Catherine Leah Solomon

Diary of a Terminal Woman: I Had Brain Cancer and Lived Catherine Leah Solomon

In March of 1983, at the age of 32, I suffered a 'grand mal' seizure as I was getting ready for work one Friday morning. I was diagnosed with a very serious Glioblastoma Multiforme, and was given 3 months without surgery and six months with surgery. My husband told my doctors not to reveal these figures to me, so all I was told was that I had a 'brain tumor'. My husband finally told me after I'd outlived their prediction! And here I am today! I underwent the first of three craniotomies right away they weren't able to get the entire thing out of my brain, and I was told this, of course, I was scared. I knew a brain tumor was nothing to sneeze at! I had very aggressive radiation therapy for six weeks after the surgery, but it grew again almost as if it were feeding off the radiation and 'chemo'! When it grew it began causing physical problems for me, my left side began to grow weak and eventually became useless. I had another craniotomy about three months after the first. My doctors after deciding how to fight this malignant cancer trying to eat my brain, decided to 'implant' 'radioactive seeds' directly into the tumor! Well, it took awhile but it eventually killed it, although I never regained the use of my left side. I can walk with the use of a cane and wearing an AFO on my left lower-leg. I even drove for a while after that and took a few courses at the local community college! And returned to my part-time job for a little while longer after everything was done and I began to return to a more 'normal' state. I had one more surgery (my third within a years time) to 'clean it up' in there, so my neurologist explained. After all the surgeries, I'm happy to say, that I'm doing quite well considering my disabilities. My husband is an 'angel' and helps me with the things I can't do with one hand!