My current "medical condition"

[dylansan]

So a while back my dad noticed that I turned my head a little bit to the left when talking to him. We figured out that I couldn't move my left eye to the left...

So after an MRI or two the doctor discovered a "mass" right in my brain stem. More scans and a Biopsy and I am diagnosed with pylocytic astrocytoma. It's a brain tumor, about the size of a walnut, and the doctors like to confuse you by telling you that it's not cancer and yet it really it.

It's completely benign anyway and I'm in the process of radiation treatment. My medication gives me cravings for food like mad, and they say it might cause meed swings (look out) but I haven't experienced any yet. The actual tumor causes me to have slight numbness in my right side and a facial weakness in my left, which overall isn't a big deal at all. I can do pretty much everything I always could, except see to the left (very annoying...)

I just really thought you guys might want to know why I'm not active, or always talking about food. I don't want to hear a bunch of "Oh god I feel really bad!", or "That really sucks!" or stuff like that. It's benign, so it basically will go away eventually.

I'll try to keep you guys updated, and Merry Christmas!

 

[crimson_menace]

Interesting. Are you gonna post x-rays/CATscans?

 

[dylansan]

That's unlikely. Actually I don't even think we have the scans, we just saw them when the doctor showed them to us. They weren't particularly interesting. It was just a small little "different colored" circle right smack dab in the middle.

Also you are right when you say "interesting." Sure I'd prefer it wasn't in my head but some of this stuff they do is pretty cool. The Radiation machine is so complicated and precise, I actually wonder about what it's doing while it's zapping. The technology is amazing.

 

[Dougboy]

Best of luck to you for your recovery

 

[Rykon Zero]

Don't die. Please.

 

[Turbo Lag]

Don't die. Please.

He wont.

 

[Loon]

Well since you don't want us saying we feel bad for you I'll just wish you luck in that the tumor goes away quickly.

The first thing that popped into my head when I read about the part about the meds making you have food cravings was that they've got you on some kind of medical marijuana because it sounds like you've got the munchies.

 

[Sage]

[…] and the doctors like to confuse you by telling you that it's not cancer and yet it really it.

It's completely benign anyway […]

And that’s why it’s not cancer. Tumors can be divided into two main categories: malignant (growing out of control) and benign (not growing out of control). “Cancer” is just another way of saying “malignant tumor” – so, by definition, cancer is not benign.

Sure I'd prefer it wasn't in my head but some of this stuff they do is pretty cool. The Radiation machine is so complicated and precise, I actually wonder about what it's doing while it's zapping. The technology is amazing.

You can read up on it here. MRI certainly is pretty damn cool.

Hope all goes well for you!

 

[TopHat]

Hope you get better. 👍 MRI's are pretty awesome. Never had one done tho, but my mom has. Says it feels sorta weird.

 

[Loon]

Hope you get better. 👍 MRI's are pretty awesome. Never had one done tho, but my mom has. Says it feels sorta weird.

Yeah right up until you have to pay the bill for being in that sucker.

 

[Duke]

Good luck to you, MC!

 

[Year.Zero]

Yeah right up until you have to pay the bill for being in that sucker.

Moving to Canada for 6 months is probably cheaper than paying for long-term medical bills, with comparable quality in treatment.

 

[franz]

Good luck MC120 and get well soon!

 

[ceiling_fan]

Moving to Canada for 6 months is probably cheaper than paying for long-term medical bills, with comparable quality in treatment.

I believe you need to have lived in Canada for 3.5 years before applying for a health card.

 

[Year.Zero]

I believe you need to have lived in Canada for 3.5 years before applying for a health card.

Really?

In Canada, every citizen has coverage

Who is eligible for health care in Canada?

Our national health insurance program is designed to ensure that all residents of Canada have access to medically necessary hospital and physician care on a prepaid basis. Residence in a province or territory is the basic requirement for insured health care coverage. The Canada Health Act defines a resident of a province or territory as:

"a person lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada who makes his home and is ordinarily present in the province, but does not include a tourist, a transient or a visitor to the province."

