We're Off to See the Wizard; or, If I Only Had a Brain

Almost 5 1/2 years ago, I was folding shirts for the millionth time while working at Dillards when I got word that Michael was in the hospital.  At work himself, he thought he was having a stroke and went to the emergency room.  During the course of his examination, a large mass was discovered at the base of his brain.

In the confusion that followed, an over-eager doctor wanted to operate immediately.  Calmer heads prevailed, though, and subsequent consulations with a neurologist identified the mass as an epidermoid tumor.  Non-malignant, the tumor was basically composed of flakes of skin that had collected all his life.  Unattached to the brain, the tumor was nevertheless sitting at the top of his spinal cord, pushing nerves to one side.

Now, this tumor likely had nothing to do with the symptoms Michael experienced that sent him to the hospital.  And it likely had nothing to do with any number of symptoms one experiences during the aging process.  However, in the last five years of annual MRIs and appointments with the neurologist, Michael did begin to suffer some notable effects of the tumor's presence, particularly with balance and coordination.

The time has come to have the tumor removed.

Over the years, we've heard different things about the procedure.  Timing seemed to be everything... removing it before it caused irreversible damage vs. suffering potential side effects from the surgery itself.  And the younger and healthier the patient, the better it would go.  We knew at some point it was going to have to happen.

The decision was made to have the operation done at KU Medical Center in Kansas City.  But during a confounding delay in scheduling, Michael waffled and did more research, discovering that the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is known for pioneering an innovative method for minimally invasive brain surgery.  Rather than drilling through his skull behind the right ear, the tumor can be removed by going through the nose and sinuses.

It sounds impossible, but it's quite fascinating to learn more about this procedure.  If you're at all interested, please watch these short videos.  The first one is a statement from Michael's doctor and the second is an animation of how the surgery works.

from this page, select the video "Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery"

from this page, select the video "Endoscopic Endonasal Approach"

And to read about Michael's doctor, here's a link to his bio:

Paul Andrew Gardner, MD

So Friday we're off to Pittsburgh (via Chicago to pick up Mari Ann) to see the wizard, Dr. Gardner.  Michael's schedule is as follows:

Monday, Nov. 26 - CTA and MRI
Tuesday, Nov. 27 - History & Physical and Pre-Admission Testing
Wednesday, Nov. 28 - Surgery

We'll be staying at inexpensive housing near the hospital campus:

Family House Shadyside
5245 Centre Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA  15224

For the next few weeks, I'm dedicating my blog not to horror movies or comic books, but to the real-life adventures of our journey.  Everyone has been so kind with their thoughts and prayers, but this is where I'll try to maintain an ongoing, consistent message about what's going on, day by day.  Please check back for more beginning later this week...