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am sure all of us will never forget those words... you have a brain tumor. The world seems to spin around us and you feel like you are floating in space, an unknown environment, wondering how, when, why, and what is next? Once the affect of the news settles in you realize that there are lots of questions and you need a lot of answers. Some of these answers will come from your primary doctor, or maybe your neurologist or your surgeon or oncologist. A lot of questions and answers come from your own research and web sites on brain tumors. And for quite a number of us these questions and answers come from other survivors.
One of the first real important things you learn about "hosting" a tumor is location, location, location. This is one of the single most important factors. This factor will help you in deciding on treatments, understanding your symptoms, and making important decisions about your future and your treatment.
When do you become a Brain Tumor Survivor? When you hear those first words, "I'm sorry, but you have a Brain Tumor." A brain tumor can forever change a person's life. Survivors are often called "Warriors" in the BT community. We are constantly "battling our disease", among other battles as a survivor.
Support Groups are an important part of recovery. Sometimes it is difficult to get involved in a support group. That first step, or first visit may be difficult, but the friendships, understanding and knowledge is well worth the effort. As our friends from Australia said "Support Groups will be able to show you how to "live the New Life" you may now have." It is also beneficial to"Get Involved". Not only is it a way of learning, but also gives you a sense of well-being when you are able to give back.
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