Please send good thoughts to my friend with a cancerous brain tumor).

[IdaBriggs]

He was sitting down to dinner with friends on Tuesday night when he suddenly found himself looking at EMTs who were wheeling him into an emergency room. They politely asked him how often he had seizures, which is how he discovered he had a seizure in the restaurant.

My friend had never had a seizure before in his life, and it turned out this was the first (and only) symptom of his brain tumor.

He is a very positive person, and is counting his blessings because he wasn't behind the wheel of a car when this incident happened. The tumor is about the size of a golf ball, and is cancerous. His surgery is scheduled for noon today (EST). It is on the right side of his head, behind his eyes; his doctors are hopeful. After the tumor is biopsied, a course of treatment, which may include chemo and radiation, will be determined.

My friend has worked his entire life, but is in a field where his employer does not offer health insurance. The hospital is working with him (Medicaid/Medicare - I'm not sure (?)) and he is right now focusing on surviving the next few days. He will be in the ICU over the weekend, and then be observed until the doctors say he can safely go home.

Without the surgery -- well, none of us are idiots, but we aren't talking about the bad stuff at the moment.

I am an advocate of 'single payer health care' because life happens. Nobody should have to worry about how they are going to be paying medical bills when they are undergoing this kind of situation. I wish my friend had medical insurance, but he doesn't, and now the odds are good he'll never be eligible for it for the rest of his life; group coverage isn't something that is applicable to his field.

This is real life folks. I don't know one single person who hasn't/won't face a medical situation at some point in their life that will require a hospital stay. Single payer means "any doctor you need/want and no paperwork" -- at least, that is how I understand it.

In the meantime, please send some good thoughts to my friend and his loved ones. He's a good man, and well, *I* am scared for him, even if he isn't.

Best, Ida

[babylonsister]

1. Sounds similar to Teddy Kennedy's experience.

Minus the insurance. How do they know it's cancerous if it hasn't been biopsied?

I'll be thinking good thoughts for your friend, Ida.

[IdaBriggs]

8. Honestly, I have no idea. I was thinking it might have been a blood test?

He knew it was cancerous by Wednesday night, and his family was confirming it last night when we were visiting.

[Mz Pip]

2. Wishing your friend

a speedy recovery and a long and happy life.

[IdaBriggs]

9. Thank you! :)

[cherokeeprogressive]

3. Ida please tell him that people he doesn't know and will never meet are thinking

about him today. I'm sure DU'ers will be filling up this post with replies. I wish you would have told us his name.

I lost a childhood friend 5 days after his 46th birthday in March due to liver cancer. It was a blow I don't think I'll ever get over, so I know how you're feeling right now. Assure him that metaphysical good thoughts and well wishes are being sent his way, whether he can feel them or not. Right about now, he's being showered with good thoughts from some of the most compassionate people I've ever had the pleasure to be associated with: DU'ers.

I will keep him in my thoughts today.

I wish I knew his name.

[IdaBriggs]

10. I am very sorry about your friend.

His first name is Greg, and he is a very nice man.

[Siyahamba]

4. Best wishes

My partner was diagnosed and treated for one almost one year ago--his operation was the day after Senator Kennedy's, in fact. So far, so good, MRIs show no recurrence. Needless to say, we were extremely fortunate he was insured through work.

It's great that your friend isn't scared, a positive attitude goes a long way.

[IdaBriggs]

11. Thank you for sharing your story; its good to hear of other successes!

You know, I hadn't even thought of Senator Kennedy! LOL! How is that for odd? I guess when you are busy dealing with life, it just gets easy to get caught up in your own world.

[horseshoecrab]

5. All good thoughts

and wishes for strength to your friend and his family, and to you too IdaBriggs.

:hug:


horseshoecrab

[IdaBriggs]

12. Thank you! :)

My cell phone battery just died, so I am completely annoyed with myself at the moment for not charging it last night. ARGH!!!

[Royal Sloan 09]

6. Sending good thoughts

for your friend. :hug:

It's very sad state in this country for Medical/health care and it needs changed NOW!:banghead:

For all Americans, including your Friend, Supporting Single payer health care is the only real choice for this country.:bounce:

[IdaBriggs]

13. Thank you, and I agree.

It just seems like the sensible option -- why should we have to deal with paperwork crap when life is happening?

Sigh.

[NC_Nurse]

7. Will do.

[IdaBriggs]

14. Thank you! :) nt

[shadowknows69]

15. Healing thoughts on the way

For what it's worth I had a friend who had a brain tumor removed in my home city and we are the epitome of medical incompetency here, so if your friend is in the hands of someone reasonably skilled they have the best chance they can hope for. The technology today is probably a bigger factor than the actual Doctor anyway.

[IdaBriggs]

18. Thank you. Good to hear happy ending stories! nt

[applegrove]

16. Vibes.

[IdaBriggs]

19. Thank you! :) nt

[emilyg]

17. Prayers for your friend.

[IdaBriggs]

20. Thank you! :) nt

[roguevalley]

21. prayers are sent for him, honey. I hug you too, Ida. Never say never

and never take worse case scenario to heart. I've been there done that and if I had taken worse case as the future, there wouldn't have been one. HUGS!

[mamaleah]

22. Good thoughts and prayers for your friend and all who love him nt

[LeftishBrit]

23. My very best thoughts to your friend and his family!

[Mike 03]

24. My heart goes out to him and you both. Do you know if the tumor has any particular name?

There are various types of brain tumors. Hopefully he might have one that is more localized and therefore resectible.

About twelve years ago I lost an acquaintance to a brain tumor she had fought with for about three years. If she were to get that same tumor today, she might have survived because of some advances in treating particular types of tumors. Hopefully that will the case here.

Hugs

[Plaid Adder]

25. Good luck to your friend.

He will be in my thoughts.

The Plaid Adder

[Forkboy]

26. He definitely has my best wishes.

And he's scared, too, though he may not be showing it. I have thyroid cancer and that's the easiest to treat of them all, and it still scared me shitless when I found out. Friends like you are invaluable to people going through any situation like this. I have one friend especially who made me feel better. She called me Cancerboy when I told her (for her it was either cry or make a joke about it) and my dark sense of humor loved it, and that laugh was the first one I had since finding out. That one good laugh means more to me than I can ever say, and thankfully this person knows exactly what she means to me. However you and your friend deal with it, either by laughing or crying, do it together, and you'll both feel better.

Please, let us know what happens, and come on down to the Cancer Support Forum if need be.

[bigwillq]

27. Best wishes to your friend.

:hug:

[conscious evolution]

28. Why so many brain tumors lately?

Every time I turn around lately I am hearing about another person with a brain tumor.

I hope your freind is ok.I have a friend in the same boat.The tumor is gone but she faces a mountain of medical bills now.