On that day, April 1, I did have a seizure. Actually, what happened is that I stopped talking, which is pretty unusual for someone like me. When I didn't respond to a colleague's urging to leave for a meeting, when all I did was smile, she knew that something wasn't right. Lucky for me that she called an ambulance. Unlucky for me that I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Lucky for me that I work at M. D. Anderson.
It didn't take long for me to be lined up with a team - a surgeon with "golden hands" and a well-respected oncologist. Individually, they met with me and my enormous family support team, each for over an hour. By the time the day was done, it was determined that I did indeed have a brain tumor and that the first thing to do was to get it out of my head.
So what does one do when faced with something like that? Well, in good M. D. Anderson style, I continued to work up until two days before the scheduled surgery. I wasn't frightened. I have been drinking this M. D. Anderson Kool-Aid for almost 10 years and I knew I was in good hands. The aspect of being operated on in our state-of-the-art BrainSUITE was exciting and at least I didn't have to be awake.
The people who were frightened were all the members of my family. My husband, my children, my parents, my sisters, well, everyone. My colleagues at work couldn't believe it. All my other friends were shocked, too. Six months out, I think I can also say that I was surprised - I never expected anything like this to happen to me.
But today, October 1, is a really good day. I've turned some kind of invisible corner in the last few days. I feel good. I can work. I have goals to accomplish. Best of all, I can drive!
Read more about Gail and her treatment on GBG is a Brainiac
Brain Tumor in My Rear-View Mirror
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