Marisa Made it Through Surgery!

Post from Collin:

Marisa is alive! After surgery and some time in a recovery room while waiting for a room in Neuro ICU, I finally got to see her. She's doing well. She is excited that she can see! Thank you for your prayers! God is great!

Surgery is Tomorrow!

Tomorrow it the Big Day!

Early tomorrow morning is the big surgery day. I got a call around 4pm this evening to go back to the hospital to redo a CT scan. This wasn’t in my plans this evening but in life we have to be flexible. I’m so thankful to my friends and sister who are helping with my kids while I’m in the hospital. I’ve enjoyed spending time with various people these past few weeks and am so grateful for the love shown to us. Thank you all so much for the love and prayers.

Many of you have asked how I’m doing. Honestly, not great but I’m trusting God. That’s really all I can do. I’m not looking forward to this surgery. I’ve told Collin several times I’d rather not do this, but honestly there’s no other way around it. The tumor will only grow and I could lose my complete vision, and continue to have the other issues I’m having if it’s not removed. That’s a frightening thought! I’m trying to be brave for my kids. Everyone’s outcome is different. The pituitary gland is the master gland of our bodies. It seems to have some kind of control over every aspect of our bodies. For such a small gland it really is a powerhouse! And I want to encourage each of you, that even though we each play what we feel like is a small role in this world, we actually have a huge impact on those around us. Like the pituitary gland, we can make things easier or harder on those around us. We can bring joy to others or make someone’s day worse by how we respond, including in traffic. I want to encourage each of you, my dear friends, to do something nice for someone else tomorrow or today-if you’re reading this on Thursday, my surgery day. If you read this after my surgery is over, go ahead and do something nice for someone that day too. In fact, I’d love for each of us to everyday try and show kindness to others.

I won’t know how my life will be changed until after my surgery. It could take several months to fully know how my life will be different. Tonight I’m going to meditate on my faith in the Master Healer. Jesus said in Matthew 17:20: “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” I often wondered if that’s why we have earthquakes. Someone’s faith caused a mountain to move.

How is your faith? Do you know Jesus? If not, let’s have coffee or lunch sometime. Tonight I am asking God for complete healing. I’m asking our heavenly Father to give me peace and comfort on what lies ahead. I’m trusting that I will be okay.

Love you all!

I have a Surgery Date to Remove the Brain Tumor

I have a Surgery Date to Remove the Brain Tumor

I met with my ENT surgeon, Dr. Vories, this morning. He'll be working with the Neurosurgeon for my upcoming surgery, which is scheduled for next week, Thursday, November 21st. He was super nice as well. I found out that I also have a deviated septum. Basically I've been breathing out of my right nostril as the passage to my left is mostly blocked. Again, you only know what you know, right? He said he could fix it with a septoplasty while he's already in there after the neurosurgeon removes the brain tumor and it would just take an additional 10 minutes. So I’ll be getting two things done at once. As a teen I thought I might want a nose job, I never thought this kind of inside nose job. Lol. Of course as I got older I didn’t want any kind of surgery but here we are. He said the septoplasty will probably hurt the worst as I’ll have to have rubber splints for a week. But I won’t be breathing out of my nose for 4 weeks anyway, so this would be the time to have it done, I guess.

He told me there’s the possibility of having to have radiation after the tumor is removed as reoccurrence is possible and my tumor is quite large. He said he’s impressed that Dr. Lee is able to do this and trusts him completely and has been working with him for years. We are praying for the best outcome possible.

Specific prayers would be for my children. It’s a lot for kids to understand. I’m already difficult at times to live with and I will not have much energy for a while after surgery. My hormones likely will never be the same. The first 4-6 weeks I really have to limit what I do and rest and let the bone heal that leads to where the tumor is. I’ll meet with my endocrinologist 6 weeks post surgery to start the process of leveling my hormones.

This surgery is more serious than I anticipated. I really thought they’d go in there, get the tumor, then life would return to normal. Unfortunately, I won’t know the outcome until after surgery. The tumor is not growing out of the pituitary gland, all of my hormone levels are normal (yay! Except that there’s nothing but surgery to stop the growth of it). It is abutting the undersurface of the optic nerve and on the right aspect of the pituitary gland, with extension into the suprasellar space and along the pituitary stalk.

Thank you all again for the prayers, meals, and love you’ve shown our family.

