Many of you were aware that a large tumor, called a schwannoma, was discovered during my post melanoma removal PET scan. The tumor was pressing against my spinal cord and compromising about 90% of it. This prompted the research to find the best surgeon and post operative care for removal of the tumor. Dr. Melvin Fields with Advent Health Orlando came highly recommended from several people within and outside of the medical community. He has been amazing!! Due to the size and location of the tumor, it was recommended I undergo an occlusion of the vertebral artery. This cuts off blood supply to the tumor thus making removal safer. During the occlusion, a small blood vessel supplying blood to an area of the spinal cord was undetected. Upon waking from anesthesia, the entire left side of my body was numb and I had little to no movement in my extremities. An emergency MRI was completed to make sure the tumor hadn't swelled more causing the numbness. It had not and the medical team advised that we could proceed as planned with the tumor removal. We agreed and the surgery occurred as scheduled the next day. Dr. Fields was able to successfully remove all of the tumor and was able to conclude the that, in fact, the blood vessel that caused the stroke was hidden by the tumor. Pathology verified the tumor was benign!! The second positive in this journey. Immediately after surgery, I began an elevated blood pressure treatment hoping to increase blood flow and reduce stroke symptoms. This treatment kept me in ICU for seven days. They began physical and occupational therapy the day after surgery and will continue until I am at the most functional level possible. Each day I continue to progress. Small acts become gigantic milestones of progress. Later in the week, I will be transported to an inpatient rehabilitation center where I will receive aggressive therapy. Stay tuned for more positive updates. Again, that you all for the prayers and words of encouragement.
Thrilled to announce that I've officially joined the team at Cogent Bank as the Market Executive for Ocala! 🏦✨
I'm grateful for this opportunity and can't wait to dive in, collaborate with amazing colleagues, and make a positive impact in our community. Here's to new beginnings and exciting challenges ahead! 💼🚀 #NewJob #CogentBank #OcalaOpportunities
Thank you all for your prayers,positivity and encouragement… It has truly made a difference in my recovery and I am blessed beyond measure to have you all by my side.
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