October 14, 2020 my mom, Linda, came home from a trip to South Dakota. The next day my sister found her in their yard holding on to the fence shaking and not knowing where she was or had been. She was brought to the ER where her CT and blood work came back normal. She saw her primary care physician the following day and he diagnosed her with early onset dementia and put in a referral for neurology. As days and weeks turned into months, Linda went to several appointments and tests with no answers. Her balance was off, her shaking continued intermittently and she began to have problems with her speech. Finally, the results of an MRI showed an area of concern in her right Frontal Lobe and a biopsy was performed on April 4, 2021. On April 26th the neurosurgeon called with results. He said my mom had Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), a fast-growing aggressive cancer. GBM is often referred to as a grade IV astrocytoma.  Due to the location of the tumor my mom is not a surgical candidate so on Sunday, April 11, 2021 she began treatment. She is taking an oral chemotherapy called temozolomide before bed and doing radiation in Kansas City, an hour and 10 min one way, the following day - 5 days a week for 3 weeks. At that point another MRI will be done to see where she is at.
   Modifications to her house have been started, her bedroom is currently upstairs and stairs are a challenge. Her medical bills are starting to pile up (the biopsy alone was $63,000). She does have Medicare, which we are very thankful for, but her Social Security income is limited. 
   If you you are unable to provide financially, prayers, meals, rides to/from appointments, or even handyman/woman skills would be greatly appreciated. GBM is aggressive. The sooner we can get my mom's main floor room finished the better. She sees her medical bills pilling up and it adds unnecessary stress to her already stressful situation. 
  Thank you for reading Linda's story and helping in anyway you feel led.