Still trying!

[brokenagain]

Today I went to my Brain Surgeon at UPMC Presby in Pittsburgh and my Brain Meningioma is still for lack of a better word, Dead. I had Gamma Knife surgery 4 years ago on May 29th and my surgeon is very pleased but is concerned with my mental state. I told him I am trying my best.

[Hidden]

I am not familiar with gamma knife surgery. By saying the tumor is dead it’s safe to assume it is not growing and thus not a threat to your health?

[brokenagain in reply to Hidden]

You are correct but they can come back. Their cause is not known and they can come back. Gamma Knife Surgery is performed by screwing the humans head to a plate so that no movement can be done and then for about 4 to 5 hours depending how large and how active the meningioma is an intense heat ray is centered on the surrounding area of the meningioma killing all of the tissue that the meningioma is feeding on. A mild anesthetic is used and there is no pain at all. The Meningioma is still there and in time it is hoped that is will slowly shrink and vanish. There are only a few Gamma Knife Centers in the United States and I live close to Pittsburgh, Pa where at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has the facilities at Presbyterian Hospital. I have a great Brain Specialist and I also see Dr. Maroon who is depicted in the movie Concussion in a less than favorable light. Dr. Maroon is the Brain specialist with the Pittsburgh Steelers but as far as the normal Joe like me, his background in brain surgery is outstanding and Dr. Maroon suggested Gamma Knife because it is less invasive and to a degree safer.

[Hidden in reply to brokenagain]

That sounds amazing. Amazing meaning they can treat the tumor without invasive surgery. My sister in law has an inoperable tumor on her brain stem. It is benign but was causing spinal fluid to build in her brain. They had to put a shunt in to relieve the pressure. They are monitoring it because if it grows it could be trouble. So far it hasn’t gotten bigger. She goes to New York Presbyterian hospital in the city. I never saw the movie concussion. That’s cool your doctor works with the Steelers. Does he have autographed stuff in his office? I am a New York giants fan unfortunately.

[brokenagain in reply to Hidden]

I am a diehard Steeler fan but I like the Giants. Dr. Maroon will be retiring soon but he is a figurehead in the tri-state area of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. He is a very subdued quiet man but he knows his stuff. The second time I saw him he was looking at my MRI which showed the growing Meningioma and in a very low voice all I heard was, " Jesus Christ." Needless to say, that caught my attention big time and that was when he suggested that surgery was needed ASAP. Dr. Maroon is now in his early 70s and he is a Tri-Athlete and still participates in events. He played football at Indiana and was 2nd team all-Big -Ten back in the 50s. Concussion is a great movie dealing with brain injuries men get by playing football and how the brain suffers after hit after hit of the brain from playing Pee-Wee football to the Pros. It is a bit sad and if you know and remember the great Steeler teams of the 70s and Mike Webster who was their all-pro center and HOF member and through his career, he took too many hits to the brain and developed what is known as CTE which many pro players now suffer from. Webster ended up living in his truck in a field on the Ohio River losing his mind. He put a gun in his mouth to end his suffering. The Brain is so delicate.

[bambikmc]

Hello brokenagain, thank you for sharing your story. I am also in the pittsburgh area and know Presby well. I wondered if you could share a little history about how your doctor discovered your meningioma - what were your symptoms and story leading up to the diagnosis and surgery? I'm having headaches and neuropathy - starting B-12 supplements but I am afraid there is more to the story - have had these symptoms on and off for a while to be honest. Any advice you can give would be appreciated. thank you!

[brokenagain]

Before my accident, I was a Regional Human Resources Manager, and to be honest I had become a workaholic.. I was well resoected by upper management and was being groomed for higher HR positions in the company. After my Brain Trauma, those aspirations vanished but being a workaholic did not. I ended up doing janitorial work for my wife who was a property manager in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and that kept me busy. One day while mopping the lobby of the apartment building I slipped and fell straight backward hitting my head. Ever since I had been released from the hospital when I had my accident I was told to waa told that if I ever hit my head again that I needed to have an MRI, ASAP. My wife took me to Saint Clair Hospital and the tech then told me that he could see no damage but that I had 2 spots on my frontal lobe and that I should have them checked out. My wife contacted Doctor Joseph Marroon who is the best Brain Specialist in Pittsburgh as well as the tri-state area.

Dr. Marroon had ordered an MRI and when he looked at it, in a very calm manner he said that it was a Meningioma but that thousands of people get them and that 9 out of 10 people have no problem s from them. He told me that I should have an MRI yearly just to make sure that it does not become active. That was in Feb of 2008 and after that, I would get an MRI and no changes were noted.

In the Spring of 2014 when I had my MRI, the Meninigioma had become very active and was growing. It was feeding off of my Brain Cells and it was feared that the Meningioma would soon turn into my brain and become a tumor. Dr. Marroon gave me my options and it could be either invasive surgery where they would cut a hole into my skull and remove the Meningioma which is considered very dangerous or I could consider Gamma Knife Surgery which would be performed at UPMC Presby. Gamma Knife is non-evasive and Gamma Rays are centered on the Meninigima which isolates the Meningioma from the Brain Cells which then basically kills the Meningioma because it has nothing to feed on. The Surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Monaco who is an associate of Dr. Marroon and all I can say is that he is the best! In time the Meningioma will dissolve and at my last MRI last Spring, it is finally beginning to shrink.

It was a bit of a scary time for me but UPMC came through for me big time! There are not a lot of Hospitals that perform Gamma Knife surgery but UPMC has a great program. I hope that helped you!

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I just wanted to say that has to be a very nerve wracking and frightening ordeal to go through having brain surgery like you described. I hope you are recovering from it all right. I would imagine it would take some time to fully recover.