Page 6 - Now2011ST

The long and short of the story is, on this very day I had an MRI scheduled to scan my brain for any
underlying causes for the increased intracranial pressure inside my head. Starting back in March, I had a strange
occurrence of symptoms, starting with what they call lightning bolt migraines and eventually leading to double
vision. The MRI only took about two hours, which seemed to pass fairly quickly. It was around 11:00 A.M.,
that my parents received a call that changed our family’s lives. The MRI scan had revealed a tumor, located on
my cerebellum, approximately half the size of my own fist. My world froze on that instant, and everyone feared
the worst. Cancer, how could I have somehow managed to get cancer? “Don’t worry baby, we will go to the
neurosurgeon and see what she thinks,” I remember my dad saying as he took my hands and reassured me that
everything would be all right. The next week seemed to take an eternity to pass, until finally the day of the
meeting with the neurosurgeon came. The surgeon gave us specific details about what would be happening on
the surgery date. We would arrive at the OU Children’s Hospital around 7:45 A.M. sharp and my surgery would
begin around 9:00 A.M.. After the surgery, I would be moved to an ICU room for the night to be observed
carefully, and then transferred to a regular room where I would rest for two or three days. All that my family
and I could do now was wait for the 8th to arrive.
After several long weeks, July 8th arrived. My
whole family was heavily dreading the surgery, but none
was as scared as I was. I was petrified, so shaken by fear
that I was sick even before I had entered the room.
Around 9:00 A.M. the anesthesiologist gave me a muscle
relaxant to help relax my nerves and that was all I
remember before I blacked out. I remember briefly
waking up in a dark ICU room with my family being
there to give me a few kind gifts. Then I remember going
back out to black. The next five days took an eternity to
pass, consisting of nights of hourly medicine as well as a
second surgery two days after the first surgery. Finally
after a long six days in the hospital, I was permitted to go
home. Never would I have imagined what would happen
to me only a few weeks after arriving back at my home
after these stressful months. Those two months of sheer
hopelessness was unbearable, though I put on a brave
face for everyone in my family and friends. It was
through them and through the Holy Spirit Himself, that I
was able to make it through. I now have six titanium
screws in my head holding the bone platelets together,
and they will remain there for the rest of my life, as well
as the scar where I was opened up, but I am not ashamed
of what I went through.