Sandy's Story

John Lennon said “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans” and, in my case, that couldn’t be more true.  I guess it’s true for most of us.  Nobody expects to have a brain tumor.  But they happen.  They happen to good people who are too busy to deal with this kind of thing. But there is always hope. We have access to the finest medical care in the world.  Every day doctors learn new things that will help us tomorrow.  All that stuff I read on the internet about only living for five years was a bunch of hooey. I was diagnosed eight years ago with a Grade 2 astrocytoma of the motor strip, and here I am. These days, I get my tumor checked less frequently than I change the oil in my car. Don’t get me wrong.  I know that I am lucky and I don’t forget that fact for a minute.  I am thankful for my wonderful family and for my amazing rock-star physicians, Dr. Ronald Warnick and Dr. John Breneman. But in some crazy way I am also thankful for my tumor. It gave me a gift that only really scary things can give: COURAGE AND GRATITUDE.