- J
- A
- A
There have been many struggles I’ve encountered throughout life.
Starting at 12 years old a brain tumor was found through a concussion I had during a middle school wrestling match. I was having absolutely no symptoms at the time, so this was a very lucky concussion. The brain tumor required undergoing a brain biopsy and after having the surgery with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the results came through labeling the tumor as an “Abnormal Cell Mass” that wouldn't continue to grow. With no symptoms, next steps were to just follow up every six months with my neurologist taking MRIs of my brain to checkup on. I was happy to put this behind me and felt very lucky to continue with growing up. Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of issues to come that I would have to deal with for the rest of my life. After the first brain surgery my life goal was to become a nurse someday. My mom and I talked about this even while in the hospital. I knew then and there that I wanted to help those going through the same struggle feel hope. However, the next life struggle had to come just after being accepted to Ohio University and planning to leave for college.
On Nov 7, 2007 there were police cars and firetrucks blocking my driveway. There were two police officers, my dad bawling and no mom. She had committed suicide that morning, so they were there to inform me the closest person in my life was gone. She was there for me during the brain surgery I had to go through at such a young age and was by my side the entire time we planned for my nursing career. This was by far the hardest struggle I’ve ever encountered. After my mom passing away, I was guided away from going to school for nursing and sent in the IT Business Analyst direction. During my final year of college intense seizures started to occur, but since no one witnessed these seizures I wasn’t aware I was having them. The only part of the seizure I would experience is the extremely scary déjà vu pre seizure auras I’d have just before going into full seizure. I had no clue what these intense auras were related to, but I’d come back to consciousness on the floor sweating and unaware of where I even was, so I decided to go to the hospital after having my third or fourth aura. After the post seizure MRI it was found that the tumor previously classified as an “Abnormal Cell Mass” almost a decade ago was actually now defined as an “Oligodendroglioma, IDH1 19P/18Q Chromosome” brain cancer with only a 6 year life expectancy.
In 2013 my 2nd brain surgery was set to occur through Nationwide Children’s Hospital again, hoping it would be the final. Unfortunately, the seizures were continuing to occur and even starting to increase. On June 7th, 2017 I underwent my 3rd brain surgery which was also my first awake surgery at OSU Wexner Medical Center that successfully took out about 80% of the tumor. Prior to this surgery I was having seizures 1-2 times a week and after this awake surgery there was the hope for no more seizures at all. Since we had taken 80% out there was no longer a 6-year life expectancy. Sadly though, radiation and chemo were still to come. Radiation and chemo took over a year and had me forgetting what normal life really felt like. I have finally finished chemo and am on to the next struggle, which is the reason I’m reaching out. This past summer I was accepted into Xavier University's Accelerated Bachelor of Science and Nursing degree program. I want to be there for the patient and give them the same feeling of hope I remind myself of everyday. Currently I have $50,000 of Student Loans to pay off from my first BA degree as well as the cancer care medical bills that are stacking up. I still have about 20% of the tumor since it can't be completely withdrawn due to where it sits in the brain but there are still high hopes since its very slow growing and I'm at a stable point. I just have to keep going, so any help possible help would mean so much to me and get me closer to where I need to be. Now that I’m back to school at Xavier University to become a nurse there is only more loans to come. When finished I’ll have around $100,000 of total student loan debt that I’ll be paying off with the growing medical bills. Having assistance from GoFundMe will be extremely helpful with continuing down the path of becoming a nurse and helping patients going through their own struggle feel hope that they can survive.
“Just because you had some bad chapters in your life, doesn’t mean the story can’t end well. Turn the page and never look back”
Thank you!
Starting at 12 years old a brain tumor was found through a concussion I had during a middle school wrestling match. I was having absolutely no symptoms at the time, so this was a very lucky concussion. The brain tumor required undergoing a brain biopsy and after having the surgery with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the results came through labeling the tumor as an “Abnormal Cell Mass” that wouldn't continue to grow. With no symptoms, next steps were to just follow up every six months with my neurologist taking MRIs of my brain to checkup on. I was happy to put this behind me and felt very lucky to continue with growing up. Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of issues to come that I would have to deal with for the rest of my life. After the first brain surgery my life goal was to become a nurse someday. My mom and I talked about this even while in the hospital. I knew then and there that I wanted to help those going through the same struggle feel hope. However, the next life struggle had to come just after being accepted to Ohio University and planning to leave for college.
On Nov 7, 2007 there were police cars and firetrucks blocking my driveway. There were two police officers, my dad bawling and no mom. She had committed suicide that morning, so they were there to inform me the closest person in my life was gone. She was there for me during the brain surgery I had to go through at such a young age and was by my side the entire time we planned for my nursing career. This was by far the hardest struggle I’ve ever encountered. After my mom passing away, I was guided away from going to school for nursing and sent in the IT Business Analyst direction. During my final year of college intense seizures started to occur, but since no one witnessed these seizures I wasn’t aware I was having them. The only part of the seizure I would experience is the extremely scary déjà vu pre seizure auras I’d have just before going into full seizure. I had no clue what these intense auras were related to, but I’d come back to consciousness on the floor sweating and unaware of where I even was, so I decided to go to the hospital after having my third or fourth aura. After the post seizure MRI it was found that the tumor previously classified as an “Abnormal Cell Mass” almost a decade ago was actually now defined as an “Oligodendroglioma, IDH1 19P/18Q Chromosome” brain cancer with only a 6 year life expectancy.
In 2013 my 2nd brain surgery was set to occur through Nationwide Children’s Hospital again, hoping it would be the final. Unfortunately, the seizures were continuing to occur and even starting to increase. On June 7th, 2017 I underwent my 3rd brain surgery which was also my first awake surgery at OSU Wexner Medical Center that successfully took out about 80% of the tumor. Prior to this surgery I was having seizures 1-2 times a week and after this awake surgery there was the hope for no more seizures at all. Since we had taken 80% out there was no longer a 6-year life expectancy. Sadly though, radiation and chemo were still to come. Radiation and chemo took over a year and had me forgetting what normal life really felt like. I have finally finished chemo and am on to the next struggle, which is the reason I’m reaching out. This past summer I was accepted into Xavier University's Accelerated Bachelor of Science and Nursing degree program. I want to be there for the patient and give them the same feeling of hope I remind myself of everyday. Currently I have $50,000 of Student Loans to pay off from my first BA degree as well as the cancer care medical bills that are stacking up. I still have about 20% of the tumor since it can't be completely withdrawn due to where it sits in the brain but there are still high hopes since its very slow growing and I'm at a stable point. I just have to keep going, so any help possible help would mean so much to me and get me closer to where I need to be. Now that I’m back to school at Xavier University to become a nurse there is only more loans to come. When finished I’ll have around $100,000 of total student loan debt that I’ll be paying off with the growing medical bills. Having assistance from GoFundMe will be extremely helpful with continuing down the path of becoming a nurse and helping patients going through their own struggle feel hope that they can survive.
“Just because you had some bad chapters in your life, doesn’t mean the story can’t end well. Turn the page and never look back”
Thank you!