Each province and territory is responsible for determining its own minimum residence requirements with regard to an individual's eligibility for benefits under its health insurance plan. The Canada Health Act gives no guidance on such minimum residence requirements beyond an initial three-month waiting period to establish eligibility for and entitlement to insured health services. Provinces may require minimum residence annually in the province, and evidence of intention of returning to the province for that minimum residence period each year.

So I guess it depends on which province you're in.

 

[kikie]

You seem to have a positive attitude towards this, which is very good.

To make you feel even better; my neighbour (a woman across the street) had a benigh growth in her brain. She's about 65 y.o.. Last year, doctors found this growth in her brain and said that it was benign and she must have had this growth for about 20 to 30 years. She had an operation and is doing very well since then.

So, I would say, don't worry, it will be ok.

 

[daan]

When they sent you for a brain scan, did they find one?

Hope it all goes well for you.

 

[dylansan]

Best of luck to you for your recovery

Thanks! We appreciate it!

Don't die. Please.

That reminds me of a card my cousin sent me. She's pretty young, and she wrote "Hope you survive!" on a thumbs up. She also spelled my name wrong.

Well since you don't want us saying we feel bad for you I'll just wish you luck in that the tumor goes away quickly.

The first thing that popped into my head when I read about the part about the meds making you have food cravings was that they've got you on some kind of medical marijuana because it sounds like you've got the munchies.

Steroids actually, (to help any swelling caused by treatment). They're weening me off it though, so hopefully I don't gain too much weight.

And that’s why it’s not cancer. Tumors can be divided into two main categories: malignant (growing out of control) and benign (not growing out of control). “Cancer” is just another way of saying “malignant tumor” – so, by definition, cancer is not benign.

I think they like to call it cancer just because it's still a mass of material that's genetically wrong, and growing (controllably in my case). Plus it's a lot simpler for them and for me just to say cancer sometimes, although I wouldn't tell people I had cancer without explaining.

You can read up on it here. MRI certainly is pretty damn cool.

Actually, as cool as the MRIs are, the coolest machine is the one that actually does the radiation. It has some kind of mirror targeting I believe that sends particles (of radiation) right into the "cancer" cells and kills them. I forget what it's called but I'll try to find out today.

Hope all goes well for you!

Thanks!

Hope you get better. 👍 MRI's are pretty awesome. Never had one done tho, but my mom has. Says it feels sorta weird.

I was actually enjoying them because I didn't have to do anything (except stay still)

Good luck to you, MC!

Thanks, Duke!

Good luck MC120 and get well soon!

Thanks, I will!

You seem to have a positive attitude towards this, which is very good.

To make you feel even better; my neighbour (a woman across the street) had a benigh growth in her brain. She's about 65 y.o.. Last year, doctors found this growth in her brain and said that it was benign and she must have had this growth for about 20 to 30 years. She had an operation and is doing very well since then.

It's amazing how long you can go without knowing, especially since it means it managed to avoid pressing any important parts of the brain. My parents tell me stories of people with grapefruit sized tumors, an I just can't imagine how long you can go before it does something noticable.

So, I would say, don't worry, it will be ok.

Yep! Although does that wink mean you think it won't be ok?

 

[kikie]

You will get neurological problems but I think that she wasn't paying attention to her problems because she had mistaken them for "getting older".
This is just an assumption.

 

[Year.Zero]

It's amazing how long you can go without knowing, especially since it means it managed to avoid pressing any important parts of the brain. My parents tell me stories of people with grapefruit sized tumors, an I just can't imagine how long you can go before it does something noticable.

Whoa! That's like 3/4s the size of a human brain!

 

[superberkut]

Yes, best of luck, and I wish for your recovery.

 

[dylansan]

Forgot I even made this thread...

Anyway, the treatment's well done and overwith. They gave me an MRI and told me that it could have shrunk, grown, or stayed the same size depending on how it reacted. Even if it grew it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, it might have just affected the tumor before killing the cells.
Knowing that, it was very surprising when it had actually shrunk quite a bit. Now I just have to get an MRI every once in a while to check on it.

Just wanted to make a quick update.

 

[Beerz]

That's good to know. 👍