Twenty year TUMORVERSARY

Today I celebrate 7300 days since my very first brain surgery ( I have had 5)! I have had some amazing days and my share of not so amazing days. The most important take away is I was given days others with brain cancer did not get. I don’t take that for granted.   So…

Read More

19 Years Ago Brain Surgery Began

It was the morning of 9-2-98 Micheal drove me to Barrow and we checked in to pre-op. Some things you never forget.  My dad had given me a shirt that said don’t forget your dad loves you and it had his photo on the front so I made sure I was wearing that so he…

Read More

Brain Buddie Survivor Story: John Van Wagner

My name is John Van Wagner and May 30th 1995 after an 8.5 hour surgery I was told I had a menigioma brain tumor.   It was benign  but it  wrapped around my facial nerve and left my face almost completly paralyzed.  I had to endure reconstructive surgery and thankfully was able to regain some movement…

Read More

The Night Before My First Brain Surgery – 18 Years Ago

18 yrs ago tonight I would await  my first brain surgery to take place bright and early in the morning.  Micheal and I  stayed at Hilton Suites  near the hospital to make sure we were set for success in the morning. That evening I sat writing notes & cards for all my friends & family…

Read More

Thankful Thursday

THANKFUL THURSDAY:  I can’t thank @E Joyce Rend Webb enough.  She was the brain buddie  who requested I be featured in the Card Maker Magazine back in 2011. The really cool part of this story was she’d  been making and donating cards to the foundation in memory of her dear friend  who had passed from a brain tumor…

Read More

Reflecting on 15

This date 15 years ago was a TUESDAY.     The night before the big surgery.  I had been waiting for 2 weeks since I was first told I had a baseball size mass in my brain that needed to be removed.   So Sept. 2 1998 was the big day.  In my mind I…

Read More