In December of last year I traveled to St. George, Utah, to visit my mother-in-law, Evelyn Bosh. During my visit I experienced my first ever seizure in my brain. I didn't know it was a seizure but I knew it was something strange. While I was there I was found to have a very large Kidney Stone caused by a large amount of calcium caused by a problem with my parathyroid. In January I had the stone removed and in March two of my four parathyroids were removed to make that run properly.
On May 11 I was finally able to get an MRI done on my head. Within minutes the Dr. knew what was wrong, at least a part of what was wrong. They saw a very large tumor, about the size of a golf ball. It was located on the outside edge of the left side of my brain. One week later, May 18, they removed that tumor from my brain.
When I woke up after the surgery I was feeling bad. I vomited a large amount after I woke up but after that I was able to rest. Within a few days I had several people who visited me and were clearly scared about something. By Friday, May 20, I was moved to a regular hospital room and fed normally, with a lot of blood work being done throughout each day. I was also diabetic, a problem I found out was likely before my stone was removed but was told was certainly true about the time of my brain surgery. By Sunday or Monday after that I was released from the Red hospital at Hennepin County Medical Center and moved to the Blue Building of the same place for rehabilitation.
While I was in the Blue Building many people visited and many things happened that I did not enjoy. HCMC was trying to figure out how bad I was after the surgery. Through many tests I was eventually able to prove that I wasn't a vegetable like they thought I might be. I had to do several cognitive skills tests and also walking and strength testing. By Saturday, May 28, I was finally released to go home. I have had many times since then that I had to go back for more treatment at the hospital and have also had several visits by nurses and others at my home.
One thing that I heard from a doctor while in the Blue Building was very uncomfortable. She told me that my tumor was tested and found to be a rare type of cancerous growth. I can't remember the name of the cancer but it is a type that rarely ever leaves the brain. She told me that if I didn't get chemotherapy and radiation treatment I could expect to live short, probably around 6-8 months. She also said that if they were to treat me for this cancer they may be able to keep me alive for around two years. My sister decided I should get a second opinion from another doctor. My sister worked on getting me an appointment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, about an hour and a half from home.
On Friday, June 24, 2016 I went to the Mayo Clinic. My appointment was at 11:00 and when I arrived they sent me soon thereafter to have some blood tests taken. One person took one small tube of blood from me and then I was able to go out for a couple hours. I had lunch and returned to the Mayo for an appointment around 1:20 PM. The doctor didn't actually see us until around 2:00 and he and another doctor were done talking to us by around 4:00.
The second doctor did not spend much time with me. The first talked about the chemotherapy and radiation I had already heard about from the doctor at HCMC. He suggested that they have a chemotherapy test they could try after my regular treatment and also a possible targeted radiation treatment they could do if I was not eligible for the chemo one. Apparently the blood test was done so they could determine my ability for the chemo testing. Probably by July 1 I will hear if I can do their chemo or their radiation tests.
The doctors at Mayo seemed to give happy faces for the treatments they have but didn't seem to be able to give solid answers about anything. I think they would really like to do the tests on me but they also know that there isn't much probability of success for either of them. This probably means I will not be living much longer from healthcare processes.
For the time I have been out of the surgery and understood I had serious cancer issues I have been praying more deeply than I have ever done. I have asked God for a miracle to heal me but I do not know if that is going to happen. I have heard from multitudes of people who are also praying for me and I have thanked them all and encouraged them to continue to do so.
More than my desire to live for my own feelings I have a strong desire to be here for my wife, JeriAnn. I love her so deeply and she also loves me very deeply. I feel that losing me may be too hard for her to bear. Maybe when I go I can be with her again soon. She believes she will live a long life even if I don't and I don't want that to happen, only because I can tell how hard it will be for her. She does have a strong ability to survive and I do believe it may happen. I am 46 and she is 44 and we celebrated our 21st Anniversary this June. If I die this year she will probably still live for up to 30-40 years without me. I am sure I will not suffer after death. I know that heaven is a place without health problems.
I don't know what to do now. I have a great deal of love for God and for others I will see here if I live and in Heaven if I die. Please keep me in your prayers.
Thank you. I love you.
