Two years in brain tumor world

Friday marked a peculiar anniversary, two years since Susan's CT scan at Clearlake that followed accumulating symptoms, revealed a mass on Susan's brain, and ushered in a series of events that have changed our lives. I'm thankful to say "our lives" since Susan is still with us and doing wonderfully. She has outlived the average 8-12 month life expectancy of glioblastoma multiforme patients by a merciful margin.

Over the past two years, Susan has been through several swings from life-threatening crises to the relative calm of the chronic mode. On June 28, 2007 she had a surgical biopsy that offered the first occasion to type the tumor. July 3 brought Susan to ER with seizure activity and a declining condition. On July 4, she had emergent brain surgery to de-bulk the tumor and awoke the next day in ICU with the effects of a stroke and in a precarious state. Death was near for Susan, yet came no closer.

The ensuing months brought initial rehab, a second brain surgery, and a string of hospitalizations for drug reactions, fungal meningitis, and hydrocephalus, plus her initial course of radiation and oral chemotherapy. The second half of year one allowed for huge improvement with maintenance chemo and a variety of at-home therapies until the tumor advanced again in the spring of 2008.

Year two introduced Susan to chemo infusions every two weeks and the return of hydrocephalus, plus increased physical and cognitive weakness, a broken vertebra due to a fall, and three months in a rehab hospital. In spite of improvement that continued through the autumn, more complications would develop, including her brain hemorrhage in January. Right now I truly can't recall how many times Susan has been hospitalized. Without checking, I think it's probably 10 or 12 inpatient visits. Meanwhile, Susan has improved at every level while remaining free from brain tumor progression. We thank God.

Our children have adjusted remarkably well to their mother's illness that has taken her from her fully functioning role to a brain tumor patient in critical condition with fitful recoveries and many hospitalizations. We admire how Lexie, Austin, and Adam have joined us in trusting God for Susan's future and how quickly they stepped up to maturity in filling the gap left by their mom's inability to manage our home like she did before.

In prayer last night before bed, Susan once again submitted her life to the Lord and accepted his plans for her, whatever they may be. She looks forward to being in Heaven and told God it's the most wonderful thing she can imagine. With her 30-year Paramount High School class reunion approaching on July 18, she has expressed excitement about seeing her friends again, as well as concern about those same friends seeing a lesser version of her. I understand her feelings and certainly see her point. I also expect her friends will encounter a greater version of Susan as a two-year malignant brain tumor survivor, made lovelier by faith and peace under grace during difficult times.