2008.10.22

2008.10.22
Our dear friend, Linda Myers, has surgery Friday October 24 at 7:30 am at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. She has a meningioma brain tumor located near the skull on the front high forward. The surgeon is Dr Tony (Anthony L.) Asher from the Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates. Prognosis is good but there are risks. Surgery is expected to last 4 to 5 or 6 or 8 hours. She will be in intensive care for 2-3 days, hospital 7-10 days, rehab 2-3 days, recovery over weeks and maybe months. It is near pituitary gland, optic nerve, etc. Such tumors mainly are benign. This type is slow growing for years, giving time to catch and treat. It is the size of a flat tennis ball. Dr Asher says non-surgery is not an option as it eventually is life threatening. She is taking steroids to reduce the inflammation around the tumor. The steroids are giving her more trouble with her stomach, etc, than the tumor. There is no pain now. She is able to do about all she usually does on a daily basis and would have been at Sunday School last week except for family from out of town celebrating her birthday a few weeks early. Several factors, including loss of energy and sense of smell, led to the MRI October 02, 2008, which identified the tumor. She is in good spirits and wants to get this over. Her mailing address is 4739 Hedgemore Drive Unit T, Charlotte NC 28209 . She is not doing emails right now. She does not know her room yet or CMC address (other than 1000 Blythe Blvd, 28203). She asks for your prayers and moral support. (2008.10.22)