Essay On Brain Tumor

I remember walking into the doctor’s office that evening. I remember the doctor taking my parents back to his office while my sister and I sat in the lobby coloring, with the nurses surrounding us taking to one another in hushed voices. I remember being called back to the doctor’s office and walking in to see my mom grasping my dad and crying hysterically. I remember sitting on that black leather couch, scared of what words were about to come out of the doctors’ mouth. I remember the five words that would change my life forever. You have a brain tumor. I remember crying, hugging my mom, her tears streaming down my forehead, and asking, “Am I going to die?” I remember those moments that would go on to impact my life and my family’s life forever.

In the past eight years since the diagnosis of my brain tumor, my life has been greatly impacted. While there are some long lasting negative impacts such as parts of my body that will never be able to function quite properly again, overall, the diagnosis of my brain tumor has impacted my life in ways that I never thought imaginable. For instance, when I was going through my treatments and had to be at the hospital almost every day, every time would leave for the day, I would say, “As soon as I’m done with this, I am never stepping another foot into a hospital again”. It wasn’t until several years after I had finished my treatments that I realized how much my time in the hospital truly influenced me and what I want to do in the future. I realized the impact that all the doctors, nurses and everyone else that I interacted with had on me, and I then realized that I wanted to do the same. Through the good days and the bad, the staff at the hospital was always there for me and my family. They were there to make me laugh, give me support, and make my days just a little bit brighter. During the most difficult time of my life, the staff at the hospital provided an environment that made everything a little bit better. I then realized that the impact that my doctors and nurses had on me was so profound, that I decided that I wanted to go into a career where I could have the same impact on kids going through some of the experiences that I did. With a future career in the healthcare, I hope to be able to give light and happiness to difficult times in kids’ life’s’, much like my doctors did. While it may sound strange to say, I’m thankful for my brain tumor and the positive ways that it has impacted my life, and my future.

While my diagnosis of a brain tumor impacted my life in positive ways that I never thought imaginable, for my family, the experiences have impacted them in more negative ways. For instance, I know that my mom feels some sort of guilt, even though it was not her fault, and there was nothing that she could do to stop or prevent me from developing a brain tumor. I know that she spends her days worrying about me, thinking of all the worst-case scenarios. I know that my diagnosis and all the following bad news that would come caused her so much anxiety and worry.  I remember her pacing back and forth in the hotel room and anxiously crumpling bags the morning before I went into surgery. I remember my first day of radiation, when the doctors were showing me what was going to happen and her running out of the room crying, trying to hide her fear from me.  I know that she would spend her days worrying about me, and still does today. However, though the experiences, my family was able to grow closer together and create many lifelong memories. Through the hours spent in the hospital waiting for doctors and sitting around during treatments was able to draw us closer together. Through the incredible Make-A-Wish Foundation, we were able to take an unforgettable trip to Paris that we all will talk about for the rest of our life’s. We were able to spend eight weeks in Denver, Colorado during my radiation treatments and explore the city and create lifelong memories. While the diagnosis of my brain tumor was extremely difficult for my family, we were able to become closer and enjoy experiences that we otherwise may have not been able to experience.

Nobody would willingly choose to be diagnosed with a brain tumor, myself included. However, I am extremely thankful for my diagnosis. I am thankful that I am still here today, and as healthy as ever. I am thankful for the doctors that helped me in more ways than one. I am thankful for my family, that stood by me the entire time. Without the diagnosis of my brain tumor, my life would not be what it is today. I would not be the person that I am today. My family would not be the same as it is today. And it is those reasons that I am thankful for my brain tumor and the ways that it has impacted my family and me.