I found out over a month after the operation, that the tumour was benign ie. not cancer. This was great news!
They did find however in a follow-up scan that there was a small piece of remaining tissue. This was either scar tissue or leftover tumour. Just to be on the safe side, I am going to have preventative radiation therapy. If they simply left the tissue there to see if it grew, and then found that it was leftover tumour, they would have to operate once again, and take some brain tissue as well. I have grown very attached to my brain, so radiation therapy is the best option.
There is however some possible side effects including fatigue and hair loss. I will not have all my hair fall out as I would with chemotherapy, but I will get a semi-permanent bald spot on the left side of my head where the radiation enters, and a smaller bald spot on the right side of my head where it exits. Some friends and I were discussing this last week, and we came to the conclusion that I should put a bag of potatoes beside my head with each treatment, and have a bag of chips for the trip home!
I am still 110% intending to compete in Monaco, and will have medical clearance from the surgeon within three months of the Ironman. If I am not healthy enough at that point, I will compete the following year.
They did find however in a follow-up scan that there was a small piece of remaining tissue. This was either scar tissue or leftover tumour. Just to be on the safe side, I am going to have preventative radiation therapy. If they simply left the tissue there to see if it grew, and then found that it was leftover tumour, they would have to operate once again, and take some brain tissue as well. I have grown very attached to my brain, so radiation therapy is the best option.
There is however some possible side effects including fatigue and hair loss. I will not have all my hair fall out as I would with chemotherapy, but I will get a semi-permanent bald spot on the left side of my head where the radiation enters, and a smaller bald spot on the right side of my head where it exits. Some friends and I were discussing this last week, and we came to the conclusion that I should put a bag of potatoes beside my head with each treatment, and have a bag of chips for the trip home!
I am still 110% intending to compete in Monaco, and will have medical clearance from the surgeon within three months of the Ironman. If I am not healthy enough at that point, I will compete the following year.
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