Sarah Anne’s Story

Site created on May 11, 2020

Sarah Anne Lamm, who currently lives in Wilson, NC with Riddick, had a seizure in her home on December 2.  Thankfully, she was rushed to the Neuro Science ICU in Raleigh at UNC Rex Hospital.  With Mary Eliza by her side, the nurses and doctors took EXCELLENT care of her, stabilized the seizure, and had her resting comfortably.  She spent a week at the NSICU with both her daughters undergoing tests to figure out the culprit!  

She was diagnosed with 2 brain tumors, one on the right temporal lobe and one on the left.  With the EXCELLENT care of her neurosurgeon, Dr. Robin Koeleveld, who she loves, Sarah Anne waited patiently until St Patrick's Day to re-do the MRI to track the growth of the tumors.  The tumor on the left side of her brain is diagnosed as an unchanged meningioma.  The tumor on the right side of her brain, which was increasing in size,  is a rare, malignant, aggressive tumor called an Anaplastic Astrocytoma.  Therefore, Dr. Koeleveld promptly scheduled her for surgery amid the COVID-19 pandemic at Rex Hospital on March 25.  Thankfully, he was able to remove most of the tumor.  Yay! And thankfully Mary Eliza was allowed to stay at the hospital in the ICU for 24 hours after mom's surgery.  Her recovery was fast and they had her home by that weekend to limit exposure to the potential virus fight at the hospital.   This was the same ICU team who took such great care of her in December.  (Actually they were giving her hugs and following her to the regular hospital floors to check-in.  The Rex Hospital NCICU team is phenomenal!  My sister and I had tears in our eyes when we left the ICU because they are just amazing angels! )

She spent most of April with many hospital, doctor, nurse, pharmacist, MRI, CT Scan visits to set up a rigid plan of Chemo and Radiation.  With a large team of doctors and nurses, led by the head of Neuro Oncology at UNC (Dr. Khagi) and a Radiation team and a Chemo team, we feel like mom is in great hands.  She is choosing to fight with every recommendation that they have.    And we have been told that since this a rare tumor, that there are many teams working on the research of this tumor and how to best fight it!   Apparently these tumors can be fast growing.  The current plan is for her to take a Chemo Pill and get a dose of radiation almost every day for 3 weeks.  That started on Mother's Day. Today, May 11, she is in great spirits, feels good and asked for a Reuben Sandwich on the way home from her radiation treatment.  

With all the horrors that come with the word Brain Cancer, Mary Eliza, Mom, Dad and I have witnessed so many ways that God is looking after Mom and his angels abound: 
1) At the time of her seizure, Mom and Dad's good friends (The  Eagles) were visiting and decided to call 911 due to her inability to communicate.  
2) From Wilson, Mom was taken to a UNC Hospital in Raleigh (Go Heels!).  (Many of the other choices of ICU were full.)  It just happens that Mary Eliza's wonderful friend and amazing doctor, Greg Appert works in the UNC Hospital System.  Now he is mom's new internal medicine doctor who has been coaching and monitoring her the entire time.
2) Since Mom had a seizure in December, she got bumped up to have the timely brain surgery.  ME and I are hearing of some patients having to wait for surgery due to COVID-19.
3) Mom has amazing Wilson friends who decorated her house and wrapped her presents (Celeste) for a Happy Christmas at home.   AND have been showering them with meals! 
4) The fact that Mary Eliza (and her beautiful family) live in Raleigh, so she is close to help mom and go to her appointments and that she has lots of friends who have been helping us make decisions.

Thank you all for all your prayers!!!  We will keep this site updated as we have news.  Feel free to post and we will share with her!  Stay Safe! 
Sarah Lamm Dickson

Newest Update

Journal entry by Sarah Dickson

Mom just finished her third round of chemo, like a champ. Her latest MRI showed that the tumor has not grown any since her surgery in March.  Yay!!!!!  She has an amazing doctor, nurse , surgeon, pharmacist team looking after her. We are very blessed. Everyone stay safe!!!
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