Welcome to Emily Saunders' CaringBridge website. We are (continuing) using this to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate everyone's support and words of hope and encouragement. We will try to post as we receive new info. Thank you for visiting ~ with each post I will try to (remember to) mention when to expect the next piece of news, so read the most recent post!
FOR THOSE NEW TO EMILY'S STORY: Here is a summary of what her journey has looked like and brought us to today!
July 1991: (age 4.75 years) - We learn that Emily has a ping pong ball sized tumor directly under her brain, pressing against the brainstem, impeding the flow of brain fluid which caused the pressure in her head, which caused the headaches that took us to the doctor. - July 24, 1991: Emily has brain surgery to remove the malignant PNET tumor (Pineal Neuro Ectodermal Tumor) - Aug 1991 - Sept. 1992: Emily first has 6 weeks of daily radiation treatments, followed by 8 cycles of chemotherapy at 7 week intervals ** The grade school/middle school years are relatively smooth with just check-ups and some growth meds, etc**
April 2003: (16.5 yrs - sophomore) - Emily is diagnosed with Complex Partial Seizures and we spend the next few years fine-tuning medications to control them.
July 20, 2007: (20.5 yrs) - Emily has 2nd brain surgery to remove a radiation-induced, benign meningioma from her right temporal lobe
June 26, 2008: - They unsuccessfully attempt Epilepsy surgery to control her seizures, but can not complete it because her brain won't quit bleeding.
February 4, 2009: - She has surgery of her scalp to repair where one of the titanium plates (holding her skull together from the Epilepsy surgery) has poked through her scalp! (keep in mind how frail her scalp is from the radiation treatments)
April 19, 2021: - Emily has a 13 hour surgery to remove the right side radiation-induced meningioma that has returned/grown and has attached itself to the side of her skull and begun to invade the eye socket. (**this is where her story picks up here on Caring Bridges. To continue from this point, scroll to the bottom of the journal entries to the first entry on April 16, 2021)
CaringBridge is a nonprofit social network dedicated to helping family and friends communicate with and support loved ones during a health journey. Learn more about CaringBridge.
