How it began!

Sunday February 23rd 2014 Doug was not feeling well after a weekend in Ogden with Z. He complained he couldn't shut his mind off, he felt like he was having some anxiety. I took him to St. Luke's Urgent Care where they checked his blood pressure, told us he was probably having some anxiety and to follow up with his doctor on Monday.

Monday morning Doug called me and asked for me to take him to the doctor, I knew he wasn't feeling well because he asked me to take him. In seeing his doctor he diagnosed him with anxiety and depression. He was prescribed an antidepressant and anxiety medicine. By Thursday February 27th Doug was having severe headaches, thinking it was just a side affect to the antidepressant. He stop taking it and the headaches went away.

Monday March 3rd we talked with his doctor and had his antidepressant changed. Tuesday evening he started to get another headache, and by Wednesday morning March 5th the headache had become so severe he began throwing up. I rushed him to urgent care where they did a few blood pressure tests and told us we needed to rule out a few things before they would send him home. But that meant going to the ER.

So off we went to St. Luke's Downtown. They started and IV and gave him a "migraine cocktail" in his IV. The pain did go away, but the ER doctor said they wanted to do a CT scan of his head to rule out anything major.

I sat in the room while he was gone getting the scan, praying like a mad woman. After a few minutes Doug returned and then we got the news. I should have known when 2 doctors and the nurse come in together, they are not telling me he is ready to go home and all is fine!

The doctor told us that on the scan it showed a 2 inch spot / lesion on the right side of his brain. If you know me at all I am a tell it like it is kind of gal, no bs, all up front at the beginning. So I said, "is it a tumor?" The response I got was the CT scan shows a spot / lesion and he is scheduled for an MRI in the morning. They gave Doug a steroid to help with the pressure in his head. They walked out of the room to get the discharge papers.

I sat next to the bed and held Doug's hand. I told him this was not going to take us down. We will find out what it is and we are going to fight and fight like hell to win this battle. He looked me in the eyes and soft spoken said, "I want to go home." At that moment I knew he was worried.

As we drove home I put the girls on three way calling, and told them there was a spot on his brain and like any reaction they cried, and they cried hard. I told them it was natural to be scared.

Thursday morning March 6th Doug had his MRI done at 11:00 am. at St.Luke's in Eagle. It was comforting knowing the lady (Linda) doing the MRI. They started with just the MRI and then did it with contrast. Doug wanted me to stay with him through it. I stood by his legs as he went in the tube and just kept my hand on him, massaging his legs. Standing there in that cold room, watching your husband get an MRI on his brain knowing there is something there, I finally cried. I WAS SCARED!

Doug's amazing nurse (Melanie) got us an appointment with the neurosurgeon on Friday at 8:30 to get the results of the MRI.

Friday morning March 7th we met with Dr. Richard Lochhead. He did a few interesting tests on Doug, like hold his arms up and close his eyes, walk a certain way, move his fingers in a pattern. Then he sat Doug down and told us what his findings were.

Doug has an unknown brain tumor that has to be removed. Once it is removed they will be able to determine what type of tumor it is. He will have surgery in about 10 days. The surgery will take 3-5 hours. Doug will be down for about 6 weeks, depending on how he heals. The tumor is located in a sensitive spot, that could affect the movement of his left side.

We have decide to have another consult with another doctor.

I am asking for prayers that surgery goes well, the tumor is not fingered into his brain, that he will heal quickly. Prayers for my 3 beautiful girls that they have comfort their dad will be ok, that they have peace with them. Prayers to keep me strong! Through God all things are possible! Thank you in advance!

I will start writing in my journal and you can get information through that. Feel free to call or text me also! Blessings to all! Jacki