The MRI of my head revealed a small mass. So off to Cleveland I went so doctors could get a better look. Thankfully it is not cancer. It is a meningioma, about the size of a marble, and is in my frontal lobe. The risks from surgery are greater than leaving it there, so for now it will be watched. When it becomes more problematic it can possibly be removed, more than likely destroyed by radiation.
Quite possibly it is not the cause of my migraines but could be causing some of the other issues, like the forgetfulness and memory loss, which I've been blaming on the surgery and medications. Of course any or all of it could possibly be a combination of the two.
Once again, no one knows the cause of the meningioma. There's speculation meningiomas are the result of exposure to radiation, hormones, etc. I take a serious amount of medicines, some of which increase my risk of many things, especially cancer. The doctors don't have answers. I've given up guessing. It's not worth my time. I'm already living on borrowed time in a body that only runs on 1/16th of the energy it used to, with recycled lungs, in a polluted world that threatens my suppressed immune system. I'm doing the best I can. And that's all I can do. I knew what I was getting into, agreeing to be a transplant patient. It was either taking on all the risks or dying.
And while I have this thing in my head, my lungs are working wonderfully. My numbers have increased and my walking distance has improved. Migraines still land me in the hospital at least once a month with vomiting and dehydration. I did round two of the Botox injections in my head and neck and it is supposed to help decrease my pain and need for triptans. If things do not improve as expected we plan to experiment with some different migraines medications. I'm still hopeful we will see some improvement yet.
So, if I continue to mix up words or forget to call you back, forgive me. I have a lot on my mind. (Apparently, literately.) I spend a lot of time just managing my health issues. I spend a lot of time at appointments, getting blood draws, doing paper work, and making phone calls. I can only manage so much in a day before I feel ill. I need reminders. I need time. But, Spring is here and once again the world awakens full of beauty after its long winter slumber. This will be my second summer with my donor lungs and I expect it to be better than the last.
And while I have this thing in my head, my lungs are working wonderfully. My numbers have increased and my walking distance has improved. Migraines still land me in the hospital at least once a month with vomiting and dehydration. I did round two of the Botox injections in my head and neck and it is supposed to help decrease my pain and need for triptans. If things do not improve as expected we plan to experiment with some different migraines medications. I'm still hopeful we will see some improvement yet.
So, if I continue to mix up words or forget to call you back, forgive me. I have a lot on my mind. (Apparently, literately.) I spend a lot of time just managing my health issues. I spend a lot of time at appointments, getting blood draws, doing paper work, and making phone calls. I can only manage so much in a day before I feel ill. I need reminders. I need time. But, Spring is here and once again the world awakens full of beauty after its long winter slumber. This will be my second summer with my donor lungs and I expect it to be better than the last.
