March 9, 2020, I think we all remember well. It was the first day of COVID lockdown, crazy times for literally everyone.  For me, it was the beginning in a major change on the rest of my life (in addition to COVID times).  

About two weeks two weeks into the COVID lockdown, I was in a work meeting at my favorite job Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, and suddenly had dual vision, head pain, and a bit of panicky feeling. It lasted about 15 minutes, and it left me exhausted and confused but I went right back to work. The same thing happened two more times in a couple weeks, but in front of my 15-month-old baby boy. The third time on April 25, 2020, I asked my husband to take me to the emergency room since my sister-in-law came that morning and she could watch Dean for us. I was thinking I would probably get some medication for whatever was happening and be back home in a few hours. However, it turned out very differently and changed our lives tremendously forever.

Because this was early COVID lockdown, my husband was not allowed in the hospital at all. It did not take the doctors long to find a massive, tennis ball sized tumor in my head, left temporal. Very quickly Scripps sent me from Encinitas to La Jolla, where I was welcomed by my neurosurgeon. They informed me that the "panic attacks" were brain seizing to tell me that there was trouble in my head, if it didn't get handled immediately, my son and husband would lose me.

Within 36 hours of arrival, I had a massive brain surgery called craniotomy and it was a success of 97% of tumor removed. Following that and much deliberation between neurologists all over California on what my next step would be: chemo/radiation or watch-and-wait. Because of my age at 35 and my one-year-old, I was put on watch-and-wait, as my rare brain cancer will never stop growing. In a year, the tumor grew back to a size that now needed the radiation & chemo. I began that on April 6, 2022. I'm almost done with the 6 weeks of daily radiation, and one month into the 11 months of chemo.

That's a lot...what's the point? I somehow have become an even more positive, hard-worker, people lover, life-lover, mom, wife, and friend. My goal is to help in any and every way I can, and it starts with me asking for your help!

Additional details from American Cancer Society on how this works:

COVID-19 has put cancer patients at risk attacking already weakened immune systems, delaying cancer treatments, and closing many clinical trials. Because of the impact cancer has had on my life, I'm doing something about it. I've joined Relay For Life to remember people we've lost and offer up support to anyone in our community who is affected by cancer. And that's why I need your support!

The funds I'm raising will help sustain critical research and patient services in this difficult time. Believe me, every dollar really does count, so I'm asking for your help. Please donate today, because together we can accomplish anything!