Hey there!

If you are reading this then first off I want to thank you for following my journey and for whatever support or even kind thoughts you have given our way.  The last couple month have without a doubt been the most challenging my family and I have endured.  I had stopped updating, but now have news I suppose is worth sharing - both good and bad - so here we go!

I lost a lot of blood in surgery.  Like A LOT.  The human body has about 5 Liters in it and my est blood loss was 4 Liters.  Aside from the obvious transfusions that were needed while I was in the hospital, it also meant I left the hospital very low on red cells and hemoglobin (I went home with hb 8).  The important part about this is that it left me with less oxygen for my body as I recovered and made those first weeks tough with shortness of breath.  The good news is that I am now past that part and moving around well.

My left side is still numb from the armpit/breast down to my toes, but I have worked very hard at PT and my core stability has greatly improved!  I am able to do more and more.  Last week I graduated from a "high fall risk" to a "moderate fall risk"....literally baby steps!  Yesterday I walked a mile with Rich in the neighborhood - that is a personal best since the surgery!

The bad news - I had an MRI this week that showed Lucy has not entirely left the building.  I have some residual meningioma (the original tumor) still in my head.  The little guy/second tumor I call Ford is stable and has not grown.  However Lucy has added a couple cm along the mid section of my brain.  I didn't expect this.  I really thought this would be an "all clear" moment and I would smile and move on.  It really is such crap.  Can't a girl catch a break?!  I really hate the idea of once again shaving my head and opening my skull.  My Neurosurgeon has asked me to continue to focus on recovery for now and we will do another MRI in July.  Depending on what is seen we will make a plan to tackle it from there.  Surgery and radiation are both on the table...TBD

I did have a good cry to let the frustration out, and I also took some time to really reflect on how far I have come.  I am working so hard to do all I can on my end so that no matter the future, I know I gave it all my biggest and baddest eastside girl fight! 

I am going back to work part time mid-May and that is a normalcy I am craving with all my heart!  I miss my team and all my co-workers!  Side bar - my team took up a collection for me to get a tattoo to commemorate this fight. I have just the thing in mind!

I am not dying - fuck that and fuck Lucy!  I made it through a big part of removing a vascular sucking monster from my brain and skull.  I am a survivor that has a million things to live for and so much more to offer the world.  This is just a pot hole in a long ass road to my happily ever after. 

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk  : )