Amanda Bevan

About a year and a half ago my symptoms of nausea and extreme dizziness started. We spent month searching for answers and I was tested for everything possible. Three emergency room visits and a helicopter ride occurred. The first on happened in Minnesota, I was rushed to the ER by my boyfriend after days of throwing up and being unable to get out of bed. When I got to the hospital I weighed 109 pounds, they pumped me full of fluids and sent me on my way. The second time happened during my summer job. It was a hot day in the kitchen so I thought I was overhearing. I sat down in front of the AC and next thing I know I was convulsing on the floor. The woman I worked with, Beth Taylor, called the flight paramedics and I was sent to Kalispell Regional. During the flight they had to give me five shots of sedatives to calm me down.  Finally, this Christmas break I was getting extra work hours and my boss and I had stopped to get lunch at the local gas station. My grandparents happened to be there filling gas at the same time. I went to hug my grandfather but I felt incredibly lightheaded so I sat on the floor in the middle of the gas station. I had numbness in my legs and hands while being dizzy. I tried to get up thinking I just needed food and sat at the table shaking the whole time. I was taken to the hospital but on the way I lost the ability to talk and send a text message. I told them my birthday was in 1970. From this we schedualed a follow up visit on January 4th  with the nurse practitioner because my doctor was still on Christmas vacation. She recommended an MRI which I went to on January 5th. That day after many tests, 40 pregnancy tests and lots of frustrations they found a tumor the size of a kiwi beneath my cerebellum. We were rushed to the neurosurgeon who had booked the OR for the 8th. I underwent surgery to remove the tumor which was 100% successful however the tumor proved to be cancerous. Since the surgery I have had trouble swallowing walking, and talking becuase the tumor was attached to the cranial nerves on my brain stem. I am continuing to work through these struggles and am looking at the small victories. Today I was able to regain my ability to swallow a bit of ice chips and use the bathroom with the help of a nurse. I also was able to walk with the aid of a walker.  These advancements slow coming but encouraging. We expect a slow recovery but I am improving quickly. I am working with an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, and a physical therapist. I am hoping to get to 100+% before I begin radiation therapy.  We will be posting daily updates on my recovery.