May 20
Ted Kennedy Has Brain Tumor
That’s the breaking news on Fox right now. The “expert” they are speaking with is Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist. He says that most brain tumors in older people are benign, citing meningiomas.
He also made it sound like the surgery to remove any old meningioma is a breeze, patients recover and go on with life as before. Well, as the proud owner of a meningioma, I say not exactly.
For one, he’s a pathologist, not a surgeon. He probably doesn’t have many of his patients complaining about complications.
Second, he’s not a neurologist or neuropsychiatrist. He is probably as familiar with the physical structure of the brain as either one, but… perhaps he’s not as familiar with the peculiarities of minor damage to any area of the brain.
The thought that Kennedy might have a brain tumor has crossed my mind several times since I heard the news of his hospitalization. Mine was discovered when I thought I had a mini-stroke, or TIA. I was worried enough that I sat in the ER for 5 hours after all symptoms subsided to find out. I think Kennedy got, um… more aggressive treatment than I did.
For his sake, I hope it’s a meningioma, I hope it’s small, not near any major bloodworks, and that radiation is considered as the first course of treatment. This isn’t about politics, I
wish him well.
Here’s one shot of my brain tumor, before radiation treatment.
UPDATE: AP is reporting that Kennedy’s tumor is a malignant glioma. Not good news.
May 20th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Sen.Ted Kennedy has been as a member of my family for all my adult life. He and his family became our family when Pres. Kennedy and his family was elected our first family. The Kennedys’ has kept that place in our hearts. Today I and the rest of my family pray and interceed continually for the senetor. May God bless and keep all the family in his generous peace and love.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Peace and Love. Yes, I think the Kennedy family has had lots of love within it, but I’m not sure about the peace.
May 20th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Yikes! I didn’t realize that you had experienced a brain tumor. I suspect that you’ll have many future opportunities to contrast and compare your experience with the Senator’s, given the inevitable media deluge that’s to come. I hope your outcome was positive; I wish the same for Senator Kennedy who, however unlikable I find most of his politics and some of his personal life, is still worthy of respect.
May 20th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Thank you, Eric. The outcome of my tumor is still in question because I opted for radiation only. No Black & Decker to the skull for me, thank you! After two neurosurgeons told me that I’d have to have radiation treatment after surgery because the tumor “wrapped around” a major blood plumbing structure, I opted to forego the surgery.
However, there was never any doubt that mine was a benign meningioma. The main thing I wanted was to kill it, keep it from growing and causing further symptoms. I don’t think Ted Kennedy has the same options open to him.