Last update 1/14/2004
Although I have told this story many times I have never put it in
writing...And until recently I have never even given much thought to the
fact that I am a survivor. I am a Certified Athletic Trainer in a High
School. My expertise lies in the prevention, care and rehabilitation of
athletic injuries. It is one of the best jobs in the world.
In April of 1989 I was asked by the girls' softball coach if I would mind
demonstrating the slide. (I had played softball in high school and
college.) Playing with the athletes keeps me young. I was 27 at the time
and living at home with my parents. So I spent the afternoon demonstrating
the slide...indoors. When using proper technique you tuck one knee, drop
and lay back to avoid a tag. On my final slide I banged my head on the gym
floor and saw stars!!! I was certain that I had a concussion-headache,
fatigue and vomiting persisted for approximately 24 hours, but then I was
fine. My family physician (who is also our school physician) instructed me
to rest. I was back to normal with in a few days and thought nothing else.
The next Saturday morning I awoke with a migraine. I had never had a
migraine, but knew that because I could not lift my head, saw strobe like
lights in my eyes and spent the morning vomiting that this was a migraine.
I took ibuprofen and drank caffeine and spent the day in bed. I was too
sick to drive myself to the doctor's office, but he assured me on the phone
that the symptoms would pass and they did. I had recently become engaged
to the love of my life and had moved to a small apartment while we were
looking to purchase a house and planning our December wedding.
I went to the doctor's office on Monday, because I began to wonder if
something was wrong with my head. I was very tired and had a low grade
headache. He told that I had some increased ocular pressure that was from
my sinus area. My physician started me on Seldene, an antibiotic and told
me to get rid of my cat because it was probably allergies. (I used the
prescriptions, but kept the cat -- she had been with me for six years and a
sudden allergic reaction seemed unlikely.)
I attended a seminar that Thursday in North Jersey. After a slide
presentation the presenter turned on the overhead lights. I turned to my
friend and said, "Hey I am going to get one of those headaches." We left
and the drive home was outrageous. I had another "migraine," but this time
the left side of my body was going numb. We went straight to the emergency
room. They shot me up with Demerol and told me this was a migraine and
that I should see a neurologist. The next day I was having neck spasms and
my physician thought that I was whip lash from when I banged my head. That
day while at school I now was getting an aura (sp?) preceding my headaches.
While I was out on my golf cart I knew what was coming. I called my
father and he took me once again to the emergency room where they shot me
up with Demerol and told me I really couldn't keep coming there for
migraines. I begged for a CT scan and they scheduled one for the following
Tuesday morning.
In the meantime, my mother called over the University of Pennsylvania and
spoke to Dr. Richard Davis. Dr. Davis was neurosurgeon that had done a
procedure on my father's back years ago. She described my signs and
symptoms and he told her to have me hand carry my films to him when they
were finished. My father had a massive heart attack that weekend. (What a
dynamic time for my family.) Ironically while I was running with my friend
Barb that Saturday, she asked me what I thought was causing the
headaches...I told her that I thought it was a brain tumor. I could not
imagine anything else being this invasive. (I was also joking!)
In recalling things, I have decided I was fairly lucid during this time
frame, but boy did I pray. Brian, my fiancee just kept saying that I was
fine and the headaches really were not very bad. He thought I was being a
wimp! I had one way conversations with God, but I knew that he was
listening. When Dr. Davis looked at my CT scan he told my oldest brother
and me that there was a cyst that had to be removed. I wanted to wait
until after my wedding, (You know the whole head shave idea...) but he
insisted that he was going to admit me on Friday and remove the "thing" on
Monday. (Now recall that my father was is ICU, so we could not even let on
that his youngest daughter needed brain surgery!) I began taking my
Keflex, Dilantin and Steroids right away. Then we went to visit my dad and
did as any good Catholic would-I lied. Yep, told him that the hospital had
messed up on the CT and Dr. Davis was going to admit me and redo the test.
Well, all this lying brought on another headache complete with seizure. I
was transported to the University of Penn and admitted that day.
I briefly wondered whether this was something that you get a second opinion
on, but I just put everything in God's hands. Remember I was 27, in love,
my father was dying, my mother was a wreck and five Irish Catholic brothers
and sisters and their spouses were all praying. So on May 2, 1989 Dr.
Davis did a craniotomy and removed a Cystic Astrocytoma from my right
frontal lobe. The surgical procedure was minor compared to the drug
allergies I developed - Keflex, PCN, Codeine, and Dilantin. I used
Phenobarbital for one year to prevent seizures and did a follow up oncology
study at the Bodine Cancer Center at Jefferson.
Well, I flipped when Dr. Davis mentioned Radiation. That's when he sent me
to Jefferson. I saw a Dr. Tupchong there. I opted to not receive the
radiation treatment, because there was no garentee that with treatment the
tumor would not reoccur. At this point Brian and I decided that we really
wanted to have a child and they felt the tumor was well contained within
the cyst. In wasting no time we began trying right away. My father
passed away in November 3 weeks before Brian and I became married. While
he was in a coma I told him that I thought that I was pregnant (My brothers
and sisters tease me that the news is probably what killed him...) Brian
and I married on December 2, 1989 - 7 months after the removal of my tumor.
In January when I went to Penn for my follow up MRI a pregnancy test
confirmed that we would have a baby in July. Kayle Elizabeth was born July
21, 1990, followed by Emily Margaret in July of 1992, and Brian Boru in
November of 1995. Dr. Davis retired, but I still call him each year after
my MRI. In November of 1997 my new neurologist asked me if my husband was
ready to raise our children without me? He told me that no one survives
these types of brain tumors. Brian and I were contemplating a fourth
child. With the recent passing of his mother and my mother's diagnosis of
breast cancer we felt the family needed a little joy. This neurologist
felt we were being foolish. That's when I found Dr. Musella's web site. I
went on a rampage to learn more about brain tumors than I ever cared to
know. I read many articles and emails. Some made me laugh and some made
me cry. It is all such real life stuff. I told this neurologist that ten
years ago I put my life in the hands of God. And I believe he guides me
and that I am here (we all are here) for a reason. Not that I know the
reason, but I get down on my knees each day and I am thankful and I pray
that there will be many more days, but I live each day as my first. I pray
for the physicians that work so hard to fight these illnesses, I pray for
the people that survive them each day and for all those that need the
strength of God, his son and his Mother Mary. My Catholicism has been a
blessing. I fired that neurologist. Our fourth child Seon Cinneade was
born on December 22, 1999 three weeks after the death of my mother. This
February I spoke with Dr. Davis and told him I needed a physician that knew
that I was going to survive. I had an MRI in May and once again there were
no changes and once again I am thankful. Ten years, one day at a time.
I cannot even say that I think about ifs, but I pray that Brain and I will
be ready. For my mother always told us God never gives us more than we can
handle and I know that he is by my side.
Update: 4/11/02
I had an MRI last May
that showed no change and will repeat the exam in May 2003 (unless I
experience any symptoms).
Update: 1/14/2004
I had another MRI - no change!
