaking up adhesions and keloids.   I did this several times throughout the day once the staples were removed and the skin was healed.  Don’t do this when it’s still possible to rip the wound open.     

Graphic Post surgery photos: Top two photos from L to R: Day 2 ICU; Day 4 first day home

Bottom Two photos L to R: Week three and week four

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