Meningioma

Nope, that’s not mine.  The film I took to the doctor yesterday was very large and I couldn’t get it to fit in my scanner to copy my actual MRI capture. The eyes and nose should be apparent in this scan. Below the right eye, there’s an area of white, not matching the left side. That white area is a Meningioma.

Mayo Clinic has an explanation. Wikipedia has an article.  There’s an online support organization.

Now for some facts supported by all three.  The majority of meningiomas are benign. Very few are malignant. Some grow so slowly that treatment is not required, simple tracking is sufficient. Some do not show symptoms at all. All of that is the ‘best case scenario.’ In some instances there are personality changes (OK, keep an eye on my writing and let someone know when the subject changes!) All kidding aside, for some people there are serious hazards to a growing meningioma. Removing them constitutes a risk factor simply because it is brain surgery, and there are other risks.

Personally, they found three in my scans.  One, smaller than the above graphic but in the same spot; others on each frontal lobe. Sort of balancing them out.  They are as small as the first one.

I have the utmost confidence in our neurologist. He’s been treating Beloved Husband for Benign Essential Tremors for several years (First Daughter, too) and he is primary physician for BH’s myasthenia gravis. I know I’m in good hands.  His very professional opinion is to wait and rescan in December, plot the progress and made decisions based on perceived changes.

I tell my readers all of this for a couple of reasons.

First:  ‘Transparency.’ If you don’t know some things about me, how can you relate what I write to what’s happening in our lives?  I write what I think and what I believe. This is my witness, my testimony. I am open about my Lord and my life.

Second: Prayers. I’ve asked for them often for BH’s health. I will most likely continue to do so. I don’t think I’ll do so for me – but there are several other prayers I have that may come up. There are specific people I pray that the Lord might open their hearts to His love, that they might come to know Him.  I’ve been blessed that my children and their spouses love and serve Him in congregations. Almost all of my grandchildren, too (yep – there’s a prayer need.)  Half my great-grands have made their profession of faith, the other half are five and under (another prayer need as they age.) See, the list goes on, for I have dear friends who ignore Him.

You see, I truly believe John 3:16. I also believe the verses that follow, including:

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:17-18 KJV)

Unlike Thomas Jefferson’s rewrite of the Bible, I do not exclude that which I do not like or understand. God inspired the words I work at following. The path is not easy, but we are not alone, even in troubles.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalms 23:3-4 KJV)

This blog has grown much longer than my usual daily write, but there is so much I want to share about my outlook and my faith.  There are so many I wish to include in a picnic. An open invitation to join me at a particular spot, God willing, sometime during eternity:

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (Revelation 22:1-3 KJV)