I’m going to meditate on the command that God gave Joshua. While the promise of this passage is specific to Joshua, I believe that the principle extends to us today.

Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

For me, that is going into surgery next week. God is with me and will see me through.

ENT Surgeon Appointment is Scheduled

ENT Surgeon Appointment is Scheduled

I have an appointment tomorrow morning with the ENT surgeon. Thank you for the continued prayers. From my understanding, this should be the last specialist I'll see before surgery is scheduled. I'm trying to be at peace with all of this. I'm grateful for the prayers and feel extremely thankful to be seen as quickly as I have been.

I've shared with several friends how I miss my blissfully ignorant life when I thought something was off but I would press on anyway. I miss the freedom and luxury of driving my kids to their activities. The unknowns of post surgery worry me the most. I'm going to continue to ask our Heavenly Father to be at peace, thank Him for what I've been blessed with, and to help me rejoice in whatever the outcome is. I'm thankful for the vision I have, as there are people who have never been and to see, I'm blessed we caught this tumor before my vision was lost completely. I pray the optive nerve isn't permanently damaged or further damaged during the surgery. I pray my pituitary gland isn't severely damaged during surgery. But like Daniel prayed in Daniel 3:17-18, before getting thrown into the lions' den, " If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us..." (Referring to the lions' den). In my situation, even if God's plan isn't to completely restore my health, I will continue to praise His name. And honestly, this surgery is less scary than being thrown into a den of hungry lions. My situation could be much worse.

Church Campout 2024

This weekend was our church family campout. Collin took the kids and our RV for the weekend. I enjoyed my house alone for the first time ever since having kids. It was crazy quiet! But I was able to rest and sleeping in an RV isn't very restful. I came out for part of the day yesterday afternoon after Jackson's basketball game and stayed for hot chocolate and s'mores. Grace came home with me Saturday.

We love our church family and are grateful to everyone who helps make these weekends happen.

Visit with the Endocrinologist

Chapter 3. Visit with the Endocrinologist

I saw the last specialist I needed to see this morning, the endocrinologist. I didn't realize how important of a role an endocrinologist would play in the kind of tumor I have. For better or worse, I had one for my thyroid issue but had not seen him since 2013. My surgeon referred me to his friend, Dr. Tan. Well, Dr. Tan works in the same office as my old endocrinologist, Dr. Lacken, and since I was a prior patient, I would have to get them to both approve me switching doctors. I never had an issue with Dr. Lacken. I have always liked him and his PA, so I decided to go with the quicker doctor, my existing doctor, Dr. Lacken. They actually scheduled me with his PA, Ryan, but Dr. Lacken ended up coming in to talk to me given my particular situation.

Based on what the endocrinologist told me this morning, I'll be in isolation for a while after surgery to reduce the possibility of infection to the brain. The tumor is much bigger in size than we realized compared to other things in the brain, mainly the pituitary gland. Let's be honest, I was NOT a science girl in high school or college, my degree is in English. On the bright side, I have excellent research ability. My endocrinologist told me this morning that the tumor is also cutting off blood to my brain and really needs to be removed asap. They asked when my surgery was scheduled. I'll get to that in a minute. The endocrinologist said if my neuro surgeon is unable to remove all of the tumor during surgery, then I'll have to have radiation afterwards to make sure it is completely gone. My PCP told me it was big and thought they'd have to try to shrink it but it's not shrinkable based on the kind of tumor or is, so surgery is my only option. It doesn't appear to be growing out of the pituitary gland, because my labs are normal. However, it is pressing on the optic nerve and pituitary gland due to its size and that is what is causing the issues. Hopefully, my surgeons can remove it successfully.

Please pray that my pituitary gland isn't damaged during surgery. The tumor is encased around the gland. The tumor is 2 cm and the pituitary gland is .5 cm for perspective. I'm praying the surgeons can fit me into their busy schedules soon, have steady hands and can get this out without damaging the optic nerve or pituitary gland, and can remove it without the need for radiation.

I had to have additional blood work this morning. Thankfully my surgeon already had the labs ordered that the endocrinologist would need due to his friendship with Dr. Tan. I will need to be on a steroid for 6 weeks post surgery. Then removed for a night, labs checked, back on it until we see where the labs are. Then we will start testing each hormone because this surgery is what it is, there is still the unfortunate possibility of damage being done.

