Update and Seizures

What a week this was. Tuesday I had an appointment at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. My Grandpa worked some magic and got me in with a doctor Howard Colman. It made my Mom super happy and I couldn't complain that I was seeing one of the top neuro oncologists. I didn't learn much new though. Obviously I know I have a tumor and he just looked me over and determined with me that I should do both chemo and radiation. I've been planning on that since my surgery. It turns out that the chemo medication, Temodar, is outrageously expensive. Like for 4 days worth of pills, it cost me over $1000. I'm trying to get financial assistance through the Cancer Cares Copay Foundation. We didn't get approved yet, but are hoping to on Tuesday or Wednesday. That should drastically reduce our cost.
So Tuesday was also Valentine's Day. I bought Cody a mango slicer. We love mangoes and ate a ton in Mexico so I thought it would be fun. I also bought myself a new watch. I've managed to lose mine since the hospital. I checked with their lost and found, but no one has turned in a watch. I bought a cute white blingy OXOX one. It's super cute, but needs a notch taken out of the band.
I had a super bad headache most of Valentine's afternoon/evening plus I was freezing cold. My temperature has been very off since my surgery. Dr. Colman did labs on me while I was at HCI to check and see how my thyroid was acting. I still haven't heard back on the results of that. I am cold a lot now. I'm typically wearing long sleeves, a jacket and a beanie. So, needless to say I was not the best Valentine for Cody. I went to bed at 7:30pm with my Ambien. It has been helping me to sleep through the night. I felt bad, but my headache was not allowing me to function very properly. I was ornery and just needed to sleep because I had been gone most of the day.
Wednesday and Thursday were pretty good days and yesterday I had another bad one. Actually Wednesday night I threw up, not sure why, but I did in the sink. I had forgotten until the next morning I got up and had to clean the sink out. My good friend, Laura Jorgenson took me out for frozen yogurt Wednesday night. I don't think I got sick from that, just my messed up head and body.
Friday I spent most of the day on the computer. I started out my visiting teaching, picking Aubrey and Ridge up from preschool and taking Tucker and his friends to kindergarten. After I put Blake down for a nap I was emailing my advocate for the CCCF. I remember being in the kitchen and started to text Cody that I didn't feel well again and that I was weird and tingly feeling. It washed over me and I sat on the couch trying to let it pass. I eventually went back to the computer and put the garbage can next to me in case I was going to be sick. Aubrey tried to take it back from me, and I could not speak to her and tell her no. I ended up falling off the chair and that's all I remember.
Tracy Apostol came over around 4 or so to bring me something from my Mom. Tucker told her that she didn't want to talk to me because I was talking funny. I didn't even remember him coming home from school. Then I panicked because I realized I didn't know where Aubrey or Cole were. Aubrey was playing at Jordan's house and came home a few minutes later and Cole was asleep on the floor in his room. I remember sending him there because he dumped an entire water bottle on the floor. Blake was just waking up. I must have blacked out because there was at least an hour that I don't remember. I started to piece it together that I must have experienced a seizure. I sent Cody a text, but he was at the Utah Dental Convention and couldn't leave the middle of his lecture. Finally he told me when he'd be home. After he arrived home, I had another seizure. It was not nearly as bad as the first, I didn't black out, but I got the weird tingly feeling again for about 5-10 minutes. He had me lie on the ground so that I wouldn't fall down.
After speaking to Tucker and Aubrey about how I was acting earlier in the day, Aubrey told me I was drooling when I was on the ground. That makes sense because I knew I was trying to speak but I could not talk. She said that I told her she could play at a friends house. Tucker just thought I was talking funny.
I actually had a friend/neighbor come by at the beginning of my first seizure, although I had no idea that's what it was at the moment. She later told me that I had some slurred speech and didn't seem to be able to make eye contact.
I spoke to my surgeon today and he prescribed me anti-seizure medication. The downside to it, is, I will have to be on it forever once I start it (which should be now - I'm a bad patient, but I haven't had any seizures today.) I'm just adding it to my pile of pills I start taking tomorrow. Yippee! The following are 2 pictures of me with my wig on. It's very cool, because it is actually my real hair, I can wash it, style it etc. The only problem with it is, there isn't any hair on the top of the wig, so I must wear a hat with it, or else it looks like I'm wearing a nylon on my head. I'll try to get a picture of it on here soon.

On a side note, we have a good friend that set up a website in my behalf today. It's called www.runningwithlisa.com. People can donate money, items for an auction and see what my story is. Cody's office staff ladies are going to set up a fundraiser 5K for me in March or April. Just today, since the website went live, friends have donated over $2200. That is going to help so immensely - it's amazing!
Thank you to all for your love and support. My battle is just beginning again, so thank you for keeping us in your prayers.