Officially it's called an adenoma

You can Google Non-Functioning Pituitary Adenoma if you want detailed information but in a nutshell it’s a benign tumor in my pituitary gland.

Three times, it's grown to the point where it affected my optic nerves and pituitary function. Surgery was performed Feb. 2007 again in Feb. 2009 and yet again Nov. 11, 2010 to remove as much of it as possible.

My vision was preserved in each case however I've lost Growth Hormone production and am on thyroid medication to help those levels.

I had radiation after my last surgery. The risk is I could over time loose all pituitary function. The hope is it will slow or stop the persistent tumor's aggressive growth.

10/22/10

What do I need?

The tumor to 'poof' disappear :)
Barring that - well the last two surgeries I had a spinal fluid leak and because of that history I've a high chance at having one this time. It sucks. Imagine the worst headache of your life times about 1000, shunt in your back to 'balance' fluid level, you have to remain sitting up and move as little as possible and your nose is packed for at least two days. Breathing that long through your mouth, awful, nasty taste. And it means extra days in hospital. Sucks. Major. - so cross fingers, toes, pray, think happy thoughts, whatever you think may work that this doesn't happen this time. If it does then cough drops, jolly ranchers, any hard candy type stuff to suck on helps make it bearable.

Cross fingers, toes, pray, think happy thoughts, whatever you think may work that Dr. Delashaw gets the tumor down enough I can do the one massive dose of Radiation. That method is my best shot at 'retarding' the growth and keeping my sight. Could I write if I'm blind? I know some have/do but it's so visual for me. There is a rhythm, an art to the construction of a paragraph, a story. I don't know if I personally could. If the tumor remains near the nerve then radiation would have to be done in small daily doses over the course of 4-6 weeks. Less effective.  I don't even want to think about the stress, strain and cost of daily trips of OHSU.

One welcome bit of news - Chris was offered the opportunity to move to day shift. While we'll lose his shift differential we decided that would be best for our family, best for me. Looking at lots of 4 hour round trip drives to OHSU, tests that can last hours, (Nov. 12 my first appt. is at 8am and my last is at 1:30) plus recovery at home and it will all just be easier on me if he's on days, not trying to switch around his sleep schedule to take me places or worse go without sleep. Unfortunately his boss cautioned him that it could take awhile for this to happen, like months. So if ya'll could wish, hope, pray that it comes about soon that would be great. Selfishly it'd be nice by surgery date because his days off would be Monday, Tuesday and half of Wednesday and that would mean he could be with me at hospital longer without losing pay. While I know others will do their best to step in for him, love you all and I could say I want/need him because he's been through this with me before twice and knows how best to deal with me and the random crisises that occur in hospital but it's not that.  It's not logical, certainly not pratical - I just want/need him there with me.
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