Brenee’s Story

Site created on August 15, 2018

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting. 

I was diagnosed in July with a CPA brain tumor.  They are calling it one of two different types of tumor.  It is either a Vestibular Schwannoma or a Meningioma.  I started having trouble with my hearing on my right side in early June.  After a couple visits to my doctor and it not getting any better they sent me to an ENT.  There we did a hearing test that came back that I had profound deafness in my right ear.  We scheduled an MRI and within 20 min. after my test my ENT was calling and told me of the findings. We were referred to the University of Iowa Hospital and met with my Surgeon, Dr. Hansen the first week of August.  There we took another hearing test (which came back about the same as my first test) and discussed my options. The type of surgical approach they will be doing is called a Translabryinthine.  This approach is used for larger tumors and when your hearing is very poor (which is in my case).  They will make an incision behind my ear and will go through the inner ear to remove my tumor.  All of this fun is scheduled for Tuesday, August 28th at 8 am.  The surgery will take between 7-8 hours and I will be in the surgical ICU for one night following surgery.  I will then be transferred to the 3 JPW inpatient unit for approximately 5 days.  The goal of my surgery is to completely remove the tumor and save facial nerve function.  Thank you all for joining me along my journey and for all the support you have given my family and me thus far.  Love to all!!

Newest Update

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Journal entry by Brenee Herrick —

So we are home and LOVING IT!! Here is a picture of us (or all the boys) celebrating around a giant tub of ice cream compliments of the Dairy Barn Iowa State Fair!! Hearing their laughter and seeing their smiles is the best medicine anyone could give me!! So thankful to all of you who have helped, supported, and just been there for our family! We love each and every one of you!! I believe in the power of prayer and will feel forever blessed. 
Read More of the journal posted Sep 2, 2018
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