Tim,

I had a craniotomy for a "benign" tumor on my right frontal lobe, nearly
four years ago. YES, many of us undergo profound personality changes. This
is often made worse by a pretty good awareness of how far we've fallen.
The good news is that a big part of the problem may be organic, perhaps
partially temporary. A good doc applying the right therapy and meds can
often make a difference.

The bad news is that a brain tumor can cause some pretty severe, persistent
havoc. I don't like feeling the way I do and I follow the doctor's orders.
Nontheless. I can't regain that old fascination with this world, and the
people who are so good to me.

Hang in there. Much healing continues to happen, even a year or two or
three down the road. Best of luck. Seems like it should be enough to beat
a tumor, overcome the physical insults, regain most of your memory, and
develop compensation techiques for other cognitive deficits. No. I think
it is likely that I've been tagged with a lifetime of challenges, and those
around me aren't getting off easy, either.

Mark


----- Original Message -----
From: <BrainSurgery@yahoogroups.com>
To: <BrainSurgery@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 9:31 AM
Subject: [brain tumor] Digest Number 499


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> There are 2 messages in this issue.
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> Topics in this digest:
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> 1. Personality Changes
> From: "Tim Blackburn <zetetics@...>" <zetetics@...>
> 2. Re: Personality Changes
> From: "Susan Agresta" <sja264@...>
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 04 Feb 2003 14:27:39 -0000
> From: "Tim Blackburn <zetetics@...>" <zetetics@...>
> Subject: Personality Changes
>
> Hi, I am new to this group. A little over a year ago I found out my
> wife had a brain tumor. She had surgery and radiation therapy over
> the summer and is continuing with chemotherapy. Two months after the
> radiation therapy she had some changes in her personality. There
> were changes in her MRI scans indicating radiation necrosis. Because
> of these changes our marriage is just about to end.
>
> Have any other survivors experienced personality changes? There was
> nothing said to us before the surgery and treatments about this
> possibility. That a loving marriage could be destroyed in a few
> weeks amazes me. I am still trying to get over the shock of this.
> Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Tim
>
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2003 10:20:10 -0500
> From: "Susan Agresta" <sja264@...>
> Subject: Re: Personality Changes
>
> Tim,
>
> I'm not sure what kind of changes your wife is having, you may want to
elaborate. I remember my husband telling me that, right after my surgery, I
would erupt in anger and the littlest thing, only to forget about it a
minute later. Mood swings I guess you would call it. I know those first
couple of years weren't easy for either of us. I was lost in my own little
sad world, so preoccupied with myself and my illness. It certainly was a
hard time. I'm sorry about your marriage. I knew a woman who's husband
became very mean and bitter and she couldn't take it anymore. I'm sure
there are other stories that you will get from the group. Hang in there.
>
> Sue Agresta
> Lincoln, RI
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tim Blackburn <zetetics@...>
> To: BrainSurgery@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 9:27 AM
> Subject: [brain tumor] Personality Changes
>
>
> Hi, I am new to this group. A little over a year ago I found out my
> wife had a brain tumor. She had surgery and radiation therapy over
> the summer and is continuing with chemotherapy. Two months after the
> radiation therapy she had some changes in her personality. There
> were changes in her MRI scans indicating radiation necrosis. Because
> of these changes our marriage is just about to end.
>
> Have any other survivors experienced personality changes? There was
> nothing said to us before the surgery and treatments about this
> possibility. That a loving marriage could be destroyed in a few
> weeks amazes me. I am still trying to get over the shock of this.
> Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Tim
>
>
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