When I was younger, when I would hear “PTSD”,” I automatically thought of soldiers fighting in a war. The things they had to go through and witness are beyond what I can comprehend. It wasn’t until a couple years ago, when I started regularly going to therapy, that I discovered that PTSD can apply to really anybody who goes through… Continue reading PTSD Awareness Month
It’s been almost 9 months since Ian’s inital brain injury. His brain injury occurred after one of his brain tumors hemorrhaged. Not only did it cause bleeding on the brain, but it also caused severe hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is when cerebral spinal fluid builds up because it has no place to go. This causes intense pressure on the brain as it… Continue reading Ian Update- 9 Months After Brain Injury
Ian was originally diagnosed with brain tumors in July of 2019. This is never a boat you want to be in, but if you have to be, you want the diagnosis to be low-grade. Thankfully, this was the case for Ian. Because of this, we were able to monitor without having to immediately use chemotherapy. And when Ian did need… Continue reading Before & After- Basement
I wake up today, not in a rush to get the kids ready for school or ready for any appointments. No rush to get myself ready for work. I’m just enjoying a cup of coffee while half our family sleeps, and I’m awake watching Monsters Inc. for the millionth time with my youngest. Today marks the unofficial start of summer.… Continue reading Memorial Day
It’s hard to believe that next week marks the first day of June. My kids start summer break next week, and we all know Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, opening up pools and water parks. But did you know that May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month? As this month comes to an end, I thought I would… Continue reading Go Gray in May
In July of 2019, right before our youngest was about to turn 2, our world got turned upside down when he was diagnosed with inoperable, multifocal brain tumors. You never think it will happen to you. Until it does. Up until that point, Ian was a normal-developing one-year-old. He was like most little boys, loved getting rowdy and dirty and… Continue reading Ian’s Cancer Journey
Since Ian had an oncology appointment yesterday, I thought I would write a little update on how his treatment is going. We’ve enjoyed the opportunity to get to give Ian a pill at home versus a weekly infusion. This could still be in our future in addition to the medication he is on now, but we’ll see what his next… Continue reading Ian Update
It’s been a couple weeks since I gave an update on Ian. It’s been fairly uneventful in our household, which is welcomed after the last few months we had. Something major that did happen recently is Ian started his new treatment. It’s not the chemotherapy I think most of us expect when hear those words. He doesn’t need to go… Continue reading Ian Update
After I finished writing my last blog update, I looked at the calendar for the upcoming week ahead. Nothing going on. No doctor appointments. I started wondering if I would have anything to write for this week. But boy, did we get lots of good news this past week! My last post, I talked about Ian’s school working to get… Continue reading A Happy Week
The idea that a new year is a clean slate is just that- an idea. While you can find comfort in it being a new beginning of sorts, it doesn’t mean every problem you ever had just magically disappears. But yet, I find myself happy to say goodbye to 2022, and all I can do is pray that 2023 will… Continue reading Ian Update