Damn The Statistics, I Have a Life to Live!
Coping with a Brain Tumor My Personal Story
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On the morning of June 12, 2002 I noticed some memory problems when I woke up. I was at home and was trying to work on my computer. I ended up deleting my AOL (America On-Line) account. AOL helped me get it back on. I also didn’t remember a number of other items or passwords. I now realized that the removal of the tumor would not be the only battle. I would also have to deal with brain damage caused by the tumor, the biopsy and future surgeries.
That afternoon we were sitting in Dr. Arenson’s waiting room when Dr. Fullagar, my surgeon, walked in. He stated that he didn’t have time to talk, but surgery was going to be set up. We knew that was bad news. Then Dr. Arenson’s nurse, Mary, called us in. I don’t remember much after he said that it was a glioblastoma multiforme, grade 4 out of 4. He informed us that it was the worst kind of brain cancer you can get in the worst location in the brain. Immediate surgery followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy was the only options. They handed us a book outlining the Colorado Neurological Institute (CNI) group and the way they handled the treatments. The group had a team approach that we really liked and the team members all seemed very good. I was crying as he announced the verdict and discussed the issues.
The doctor has stated that surgery is the most important part of the treatment and gave me the best chance for survival. My age and health should also be very helpful in fighting the tumor. I will be taking MRI’s for the rest of my life every 8 weeks to see how things are going.
I remembered that I had looked up glioblastoma multiforme in several different locations, including the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) web site and knew that the statistics showed I only had a 1% chance of living more than 1 to 2 years. All I could think about was that I was going to die and die very soon based on the information I read on glioblastoma statistics.
I decided at this time I was going to fight like crazy, but it was very difficult to not see what looked like reality. As we drove home, I was crying all the way. This was quite a blow in an area that I did not know how to fight. Over a quick 10-day period, I went from perfect health and a strong future to facing death and a tough fight for life ahead of me.
I wrote a note to my family when I got home that night.
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About the Book
June 3, 2002 was the day that changed my life forever. A 43-year-old father of three, whom in one day went from being a successful senior manager to a man with a brain tumor. I have a glioblastoma multiforme grade IV brain tumor, the most deadly and aggressive type of brain tumor. This book covers how I have dealt with life after being informed that I have a tumor that only 1-2% survive for 2 years. I share the experiences, thoughts, and events from my first year as a survivor. When I was first diagnosed, I searched for a book that covered the details of what could be expected on both a medical and personal level. I could not find, so I wrote one. I maintained a detailed journal. I cover the first surgery, an awake craniotomy, and the subsequent head infection that led to a second craniotomy and a near kidney failure. I also cover my first year of treatments. In addition, I discuss my struggles with relearning to speak and read. Some personal and medical photos are included.
About the Author
H. Charles Wolf is a husband, father, grandfather, former nuclear facility manager, and a brain tumor victim. He has worked in America’s most dangerous facility, as dubbed by Peter Jennings. He has been on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. His education includes a chemical engineering degree from the Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of South Carolina. He continues to struggle with the aphasia caused by the tumor surgery. Writing this book was great therapy.