Trisha
If you recall in 2006 you supported me through my posterior fossa
surgery. What you did for me through your words, your experience and
your compassion was overwhelming for me. I am sorry to hear of what
you have been going through- but I am now glad for you that you have
passed over "that place" and have moved on. I am 2 years clcear now
anbd looking forward to staying that way.

I wish you much health, peace and happiness - for that is what you
bring to others.

My best -- Lisa

Oligoastrocytoma resection, posterior fossa - 5/06
VP Shunt placement - 9/06







--- In BrainSurgery@yahoogroups.com, "Trisha Williams"
<trisha4080@...> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone. Hopefully, most of you know (and remember!) me, but
for
> those of you who don't, let me reintroduce myself and explain my
absence.
>
> My name is Patricia Williams and I am the founder of this website.
I
> know you all to be those who understand the issues and tribulations
of
> living with and after a brain tumor so I write the following words
> knowing you will understand. I just want very badly to reach out
and
> pull this group back together with a clear direction.
>
> I started this group due to a lack of follow-up after my brain
> surgery. My story is already on the website so I will not say more
> about that other than the fact that, as a registered nurse, I felt
> compelled to do something to improve the level of follow up provided
> to patients and families and to provide a forum for communication
and
> support to those of us taking this journey.
>
> I miss all of you and am sorry for letting so much time pass without
> participation. So let me explain.
>
> About a year after my surgery in 1999, my husband left. I was not
the
> same person inside my head and everything from my habits to my
> personality had changed. Instead of being the independent, type A,
> "family coordinator", all of a sudden my husband found himself with
a
> person who needed assistance on many levels. In the case of my
> husband, it was too much for him and he moved on; we divorced and
> that's that story.
>
> Bear with me... after remarrying in 2003, my life seemed to be
> progressing in a positive direction and I was growing and relearning
> skills I thought I had lost. I learned to read again, relearned
> improved communication skills, relearned the ability to do math and
> many other life skills I thought I would never have the joy of
> experiencing again.
>
> One thing never returned, however - my ability to multitask and
handle
> significant levels of stress without a price to pay. That price
being
> a lowered seizure threshold and having to stop one activity in order
> to focus on a new one.
>
> It is due to these deficits I have been unable to participate for
> quite some time. About two years ago, I found out my new marriage
was
> over after finding out about many affairs my husband was having or
had
> had. I won't go into all the details, but having to deal with this
> realization, along with managing through a divorce and all the
> emotions and confusion associated with it, I find myself left with
> very little energy to contribute to this group. I wasn't even
getting
> any of the posts because my email address had changed.
>
> I have continued to do my fundraisers on a lesser scale, raising
about
> $4,000 for various non-profit brain tumor organization and I conduct
> my annual fundraiser at the Florida Brain Tumor Association
conference
> each January.
>
> Having now made it through this stressful period of my life, I am
> ready to jump back in. I do miss being part of this community.
>
> I hope many of you are still interested in continuing with this
> website and exploring ways in which we can help each other as well
as
> those patients and families to come. I do feel we have made a
> difference to many people as a group and look forward to continuing
on
> in this regard.
>
> I look forward to discovering how many of you are still reading the
> messages and if there is an interest on your part in continuing on
> with this community.
>
> I hope to hear from some of you soon!
>
> Please forgive me for my absence and let me know what has been
> happening!!! I will read back over the posts now and delete those
> that are inappropriate (spam) from the archives.
>
> Glad to finally be back,
> Trisha
>