Also my vision can change again, yay (sarcasm), after surgery. It may improve from my current nearsightedness, but take weeks or months to level out so I won't be able to get proper lenses until it's at a steady level. Hopefully my peripheral vision will return. But these things we won't know until after surgery.

The next big question, when is surgery?? I'm so glad you asked. I asked that too and so has every doctor I've seen. I texted the scheduling lady at Dr. Lee's office this afternoon. My endocrinologist said he could refer me to someone else. However, Dr. Lee is one of the top surgeons in this area. I do actually have another appointment with another surgeon on the 19th and if we don't have a date by then, I'll see that surgeon. Since this surgery requires two surgeons, their schedules have to align.

We appreciate your prayers. My lesson in this is that if you feel something is off in your body, don't continue to deny the symptoms because there really could be something wrong. Also, God is with us in everything. I had to get three blood tests this morning after my appointment. Blood drawn, shot, then blood again, wait again, and more blood. Quest is a nightmare, this was in FW this time. Full waiting room. I entered my information as a walk-in. The computer sign-in system said the next appointment was 10:30, but I denied it and put walk-in. I was the 2nd person called while waiting. The phlebotomist, Venessa, was the sweetest lady. She told me I'd have to see her two more times and to just knock on the door after I got that shot and she'd write the times down she needed to get me. I hugged her as I left and asked if I could request her next time I was there as it looks like I'll be seeing my old endocrinologist again for a while, maybe life.

I appreciate all the outpouring of love and support you guys have given me. I appreciate the prayers, help, food, rides for myself, rides for my kids, etc. I want to cry with gratitude when I think how truly blessed I am. Thank you all so much.

Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Opthalmologist Appointment

Chapter 2 - Opthalmologist Appointment

I have been asked to keep everyone updated on the status of my health, specifically the brain tumor. Today has been a pretty emotional day for me. I'm trying to be grateful for the many blessings I have while dealing with the struggles of going through my own health issues, limitations, and frustrations. Short answer, surgery will be in my future. If you'd like more information, grab a drink and read chapter 2 below.

I went to the ophthalmologist this morning and he did a field vision test. More of my peripheral vision is gone than I realized. Dr. Robert Chu said that it would not be safe for me to drive until I have the tumor removed. About 75% is gone on my left eye and 25% on the right eye. We asked if removing the tumor would restore my vision. He said in most cases yes but he will need to continue to see me. If my vision doesn't return, he will send me to vision rehab. I had no idea that was a thing. But they can work with me so that I would be able to drive safely with the lack of peripheral sight. On the positive side, I am NOT blind! I can see, just not well enough to drive.

I have an appointment with the endocrinologist very early Friday morning. I'll be honest, I am a night owl and not an early morning riser. But I'm thankful someone cancelled their appointment and I was able to get in to see the doctor. Getting an appointment with a good endocrinologist is apparently pretty difficult. I'm still waiting on a few labs but I found out last week that surgery was already going to be most likely based on what the surgeon told me last Monday. He told me that if my prolactin levels were elevated, we could try and treat this tumor with medication. I honestly was hesitant to take the most common medicine as it had some weird side effects. =0 If my levels were normal, then surgery is really the only way to keep it from growing. The fact that it's affecting my vision makes it more important to get this out as it will just continue to grow.

I called the surgeon's office and left a message. I missed their callback and will try again tomorrow. Making appointments shouldn't be so difficult but you have to push so many buttons before speaking to someone or getting an answering machine. It's really frustrating and I was on the phone with a friend when the office called me so I missed it. The phone call with my sweet friend was worth it.

I feel like a mess emotionally and don't want to be a burden to anyone. We are surrounded by good friends and family and we will get through this. Collin has been very supportive and kind. He wants to be at all my medical appointments and I'm grateful he can do that. He even hung up on a meeting today at lunch so we could talk because sometimes we just need a friend and shoulder to cry on. 

I've had friends who have taken me to get labs and scans and it's been a real blessing. Friends have picked up my kids and taken them to their classes and I'm so grateful they don't have to miss out on the things they've signed up to do. Friends have also brought our family meals and we truly are blessed. Each day I ask God to help us be a blessing to someone else.

I'm selfishly praying the surgery lines up where I can attend my kids' end of the semester events. But if I can’t, that will be okay. I will be happy when the tumor is gone and prayerful that my head won't hurt anymore and my vision is fully restored. I appreciate the love and prayers near and far.

Philippians 4:12-13: I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.