Hello Friends and Family,
Thank you all so much for the great cards, emails, calls, prayers and love you have sent my way. I feel so surrounded by love. It means so much to me!!!!
I am feeling pretty well. My brain comes and goes, in terms of its "sharpness". I am still on the Decadron, an anti-inflammatory steroid. If I am not on it, my brain swells and doesn't work. I end up not knowing what Matt is saying and I use the wrong words and my brain just shuts down. I use wrong words like bathroom instead of birthday. Or Matt will talk with me and I can't understand what he is saying. That is when I have to go lay down and take more Decadron. If I do not relax enough or my brain swells too fast, it can cause damage and cause a seizure. I'm trying to be careful. The tought of having a seizure and loosing my ability to drive a car would be hard for our family. My neuro-oncologist basically wants me to do nothing for a few months until my brain recovers. Overall, I am doing way better than what I had expected to do this soon. The bad news is, Decadron makes me VERY angry. It is a steroid that gives you a BAD attitude. I hope I can go off of it within a few weeks.
I talked to my neuro-oncologist yesterday and got the news on the tumor. It was a GBM (Glioblastome Multiforme) that had a little bit of Oligodendroglioma mixed within it. The GBM is grade 4 (the worst) and Oligo grade 1. He thinks it started out growing so slowly because of the Oligo mixed in it. He feels that maybe I have a better chance of keeping it at bay taking chemo, than if it was just a GBM alone. So I am going to start taking a chemotherapy called Temodar. For one year. My doc wanted me to start it in 3 weeks, but I am going to give myself 6 weeks to relax and let my own body get strong again. The chemo makes me feel sick and has a lot of risk with my blood cell counts. So I am going to get as healthy as I can before starting.
I feel like I am just starting to climb up another trial of a personal mountain. God blessed me wonderfully through my third brain surgery, but I feel like I have not made it to the peak yet, the climb is just starting. I know God will walk each step with me and give me the strength. I hope I don't have seizures, loss of immune system, confused mind while on chemo, etc. I'm trying to live in the moment.
Overall I feel very blessed. Considering the situation, I couldn't ask for anything better. I look forward to the future. I know that cancer is a situation for me that will probably never end. But it has also been a huge learning journey for me. Each new event I go through, I grown and learn more about the value of life. What life is about and the importance of love. I cherish each second in a way I never would have noticed. I pray every day to God, that I spend each second spreading love onto others around me. It is so easy for me to get hung up on little unimportant things at times. I hope I can always look at the big important things in life, which is family, friends and everyone within my reach. I wish I could reach out and touch people and fill them with love.
I just want all of you to know, that I feel you have all touched me and filled me with love. Even though many of your are hundreds of miles away, I can feel your love in my heart. You all mean so much to me. Thank you.
Life goes on. Keep on Keeping on (KOKO)
God Bless,
Cheryl Broyles
6 year, 8 month, 8 day brain tumor survivor