A Life Lived Now

It was five months ago today we walked out of a hotel in Nashville at dark-thirty in the morning and started a drive that would seem to take hours and yet was over entirely too soon. Mom had been with us for almost a month already, and Dad flew up the day before. Grandpa and Grandma Tucker also drove up from Florida to join us on this uncertain journey. I was having brain surgery.

Shower. Seizure meds with only a sip of water. No lotion, makeup, or nail polish. Having the last-minute conversations that are uncomfortable, but necessary. It was a quiet morning filled with small talk to help the time pass, but mostly filled with prayer and reflection. We stood together in the lobby of the hospital one last time before they took me back, and we placed our trust in a God who already knew how the day would unfold.

 

My journey with an unresectable brain tumor continues to be completely unpredictable. So it seems appropriate that today - exactly five months after surgery, I will head to Erlanger for my final radiation treatment. 30-0!

Another scan is scheduled for the morning of May 16th in Nashville. Then Kevin and I will meet with Dr. Moots the same afternoon to discuss the results. I will most likely continue taking Temodar (chemo pill) for another six months, but aside from that, I have no idea what happens next. And that's okay. I will work hard to enjoy each day to the fullest, because none of us is guaranteed tomorrow.

Halfway!

Today marked the end of my third week of radiation treatment. We are halfway to the finish line! :)

I have lost quite a bit of hair from the top and right side of my scalp. I'm not afraid of having bald spots, but the process of watching it fall out 20-30 strands at a time is frustrating. Kevin will probably need to invest in some Drano when all is said and done. *I will try to get some pictures of my bald head up this week.

How am I feeling? A little tired most of the time, but not a huge noticeable difference when you consider I am used to chasing my 4yo and 1yo sons. I am so grateful that my Mom is here to help out with them and to drive me to my treatments. I did have two seizures last week that were frightening, but the good doctor got me straightened out by putting me on steroids. Now I have an increased appetite, and I tend to feel wired throughout the day. I even woke up at 5:30 this morning, which brought back lots of post-surgery memories. My most productive hours after surgery were from 4am-7am. 

I have not done a good job of keeping this updated, and that's okay. Maybe I should add a tab next to the Timeline where I can copy my random (and short) comments from facebook. What do you think?

More to come...