The Diagnosis

by | Feb 22, 2022 | Her Story | 2 comments

On Saturday, February 19, 2022 I experienced a grand mal seizure while enjoying a nice cup of coffee at our condo in Cocoa Beach, FL.  Fortunately, both my husband and friend Frank were beside me, and made sure I remained relatively unscathed until the ambulance arrived.  True to form, I argued with the paramedics and insisted I did not have a seizure and did not need to go to the emergency room.  I have zero recollection of this.  Fortunately, they did not listen to me!

After 11 hours in the emergency room, we were transferred to Holmbs Hospital in Melbourne.   I was blessed to see one of their top neurosurgeons on staff.  Long story short, the MRI confirmed that I do indeed have a brain tumor.  However, the tumor failed to light up with contrast which is a very, very good thing!  The surgeon who evaluated me believes, based on his experience, that it’s a low-grade astrocytoma.  Of course, nothing is for certain until the tumor is removed, but all things considered, this is still good news.  He indicated that he feels comfortable letting me go home to Wisconsin to continue treatment there.  I’ve already been set up with Dr. Wade Mueller at Froedtert and will see him on Tuesday.

I won’t sugarcoat it….I’m a bit shaken up.  And I have moments where I still break down and cry a little.   But I am so fortunate to have my faith in God and have family and friends who clearly love me and care about my well being.

Many of you have already reached out and have asked what you can do to help.  My number one request is for prayers for complete healing.  The surgeon in Florida stated that until the tumor is resected and viewed under the microscope, there’s no way to confirm the exact type.  Obviously, we’re hoping for the type of cancer that allows me to go on living for years.  Reality says, there are types that could take me out in less than a year, but I refuse to allow my mind to go down that path.  So please pray for me. Pray for my surgeon and team at Froedtert.  Pray that I remain faithful to God’s plan, whatever that may be.  Pray that I am able to maintain my sense of humor through all of this, including post-surgery.  And please PLEASE pray for my family.  I know firsthand how awful it is to have a loved one go through cancer.  The fact that my children have had to deal with this for over 2 years now (first John and now me) brings me to tears.  Please pray for them that they feel God’s peace and know that Jesus will bring them through this.

For those who are on social media, I am on Instagram and will continue to post there as well.  I mentioned on one of my IG posts that my hope in going through this is that it will help to bring those who have fallen from their faith, back to God.  I could not be more sincere in this endeavor.  There’s no better time to turn back to God than today.  It’s not as hard as you might think, and if you need help, please reach out to me.  I’ve been struggling with what to do with myself since I retired 2.5 years ago.  A good chunk of that time was taken up with caring for John during his cancer battle.  Now it’s my turn, but I know I’m meant to use this experience for something more.  

I have my first grandchild arriving in July.  I have every intention of living to see that child grow up to be a strong, loving, faithful servant of God.  I will not go down without a fierce fight and I will do everything I can until my last breath, to spread the word of God’s goodness.  Especially when times are tough.  I meant what I said;  If you are looking for a way back to the Lord, please reach out to me.  It will give me something to concentrate on other than how I’m going to have to manage my hair following surgery LOL!

About Me

In February 2022, I was diagnosed with brain cancer and it changed my whole life perspective. This blog is dedicated to my Journey through cancer diagnosis, recovery, and finding the humor in life.

2 Comments

  1. Melissa Skowronski

    Love you and have been praying for all of you during this journey. If you need anything, please let me know. Love your blog! Amazing so far as I continue to walk with you during this. Love you!

    Reply
    • Julie Kurtz

      Thanks Melissa!

      Reply

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