Our story as posted on FB groups

 I call it our story because Ron is unable to. Thankfully it is a long one so i will provide some highlights. 20 years ago Ron started complaining of dizziness and was walking into things. I assumed he was having problems with his ears. We had gone SCUBA diving and thought he had damaged his ear dr...um equalizing. He went to see an (ENT) Ear Nost and Throat doctor. As a nurse I typically skip the family practicioner and send him to the specialist. The ENT sent him for an MRI to rule out an acoutic neuroma. Not a great diagnosis but it soon got worse. The neurologist on call at the hospital got Ron's films and immediately called us. I knew it was not good news when a doc you don't know calls you and says to make an appt as soon as possible.

We arrived at her office and I immediately knew when I saw the films that that thing in his brain did not belong there. That was the beginning of our brain tumor journey. An astrocytoma grII-III. 20 years later, radiation, 7 surgeries, more MRI's than I can begin to remember, loss of function in his right side, aphasia, visual changes, seizures, therapy, blood tests, falls and tiredness to make any one give up hope. Not us. He is LIVING with this and each year that we hear all is stable we are reminded how fortunate we are. He is the billboard of courage. It has been difficult watching him slowly loose function in his right side. But he has taught himself how to do everything with the left and continue to walk despite the weakness. The worst part of this is his aphasia. I would love for him to be able to read, share his own story, tell me how he is feeling, tell me what he needs. We have adapted to that loss too.

I would not have learned so much about life and living, hope and love without him. My passion is to share our story and to reach out to others to offer hope and love. We have published a memoir, Hope through the Eyes of Love. I would love to share it with each of you. So glad to be a part of this group and look forward to sharing your journey with you.

Links to pages and websites added to my blog

I have added some pages and websites to my blog.  Please comment with sites or pages you have found helpful. 

July 2011

July is a significant month in our life.  20 years ago we saw the MRI film and heard those words that is a brain tumor in the temporal lobe.  17 years ago Ron's Dad died at the end of July after his battle with prostate cancer.  Ron's Dad told us that his wish was that Ron would live a long life despite his tumor.  Ron honored that wish and has never given up. 
I celebrate my birthday in July and make a wish every year as I blow out my candles on my ice cream cake that I will have Ron at my side for my next birthday.  Last July that cake tasted so good because Ron had made it through yet one more surgery.  In preparation to celebrate this year I started the process of getting our book published.  Here we are a year later and I can't wait to blow out those candles.  Thanks for joining me on this journey and your support in this endeavor.

Vacation 2011 and stable MRI results.

Had a great vacation in NH.  Was able to visit with family and friends.  Most important was a stable MRI.  We scheduled Ron's yearly MRI and was able to get unofficial results.  Had some special moments during our visit.  Was able to meet up with my neice's teacher.  She attended our support group back in 1997 when her daughter was 8.  She is now 23 and is doing good.
Visited with our favorite neuro-surg nurse and get MRI results and catch up on her new job.
Book is now available at River Run bookstore in downtown Portsmouth, NH

our booth at Whole Health Expo

Ron, Patti and Bernie Siegel

Finding hope and happiness through adversity by making it REAL

This was the title of the presention I did for the Whole Health Expo this past weekend.  I shared my model for dealing with adversity using exerpts from the book. 
Real = make the adversitiy real by confronting and naming the stress you are confronting.
Enlightened = understand the situation and seek to improve it
Attitude = the one thing in your life you have control of
Love life = find happiness