If you look at the comments below, you'll see an entry from Trudi Gardner. Turns out she's seeing my doctor for the same condition. SMALL WORLD!!!
I'm doing well. My hair is growing back and I've mastered the combover. I have a greater appreciation for those who are follically challenged. :D
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
This is what I woke up to this morning:
I was so surprised to find this on my nightstand. Dave went outside to the backyard, cut this rose, and put it in a vase just for me! He takes such good care of me. I love you, Dave!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
How Ironic
THIS is funny!
My wonderful husband Dave asked me what I wanted for dinner last night. I said I have a hankering for Chinese food.....princess prawns, specifically. He runs down to Sunflower, the local Chinese food place, and he comes home with some yummy treats.
After dinner I open my fortune cookie, THIS is what I found:
We both had a huge laugh over this. :D
My wonderful husband Dave asked me what I wanted for dinner last night. I said I have a hankering for Chinese food.....princess prawns, specifically. He runs down to Sunflower, the local Chinese food place, and he comes home with some yummy treats.
After dinner I open my fortune cookie, THIS is what I found:
We both had a huge laugh over this. :D
Thursday, April 16, 2009
My Little Adventure
Way back in 2008 a fellow photographer invited me to Wedding Photography and Portrait International convention in Vegas. It is THE premiere wedding photography convention in the world. I said I'll pass; I could spend my photography income on other things more relevant to my photography business.
All this changed when my friend offered to pay my registration! He said, "Cathy you REALLY need to go to this convention. It will change your view of photography forever." I asked my dear husband Dave if I could go and he said yes. Game on! Little did I know that God had moved my friend to get me to Vegas to show me what was up with my brain......
My friend and a few other fellow photographers and I all headed off to Vegas. It thrilled me seeing all the big names in wedding photography all on one stage for the opening night.
The next night I was searching for a room where we were to meet for a invitation-only party. As I asked a hotel employee where the event was a freakish thing happened: I could NOT speak for about 10 seconds. Think of a roulette table: words spinning around and around and not being able to pin one down. Thankfully the hotel employee had a speech impediment and said, "Hey I know how you feel." God has such a funny sense of humor.
The next day the very same thing happened, and this time my friend was there to witness it. Thankfully he caught on very quickly and he jumped in to cover me in my conversation with this other person.
These speechless episodes happened two more times at WPPI. They bothered me but I thought, eh....it's the excitement....it's the altitude....
Then I had an episode two days after I got home. I called Kaiser right away and got an appointment the next day.
Prior to scheduling the Kaiser appointment I had scheduled a candid photo session with the parents of one of the CUTEST and SMARTEST toddlers in the entire world, Mr. Henry Koski. During this session I had two more episodes. UGH. However, I did get some cute pics out of that photo shoot. :)
Off to Kaiser. I explained to the doctor my symptoms and joked about having a brain tumor. Strangely enough, he didn't laugh back. He ordered a CT scan Monday morning. Monday afternoon I got the message to call the doctor's office.
It was indeed a tumor, but it was a familiar one. Mom had one a few years back: a meningioma.
A meningioma is an abnormal growth of the LINING of the brain, not the brain itself. 90% of these are benign, they occur in women by a 2:1 margin over men. Most people don't even know they have one because they grow so slowly. Depending on the location and size the course of treatment could be watch-and-wait, radiotherapy, or surgery. The doctor couldn't give me any more information from the CT scan. I would have to get an MRI.
As God would have it I got in the next day. Here's what they found.
That white blob at the top of my head? That's the meningioma. My sister Annette said that wasn't a tumor, it was a coin I probably shoved up my nose and forgotten about when I was a kid! Personally I think that's where all the gum I swallowed ended up. :)
Needless to say I was stunned. Having been healthy all my life this was a SHOCKER. But God wasn't shocked. He was revealing what He knew all along: that He has my life in His hands.
A few days later I received an envelope from Kaiser saying they'd made an appointment for me...with the Chief of Neurosurgery. My first impression? They save the BIG cases for the BIG guy. Ok CB, now where's your faith? I pulled myself together, prayed, and just waited for that appointment.
You must understand that I am VERY curious, and this appointment with the Chief of Neurosurgery really bothered me. I mean, why would they bother him with a routine case, if indeed it was routine? I emailed my regular doctor and got this response: it has nothing to do with your specific case! He was the next-up on the new patient intake. If they'd made the appointment one day before or one day after, I probably would have seen a different doctor. WHEW! This is the point at which I knew this was going to be all right. God had chosen the BEST neuroscience center and the Chief of Neurosurgery just for me.
Dave and I met with Dr. William Sheridan. He was very kind and patient and answered all of our questions. He didn't seem alarmed by this at all. Dave asked the ultimate question: if this were your wife or daughter, would you do surgery on her to remove it? Without hesitation Dr. Sheridan said, "unequivocally." Ok. Sign me up! April 14, 2009 was the date.
Fast forward five or so weeks. We kept this very quiet. We told family and very close friends at first for prayer coverage. As time passed I told people at work since a) I had to pass my work off to them, and b) they'd all wonder where I was for six weeks. I am continually amazed at the affection and friendships I have. :)
I'll spare you the details of the surgery since some of you are gore-a-phobic, so I'll show you a series of pictures of the day instead:
The kids and I in pre-op.
Good bye, hair....
Hello bandaid...
A 21-staple salute to Dr. William Sheridan! :)
Photos courtesy of Mr. Dave Breslow.
