Last evening I noticed that Bruce’s right pupil was larger than the left. With a history of A-Fib and two recent brain surgeries, I went on high alert. With a recent history of chemo, radiation, dexamethasone, Keppra, Mepron, and his regular heart medicine, who knows what is causing what. Just when I have the routine…
Two mornings ago, during the wee hours, Bruce noticed a “mushy” area on the top of his head, along the latest scar. “Radiation induced swelling” is very real, and can express itself in various ways. Is this one of them? Why one month post-surgery? Once he got out of bed, the swelling went away. Until…
In January of 2018, my husband had surgery to remove his cancerous prostate gland. In October, he had surgery to remove a brain tumor. The day he was discharged, we received advice from the social worker that stuck with me; I cannot let it go. In December, emergency surgery was necessary to relieve pressure on…
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is something I never thought would affect our lives. While Bruce’s father passed away in his 50s from heart disease, Bruce’s mother lived to be one month shy of her 98th birthday. Bruce has been a regular swimmer for over 30 years; he runs a nursery, a business requiring movement and activity not…
One will often have experienced specific symptoms with a diagnosis of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms typically seen are headache, seizures, and nausea and vomiting. Others include memory loss, decline in brain function, urinary incontinence, personality changes, irritability, and vision issues. Of all the symptoms listed, Bruce…
When I began Finding Merle, my first post was about my grandma and included a one-hundred-year-old letter. My love of family history led me to create an entirely new blog this year (THE MALEVOLENT MATRIARCH), but life happened and my focus has changed. One day, I’ll get back to Orah Myrtle Smith, my feisty great grandma and…
finding merle 