Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding......
Proverbs 3:5

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Where to start....

Well I have been told that it is a good idea to blog about major experiences so that friends and family can keep up with your events, sounds like a great idea so here we go!

I guess I should start with the major experience that is provoking this blog, my brain tumor. I have a brain tumor! Sounds so awful huh, well not really,it is all how you look at it I guess.I have tried to get as much information as I can and stayed very positive with it. Not to mention I have had an amazing support system of friends and family!
Acoustic Neuromas are relatively rare, non-malignant brain tumors that grow on the 8th cranial nerve, the balance nerve. Although these tumors are non cancerous, they can cause problems as they begin to grow and press on the hearing nerve, the facial nerve, and if permitted to grow large enough, the brain stem. For this reason, my family and I have decided to get it removed using the middle fossa approach. This is a surgical approach that is best when trying to preserve the hearing and facial nerves. My tumor is at the perfect size, according to my doctor, it is big enough to be able to hopefully remove the entire thing and small enough to reduce the risks of the surgery. I am in very good hands! You can check out the link in my sidebar if you would like more info.

So I found out about my AN about 3 years ago by mistake, or I should say by the grace of God. I was being tested for meningitis and on an MRI they saw this mass in my brain stem. There was a wave of emotions as you can imagine, but initially I wasn't that concerned, at least that is how I appeared. After speaking with several doctors I finally found an amazing neuro-surgeon named Dr. Franco Demonte at MD Anderson. I couldn't have found a more knowledgeable and experienced surgeon as he. His partner Dr. Paul Gidley is just as amazing. With this team I feel very comfortable with all the decisions being made.

My surgery is set for January 7, 2010, what a way to start the new year right? During my surgery Nate will update this blog as he gets information. This will keep everyone in the know and give Nate something to do while in the waiting room. Already I have been so touched by all of the support offered, and especially the prayers. As I get closer to the date I get a bit more anxious. With Nate being gone and Christmas keeping me busy I haven't had to think about the surgery much, well it is all kinda becoming real. Nate will get home the night before the surgery and I know he is dealing with feelings as well so please what we need more then anything right now is prayer. For guidance, for strength, for assurance, and for peace. I am blessed that my mother can come for 3 weeks to help with the kids, she will need prayer too! I am open to advice and love to hear what others have experienced so don't hold back.

Thank you for being a part of my life and a part of my blog!

10 comments:

  1. We are praying for you and would love to have Tanner come play a couple times while you are recovering. We know you are in the best hands... The Lord's.
    Heather Mitchell

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  2. Our family will be there to support all of you through this process. We love you guys!
    The Makselons

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  3. Dawn, I am so glad you included me in your list for the blog. I will most certainly pray for you and your family. We serve a mighty God Who will receive the glory for the process. I will be watching for the updates, Mary Nuttall

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  4. I will continue to pray for you and your family. You are all like family to me as well as my parents. We are all here anytime you, Nate or the kids need us! Please make sure Nate and your Mom know to call my Mom and Dad, Nikki or myself for ANYTHING they may need at ANYTIME! I love you guys!

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  5. Dawn - your positive attitude and incredible faith is inspiring. We are praying for you and your family. Love ya!

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  6. We always have all of you in our prayers! I still plan on arriving the night of the 6th, so I will be there early morning for us to go do all of your admission paperwork. Keep me updated on our schedule! James has always been my favorite book of the bible: James 2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. XOXO Love you bunches!!!

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  7. Dearest Dawn,
    Please know that we will be lifting you and your family up in our prayers! God is with you and will see you through this season of your life! Just know that your BCBC family is here for you! With all my love and prayers,
    Renee Fuller <><

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  8. Hey Dawn. I know you have talked with Jennifer a lot regarding my experience with a brain tumor. This is the link to my blog that chronicles the events of my Surgery and the days that follow. You have to go back several pages to get to the Surgery date of 1/10/08. My surgery was 14 hours and I was awake for 8 hours, but I was so sedated it only seemed like a trip to the dentist. We are praying for you and your family. You are in the great hands of our all powerful God and the hands of an excellent staff at MD Anderson. http://travislb.blogspot.com/
    He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. "Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge-then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
    Psalm 91

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  9. Dawn, you are so positive and strong, and we are praying for you here,(Ivy prayed for you at bedtime- way too cute!)we love ya girl!

    (V)
    ,V Rachel, Jorge, Violet & Ivy

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  10. Dawn, I hope all goes well with your surgery and your recovery. One thing you have always been is strong willed, and I am sure that this time will be no different and will come in quite handy. I will be thinking positive thoughts and praying for you this morning.
    Marni

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