I have to give a big shout to the Redwood City Kaiser Neuroscience Center. Every last one of these professionals is dedicated to one thing: excellence in neuroscience and healthcare delivery. Brenda, Chris, Rosemarie, Jane, and all the others who tended to my every need: THANK YOU so much. You made my short stay incredibly amazing. God placed every one of you in my path for a reason. I can only hope He placed me in your path for your blessing too. :D
So here's the good part: the post-surgery MRI. I can't believe my brain sprang back to fill the void left by the removed tumor!!! It is weird seeing that cut in my scalp.
So to all of you who prayed, sent positive thoughts, brought over meals and hats and a blanket, baked cookies, drove me to coffee and the medical office, plastered my Facebook with get-well wishes....THANK YOU! You cannot imagine the blessing you have been and will continue to be to me. I thank God for each and every one of you. :)
All this changed when my friend offered to pay my registration! He said, "Cathy you REALLY need to go to this convention. It will change your view of photography forever." I asked my dear husband Dave if I could go and he said yes. Game on! Little did I know that God had moved my friend to get me to Vegas to show me what was up with my brain......
My friend and a few other fellow photographers and I all headed off to Vegas. It thrilled me seeing all the big names in wedding photography all on one stage for the opening night.
The next night I was searching for a room where we were to meet for a invitation-only party. As I asked a hotel employee where the event was a freakish thing happened: I could NOT speak for about 10 seconds. Think of a roulette table: words spinning around and around and not being able to pin one down. Thankfully the hotel employee had a speech impediment and said, "Hey I know how you feel." God has such a funny sense of humor.
The next day the very same thing happened, and this time my friend was there to witness it. Thankfully he caught on very quickly and he jumped in to cover me in my conversation with this other person.
These speechless episodes happened two more times at WPPI. They bothered me but I thought, eh....it's the excitement....it's the altitude....
Then I had an episode two days after I got home. I called Kaiser right away and got an appointment the next day.
Prior to scheduling the Kaiser appointment I had scheduled a candid photo session with the parents of one of the CUTEST and SMARTEST toddlers in the entire world, Mr. Henry Koski. During this session I had two more episodes. UGH. However, I did get some cute pics out of that photo shoot. :)
Off to Kaiser. I explained to the doctor my symptoms and joked about having a brain tumor. Strangely enough, he didn't laugh back. He ordered a CT scan Monday morning. Monday afternoon I got the message to call the doctor's office.
It was indeed a tumor, but it was a familiar one. Mom had one a few years back: a meningioma.
A meningioma is an abnormal growth of the LINING of the brain, not the brain itself. 90% of these are benign, they occur in women by a 2:1 margin over men. Most people don't even know they have one because they grow so slowly. Depending on the location and size the course of treatment could be watch-and-wait, radiotherapy, or surgery. The doctor couldn't give me any more information from the CT scan. I would have to get an MRI.
As God would have it I got in the next day. Here's what they found.
That white blob at the top of my head? That's the meningioma. My sister Annette said that wasn't a tumor, it was a coin I probably shoved up my nose and forgotten about when I was a kid! Personally I think that's where all the gum I swallowed ended up. :)Needless to say I was stunned. Having been healthy all my life this was a SHOCKER. But God wasn't shocked. He was revealing what He knew all along: that He has my life in His hands.
A few days later I received an envelope from Kaiser saying they'd made an appointment for me...with the Chief of Neurosurgery. My first impression? They save the BIG cases for the BIG guy. Ok CB, now where's your faith? I pulled myself together, prayed, and just waited for that appointment.
You must understand that I am VERY curious, and this appointment with the Chief of Neurosurgery really bothered me. I mean, why would they bother him with a routine case, if indeed it was routine? I emailed my regular doctor and got this response: it has nothing to do with your specific case! He was the next-up on the new patient intake. If they'd made the appointment one day before or one day after, I probably would have seen a different doctor. WHEW! This is the point at which I knew this was going to be all right. God had chosen the BEST neuroscience center and the Chief of Neurosurgery just for me.
Dave and I met with Dr. William Sheridan. He was very kind and patient and answered all of our questions. He didn't seem alarmed by this at all. Dave asked the ultimate question: if this were your wife or daughter, would you do surgery on her to remove it? Without hesitation Dr. Sheridan said, "unequivocally." Ok. Sign me up! April 14, 2009 was the date.
Fast forward five or so weeks. We kept this very quiet. We told family and very close friends at first for prayer coverage. As time passed I told people at work since a) I had to pass my work off to them, and b) they'd all wonder where I was for six weeks. I am continually amazed at the affection and friendships I have. :)
I'll spare you the details of the surgery since some of you are gore-a-phobic, so I'll show you a series of pictures of the day instead:
The kids and I in pre-op.
Good bye, hair....
Hello bandaid...
A 21-staple salute to Dr. William Sheridan! :)
Photos courtesy of Mr. Dave Breslow.
I have to give a big shout to the Redwood City Kaiser Neuroscience Center. Every last one of these professionals is dedicated to one thing: excellence in neuroscience and healthcare delivery. Brenda, Chris, Rosemarie, Jane, and all the others who tended to my every need: THANK YOU so much. You made my short stay incredibly amazing. God placed every one of you in my path for a reason. I can only hope He placed me in your path for your blessing too. :D
So here's the good part: the post-surgery MRI. I can't believe my brain sprang back to fill the void left by the removed tumor!!! It is weird seeing that cut in my scalp.
So to all of you who prayed, sent positive thoughts, brought over meals and hats and a blanket, baked cookies, drove me to coffee and the medical office, plastered my Facebook with get-well wishes....THANK YOU! You cannot imagine the blessing you have been and will continue to be to me. I thank God for each and every one of you. :)
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