I had a brain tumor.

I had a brain tumor.

It was a large tumor.  It was 5cm x 5cm x 5cm.

It was on my 5th cranial nerve. 

I had an MRI done on September 12, 2011.  I had one because I had been having the left side of my face go numb once in awhile for about 60 seconds each time.  Also because since I was 8 months pregnant with Eli I had vertigo all the time.

I found out in the late afternoon of September 12, 2011 when someone called from the doctors office telling me I had a large benign tumor and that I had to go to their office the next morning at 9:30.

At the meeting they told me I had to go straight to the ER in Provo at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.  Because that is the quickest way to see a neurosurgeon.  

He told me that I would need surgery right away.  I enter the ICU on Tuesday September 13th and had surgery on Thursday September 15th 2011. 

Here are some pictures of me right after surgery. The surgery lasted about 7 1/2 hours.

Here are some pictures of my family that visited me right after surgery. 

It includes my mom, dad, sister Amber and my husband Andrew.

Here are some pictures of me in the ICU.  I do not remember talking on the phone with some one.  I don;t remember sitting there watching tv .  I don't remember taking a picture of myself.  

Here are some pictures of me that I remember taking of myself.  

I had 35 staples in my head.  

 It was a month ago today that I had that brain surgery to remove my tumor.  I am starting to feel much better.  However 2 of my nerves need to repair and that can take about 6 months.  So my 5th nerve needs to repair and so that means the left part of my face is numb.  Also cranial nerve number 6 needs to repair and so my left eye doesn't move and so I see double every now and then that will also take about 6 months to heal.  Also my left eye lid is having trouble and it droops and it will take time to heal also.  My scar is healing also.

I have had so much help.  The people in LDS ward brought me dinner for 2 weeks straight.  They have come to help me clean.  While I was in the hospital the ward helped clean up our yard.  They did  a lot of work in the house to make it look nicer.  They took out carpet and put new carpet in.  They painted walls.  They put tile we had bought in our bathroom.  They finished a lot of work that Andrew and I never finished because we ran out of money.

My mother in law has helped out a lot too.  My sister Amber also has helped out a lot to by watching my kids when I need her too.  Andrew worked from home for 2 weeks.

I am so grateful for everything everyone has done for me.  I am also thankful that people love me and that they keep praying for me.