Teresa’s Story

Site created on October 18, 2020


DISCLOSURE: I do NOT want sympathy, I do NOT want pity.. I WANT prayer. I am doing this group for so many that want to pray for me and keep up on my journey. I have been given this obstacle for a reason (I feel) God has a plan. I am His disciple to help whomever this will. 🙂 Is it scary? Yes! Do I cry? Yes! But I do not feel sorry for myself. It is what it is.


This post will be a long one and I apologize, but I realize many people do not know the story, where the tumor is etc. May of 2018 I woke up thinking I was having a heart attack, I tried walking to the bathroom and passed out and hit my head on the concrete floor. After much coaxing from my husband we went to the hospital. No heart attack just pneumonia with allergies..but when they did the CT scan on my head the doctor found a mass in my head (his words) I just went through seeing my sister have two tumors removed from her then having a stroke with months of therapy. I was not happy.


This tumor is called a Meningioma tumor which is non cancerous. Our blood vessels is what feeds it to grow. They are a slow growing tumor and who knows how long I have had it and when it started or why. We have been tracking this little stinker for a while. The first year it did not grow much at all, then the second year it did a little. This year it did quite a bit. Last year it measured 2.6x4.0x3.3cm and this year (10 months since last one) 4.3x3.5x4.0cm. 4.0cm is about the size of a slice of lime..the circumference of the lime. Everything else in my brain, they say, looks normal.
Where this tumor is located will affect my legs and arms. You see this tumor decided to claim residency on the middle membrane (I call it the butt crack) and it has attached itself to this membrane on both sides in the middle part of my brain. So when the surgeon says surgery we are talking two places to open up and double the chance of something not turning out good. Two separate entrance spots...ohhh my red hair I am finally accepting...lol.


I want to say that I feel truly feel God’s grace upon me as I have not had any major effects from this tumor. Sometimes my legs feel like rubber but I cannot pinpoint it to the tumor. I feel normal (debatable for some..lol) and have been living my normal life other than knowing something is growing inside my head. I have (for the most part) gotten control of my anxiety/panic attacks but there are those days.


I have sent the MRI disc to the Mayo Clinic and the doctors will look at them from the last two years and we will then do a video conference to see where we go next.


I will keep you updated as we know more!  Thank you for your continued prayers...it really, truly has humbled me to tears.

Newest Update

October 21, 2020

Journal entry by Teresa Allen —

A little update: Mayo appointment in Neurology called me today and said she will be giving my cd's to a specific doctor we had asked about. IF he feels he is not the right person to talk with me he will call in another colleague to look at them. When the correct doctor sees them we will then set up a video conference. It may be a couple of days yet before I hear anything back from them. Very nice, very accommodating and informational. They know I do not have the insurance that most people do and I have to figure that out if we go any further. If I go there for a consult I have to come up with a $5000 bond/type deal where it will be applied to any consults, testing etc. Hoping to have more concrete answers before we go and get additional "government approved" insurance. I love love my Christian Heath Ministries, they are amazing and so good to us, but are considered "self Pay".
Further updates to come in the next few days!!
Read More of the journal titled "October 21, 2020"
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