Medical Update

It’s been a year since I was diagnosed with brain tumors, after seeking treatment for a headache that wouldn’t go away. Much of our lives has changed–but I still have that damned headache.

We’ve racked up thousands upon thousands of miles going back and forth to medical appointments and treatments at the University of Utah Health/Huntsman Cancer Institute. A few months ago, I spent some time at the Mayo Clinic Arizona and left there with updated treatment plan.

It appeared the brain tumors (benign multiple meningiomas) are causing continued intracranial pressure and a blood clot in a vein in my brain – and thus the constant headache pain and pressure. There were only a few things we could do to address the intracranial pressure, outside of surgery to install a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, which is a medical device that would drain fluid away from my brain and through a tube that would flow into another part of my body (probably my abdomen). There are risks and complications with this, as well as the fact that shunts must be maintained and replaced, and oh yeah, I have multiple brain tumors that complicate everything. For some people, shunts work great. But for my situation, it was viewed as murkier and somewhat of a last resort.

When I left the Mayo Clinic in February, we had a six-month plan to try to avoid shunt placement: maintain blood thinners to gradually disperse the blood clot and restore normal flow; increase medication to lower intracranial pressure; weight loss and aggressive hydration to reduce intracranial pressure, and; routine use of nerve block injections for pain relief.

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That was the plan. But about 10 days ago I underwent a surgical procedure to measure the blood flow and pressure at different places in the veins in my brain. The results were devastating and required some difficult discussions between Jim and I, and Cass and Maggie, about the uncertainty ahead with such an adverse prognosis. It appears my cranial pressure had already done a highspeed drive-by, blowing past the exit of what we thought was the ‘last resort.’

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Want to help the cause? There are a couple of ways to help.

I’ve also set up a GoFundMe account and am grateful to those able to help.

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The intracranial pressure and the tumors had caused damage to several of the veins in my brain. It’s a vicious cycle between the three factors, so it’s no longer a mystery why I have an incurable headache. While the plan to reduce pressure was working, critical damage had already been done. Is there any way to repair some of that damage, or halt further damage? We’ll know more in a few weeks as I undergo yet another test, and specialists consult, review boards meet, etc.

There’s no point in stressing about what comes next. It may seem dire, but it’s springtime in Wyoming, so all I need for a boost is to step outside or to visit with our silly animals. My activity level at this point is much like that of the noble marmot soaking up the sunshine on a pile of rocks. (Yes, marmots are noble. And don’t you dare call me a rock chuck.) When I journey outside to sit in the sunshine, I’m usually joined by herding dogs Rickie and Fly, an assortment of cats and chickens, with a few large rams lounging nearby. It ends up an informal social gaggle, with Jim stopping by every now and then.

Jim continues to be my rock of support in all this–plus he has the inevitable job of figuring out how to answer when all you sweet folks ask how I’m doing.

And in the most important news, Cass and Maggie are due to bring their son into the world later this month. We are so excited to meet him! This is our first spring without lambing chores, so we’re tickled at the prospect of helping to tend to their new ‘lamb’ as much as they may allow.

Cheers! Much love to ya’ll.

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