Doing well

Hello everyone!

I don't have much to report because I have only been allowed out of the house on very few occasions but I just thought I'd update and let everyone know that I'm feeling great! Most people that I talk to can't believe that I am exactly who I was before the surgery but I truly feel that way. I have pain every now and again when I forget to take my meds on time and I get tired a lot easier but I'm thinking in less than a week a lot of that will go away.

Jill has been a little strict on what I've been able to do but I've been so grateful for all of the flowers and cards that I have received from people. The positive encouragement is really helping me heal a lot better (I'm sure of it). I would like to thank my aunts, grandparents, friends, and family who have reached out to me the past couple of days making sure that I've gotten everything I need. I love having people around because this house can get a little bit lonely.

Tonight I was able to get Dairy Queen and watch a movie with my friends and it was so refreshing to be out of the house longer than an hour. I'm hoping the better I feel the more I'll be able to do things like that in the next week. I've also been trying a few new things with my hair to try and cover up my scar and so far, so good! I'm able to cover it up pretty well and not feel extremely self-conscious.

I hope this note is finding everyone on good terms and I'll try and update again soon. Friends and family will be visiting this weekend so I'm looking forward to that!

Thanks again for the love and support.

Ali

Still alive and kickin' it in Atown!

Hey everyone!

I apologize for not posting yesterday but I just didn't know what to say! I'm feeling really great based on the circumstances and I'm very happy that I got discharged from the hospital. I am currently sitting home in my bed in Appleton loving the change in scenery!

The care I received in the hospital was phenomenal and I am so grateful of the team of about 11 people that were in the operating room with me. Considering the fact that it was an awake craniotomy I remember a great deal of the surgery but I'll explain that to people based on their personal requests of what they'd like me to share. Other than a few minor instances of numbness (mostly due to me being a human pin cushion with at least 8 sites for an IV below the elbow on both of my arms), some weird eye blinking thing (that seems to have subsided) and some wicked headaches, I've been fantastic! I got multiple comments in the hospital about how great I looked and that my healing time was going way better than they've seen in other people.

Today around 6:30am the resident took off my head bandage and for the first time I got to see the wound. It was about what I expected and looks pretty nasty. Although I'm missing some hair, if that's the worst thing that happened...I can deal with it. I'm just so grateful that everything else has been so perfect!

I would like to send out a huge thank you to my parents and my aunt Amy for being with me every step of the way. (also my sister Emily even though she wasn't able to be with me from Charleston) Without them I don't think I could have felt better so fast. I'm starting to take visitors now that I'm in Appleton so by all means, come and visit! Thanks again for all of the great comments, they've kept me going!

I'll try and update again fairly soon!

Love,

Ali

Good News

Dear friends and family, Ali is doing well, and tucked into her room in ICU at St. Mary's Hospital. It was a long day, she started at 5:45 this morning, and returned to her room about 5 pm, fully awake and telling "as only Ali can tell" the tales of her day. The surgeon was extremely optimistic about the removal of the tumor, he believes there will be no long term problems with speech or motor, and that she will enjoy a full recovery to health. Needless to say we are all grateful for the extraordinary care that Ali has received, and this wonderful outcome.
We have been sharing your notes and calls and messages with Ali throughout the day. The prayers, and blessing of so many have supported us all through this most difficult time. Thank you for being present in our lives, we are truely blessed. We ask that in your own way, that you thank God for his grace and blessing of Allison.
We are hopeful that Ali will move out of ICU tomorrow, and onto a surgical unit - at that point she can send messages and receive calls as she feels up to it.
Love, Jill & Mike

"For every mountain there is a miracle"

Hello friends and family,

I just want to start off this post with a big thank you to everyone for all of the words of encouragement and putting me in your prayers. I am very grateful to have such a great support system and I appreciate your thoughtfulness more than I can express. Both my parents and I have had our spirits lifted with your kind words.

Today was a long day that included me reciting my full name and birthday at least 10 times. I was joking with a nurse that if I didn't know my birthday before today, I sure as hell do now! I started off the morning at 6:15am with what is a called a functional MRI. The purpose of this MRI was to map out the different speech centers of my brain so during surgery tomorrow the surgeon will know what areas to avoid and whether or not they are located in the same place as the tumor. This was a rough start to my morning because it was 3 hours long and I wasn't able to move! I was pretty antsy by the end.

After our morning session my parents and I went and got some breakfast and then walked around the outside market in downtown Rochester. In the afternoon I saw my neurosurgeon and we went over my big day ahead. I was told that I will be in surgery for approximately 8 hours (when you include prep, MRI's, and transportation) tomorrow but the majority of the procedure will be mapping out my motor functions and language centers. I am extremely confident in my surgeon (Dr. Ian Parney) and he did a great job of answering all of our questions.

Although I have been feeling generally strong through this entire process, I have begun to feel a bit scared about the whole thing. I had my first moment of complete weakness when we got back to the hotel after dinner but luckily my parents were with me to comfort me and cry with me. It was a total "pity party" for myself but I felt as if I deserved one and since, I have begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know that everything in life happens for a reason and only good can come of this surgery. Seeing so many people in this city with much worse health conditions and possibly a poorer support system, I can be nothing but grateful for all that I have. I strongly believe that positive attitudes help people heal better and fast so I have tried my best to find the good.

Tomorrow will be a long day for both my parents and I. The doctor suggested that my parents shouldn't just sit in the waiting room all day and they should get some air but knowing my mom, that will never happen. Of course my dad is joking about going to play golf and checking out the music store down the block! (typical) Also my aunt Amy will be driving up tomorrow morning to spend the weekend with us and be yet another support system. I am very glad she will be with us! As for the blog, don't expect an update until sometime tomorrow night. I will be spending the night in the ICU and I'm sure my parents will be exhausted but they will try their best to update as soon as possible!

Once again thank you for all of the support and I look forward to seeing you all once I recover!

Love,

Ali

Welcome to my blog!

Hey everyone! I have recently set-up this blog so I am able to keep those whom I care about the most updated on my status during my entire process of getting my brain tumor removed. Either myself or my parents will update this blog as frequently as we can to keep everyone informed on how I am doing before, during, and after surgery. I am hoping this will be a helpful tool for everyone and I invite you to comment on my posts and give me some words of encouragement or just say hello. I really appreciate all of the support I have received so far and I'm looking forward to having you all along for the journey. Thanks for following and I'll update as soon as possible!

Love you all,

Ali