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Kim’s Story

Site created on December 26, 2020

Thank you for taking the time to pray for Kim and read her story. We will use this site as a way of keeping everyone up-to-date during the surgery and for the days after surgery that she is recovering. In the 'ways to help' section there is a link to a google doc where you can sign up to pray for Kim during her surgery so that she is covered in prayer the entire time.

This is Kim's story...

On May 2, 2020 at around 5:00 in the morning my husband, Anders, woke up to me having a grand mal seizure. He said it took me about 10-15 mins to come back fully to awareness but I was so confused when he told me I had a seizure because I felt like I just woke up. Anders told me to get up and that we needed to go to the hospital. He dropped me off at the nearest ER but due to covid-19 he couldn’t come with me, it was the scariest thing I ever experienced. In the ER they asked me what happened and I couldn’t tell them because I didn’t know, I was unconscious. Anders sat out in his car for some time not knowing what to do and finally a family member convinced him to head home because there was nothing he could do waiting. My brother in law, Andy, came over to wait with him. While at the hospital after an MRI I learned I had a tumor on my frontal lobe that has been causing smaller seizures for the last 3 or so years that I thought were panic attacks. Throughout the years they increasingly were happening closer together and more often. The ER I was at transferred me to another hospital where I stayed alone in the ICU overnight. That hospital said here are some medications there is nothing else we can do.

We knew we needed to get other opinions. We received a referral to a neurosurgeon and neurologist at Northwestern Memorial in Chicago who immediately doubled the medication dosage I was on and we were able to meet with both doctors within 3 days of the referral. Through extensive testing and lots of medication adjustments, because my seizures were happening despite the medications I was on, surgery was the best option. There will also be a vascular surgeon in the surgery to protect some very important arteries that the tumor is curved around specifically one that could affect my legs. They do not believe the tumor is cancerous because of a lot of different reasons but because it is so deep in my brain there is no point to do a biopsy without just removing it. Post surgery they will do a biopsy to be certain there are no cancerous cells.

The side effects of the medication and the emotions leading up to this decision have not been easy but we are hopeful once the surgery and recovery are complete we can move past this and learn from all we have journeyed through in this year. We appreciate prayers and support at this time with a lot of unknown ahead of us. Please pray for peace and healing.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Kim Grau — Mar 8, 2021

Wow, what a ride these last 8 weeks has been! I'm can't say I'm sad they are over, the extrovert in me is bursting out needing to see (even via video) friends and co-workers now more than ever. Two weeks ago I was finishing up my antibiotics for my infection and they were causing me some side effects that were causing me to not be able to really be myself yet and be up and moving and feeling great. However, as of this past Monday I finished my antibiotics and I almost immediately became myself again and had my energy back and was right where I left off recovering before the infection and I was able to be up and moving and found it difficult to want to sit around. It felt great and the infection is gone!

Today, I start work again full time from home. Even though I don't get to see my co-workers in person it will be nice to see them on video, and since I still haven't been cleared to drive, it's actually pretty convenient even though I have a great friend and co-worker always willing and has always been there to pick me up on the way (thanks Kolleen!).

Also a big win, I still have not had any seizures and the tumor after testing was found completely benign.

Lots of things to praise God for on this Monday morning! Have a great day!

-Kim (and Anders)

Read More of the journal titled "March 8, 2021"

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