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| Artist Installation at SLC EVE Celebration |
You know with all the frustrations of the last couple of months, I can honestly say I was really looking forward to the start of 2014! Since the Affordable Care Act officially went into effect on January 1, I was waiting patiently (or at least trying to) for things to line up. I'd been told when I went for the functional MRI that I'd need to meet with the neurosurgeon once more before I could schedule surgery. My appointment was set for January 13, 2014. I received calls the week before from both the Healthcare Marketplace and my insurance company. I'm pretty sure when the Marketplace people called to talk to me about being eligible for Medicaid that I laughed. I informed them (without being too much of a smart aleck) that I did not actually qualify in the state of Utah and that I had already resubmitted another application and chosen an insurance plan.
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| Happy New Year 2014!! |
So yesterday I had my appointment with both of the doctors who will be with me in the OR. We started by reviewing some of the results from the functional MRI. Overall, the feedback was very encouraging. Wilbur, while still a major pain in the tuckus, is conveniently accessible at the surface of my brain. The place that is of most concern is how he's stretched my primary motor cortex. This stretching explains why during the seizures I couldn't control my arm or mouth and why my speech was sometimes slurred afterwards. The good news is that at least 80% of Wilbur can be removed before the surgeon gets to that area of my brain.
The appointment ended with my surgeon making a joke about how I should start speech therapy before surgery because he detected a hint of a drawl. I (of course) put my hand on my hip and declared that I better still have a Southern drawl after surgery which started a whole round of laughter from both doctors and Danielle and Mercedes. I left with a tentative date for the surgery and feeling like a huge weight had been lifted.
Well, as of today, I officially have a date for my surgery!! Adios Wilbur!!! On February 10, 2014, I will have surgery at the University of Utah Medical Center. Instead of 7-10 days in the hospital, I will more than likely only have to spend 2-3 nights in the hospital!! AND if Wilbur continues to cooperate and is the low grade tumor they believe him to be, I may not have to undergo chemo or radiation at any point in the near future!!!
I cannot adequately express how grateful I am for all the love and support and prayers that have come my way since this started. I know I've been horrible about actually sending thank you notes (unfortunately, it's not just thank you notes. I'm pretty sure I still have birthday cards I bought years ago that never made it the birthday boy or girl) and just because I'm bad at sending notes, please know that it does not in any way reflect my level of gratitude. While I am very hopeful about the surgery, there are still a lot of unknowns about how my recovery will ultimately go. Please continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers!
But in the meantime, it's finally time to say: "So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye!" to Wilbur!! Clever eviction notices will be accepted!! I may feel the need to create a cake to mark the event and "Wandering Wilbur" may need to wander to a few more places over the next month!!
