Jake - A welcome addition to the Brain Tumour Charity team

If you have a child who has a brain tumour or one that has a friend with one then this is a good information video designed especially for children.

www.thebraintumourcharity.org/jake

Well done to The Brain Tumour Charity.

Awake Craniotomy With Mapping

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2758335/Mother-inoperable-brain-tumour-given-just-months-live-survive-15-years-undergoing-radical-surgery-US.html#i-d0bafddf918253cd

Anybody else had experience of 'awake craniotomy with mapping'?

Interesting

Looks like something worth watching and hopefully it will generate more interest and awareness. Missed last night unfortunately but will certainly watch next week:
http://www.channel5.com/shows/brain-hospital-saving-lives/articles/about-the-show#comments

New weekly show from Liverpool's Walton Centre.
The series follows some of its most impressive, groundbreaking surgical stories through the stories of the patients, each of whom suffers from a different neurological condition.

"The brain is the bit that makes you, you," says neurosurgeon Andrew Brodbelt. But what happens when something goes wrong with it?

BRAIN TUMOUR NEWS FROM THE UK

London Marathon runners raised a record amount of £80,000 for Brain Tumour UK. This record amount is a big boost to their efforts to help people affected by brain tumours.

Brain Tumour UK is the leading, caring charity committed to fighting brain tumours. Personalised support is available online, on the phone, by email and through friendly support groups. Their scientific research improves the quality of life for brain tumour patients and identifies better brain tumour treatments. They raise awareness to change things for the better for everyone affected by a brain tumour.

For more information: http://www.braintumouruk.org.uk

Hi Everyone - Not Been Here For A While

Hi Again

I can only be held up as an example of someone that is enjoying life so much that I honestly haven't had a great deal of time to come back and update this blog. However, a few things have occurred recently that have made me check back and add a few notes.

#1. It will be my 4 year anniversary on the 19th of this month and although everything is brilliant in my life I feel for my own peace of mind it is time for another MRI just to make sure. I know I am paranoid and everybody tells me that this is unnecessary but just to quell the niggle and the occasional throb in my head I will make my appointment next week.

The thought of this always makes me teary and to be honest quite scared. I will welcome with great glee being told all in clear but what if the demon is back?

#2. I learnt with sorrow this month that a male friend who lived in the same village as me in Cornwall over 10 years ago had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Unfortunately I do not have the full facts as to what type of tumour he has or where it is located but he has recently had surgery and the outcome is not fabulous. They have only been able to remove a third of it and he has been told it is an aggressive strain. This left me very sad for my friend and also pondering whether there could be any chance of an environmental correlation. He has always lived in this village as far as I know but I only lived there for about 8 years. So if anyone has any comments on this possibility I would love to hear about it.

#3. And, last but not least, my beautifully cool God-daughter Sarah has some GCSE coursework to complete and guess what her subject is? Brain Tumours and the possible link to mobile phones! So Sarah, my lovely take a look at the entry in older posts under Sat June 28th 2008 at the time there was great discussion on the subject. You might also be interested in reading older post: Nov 7th 2008 but there should be plenty of stuff on the blog to help you out. And, don't forget you said you would let me have any info you have on the Cornwall situation. Love and kisses - Auntie Lynda x

I will be back within the next two weeks to let you all know the outcome of my MRI and in the meantime stay well and happy everyone.

Brain Tumours and Driving Regulations

Found some very interesting stuff recently which could be very important to some of you. I'm sharing this info because nobody mentioned it to me at all.

I have found that there are strict rules laid down by the DVLA (Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Assoc.) regarding epilectic fits and Brain Tumours. Now, bear in mind that the hospital will not contact the DVLA, but it is your responsibility to do so and your doctor will advise you how to go about this.

If you have had an epileptic fit, the Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Association will not allow you to drive for a year after your last fit and this period of time may be increased depending on your own circumstances and medical assessments.

If you have a benign meningioma (which is what this particular blog concentrates on) and have not had any seizures, the DVLA requires that you do not drive for at least six months after surgery. No-one made me aware of this and I'm not sure if I was supposed to know this sort of thing and whether it would have affected my insurance - but I didn't and I did drive. So this is why I am telling you, just in case :D)

If your occupation involves driving vehicles, such as a LGV (large goods vehicle) or a PCV (passenger carrying vehicle) you will not be able to drive for at least five years after surgery. If you have had any seizures you will not be able to drive this type of vehicle until 10 years after your last fit.

I'm not sure in the circumstances that you would feel it appropriate to take the risk anyway but in some instances you may require a medical assessment before your driving licence is renewed.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

I thought I'd show you a picture of what an 'open' MRI machine looks like. Some of the closed machines are a little more scary than this and some people feel a little claustrophobic during the process. What they will do is place your head in what looks like a cage and put a strap on your forehead so that you keep perfectly still.

The scan will take between 30-40 minutes. MRI uses magnetism instead of x-rays to build a detailed picture of your head. It is in no way painful and the only discomfort is in the fact that you will be asked to lie very still for this period of time. They will play you some music and I'm sure if you take your own favourites in they will play them for you so it's best just to relax. Once the process starts you will hear a series of what to me sounded like clicks and knocks.

You will be alone in the MRI room but the technician will be able to see and hear you and therefore if you need to attract their attention you only have to speak and a two-way intercom will pick you up.

I was given an injection of dye into a vein in my hand by way of intravenous needle, to produce a better evaluation of the images. This is like any other injection really and causes very little discomfort. The contrast is called gadolinium and does not contain iodine and is therefore less likely to cause allergic reactions.

Leave all your jewellery at home because these will have to be removed as they can interfere with the magnetic field of the MRI unit. You will usually be down to underwear and gown so will not have items such as zippers but be aware of items such as hair pins, hearing aids and removable dental work.

It is important that you remain perfectly still while the images are being recorded, which is typically only a few seconds to a few minutes at a time. You will know when images are being recorded because you will hear tapping or knocking sounds when the coils that create the magnetic field are turned on. You will be able to relax between imaging sequences.

The benefits of this technique is that it is noninvasive and does not involve any exposure to radiation. Where brain tumours are concerned the MR images are the most sensitive examination method as they are usually clearer and more detailed.

So What is a Meningioma?

Well, put simply, it is a tumor of the Meninges.

Where are the Meninges? The Meninges are membranes that protect our brain and spinal cords. They consist of thin sheets of body tissue and act as a protective shield to our brains and spinal cords.

Nobody has yet come up with a conclusive reason as to why they occur and research continues to unravel the mystery. Certain possibilities have been put forward, such as mobile phone usage and hormone replacement therapy recently, but as yet nothing is a certainty.

Research so far has concluded that meningiomas make up nearly 1 in 5 of all primary brain tumours, they are most common in women (A strike for me) and they are most likely to be found in people middle aged and older (Another strike for me - middle aged I mean!). Not a lot to go on really considering this affects a large proportion of the human race.

Meningiomas tend to favour the cerebral hemispheres of the brain but can start in any part of the brain or spinal cord.

On the positive side (the side I obviously favour), malignant meningiomas are VERY rare. Most meningiomas are benign (non cancerous) and grow slowly and the cells do not spread from the original site. It is often possible to completely remove meningiomas with surgery but it depends on the location and accessibility.

Until next time - Enjoy Today.