June 10th.  Going to travel to Ottawa for an 8 am MRI and an 11 am appointment with the oncologist for results to see what this zapping has done.  Seems closer than 6 weeks away.  But that is what it is.  Looking forward to this so much!
What an amazing wind storm we had today!  Black sky, rain, blue sky, rain, wind.... wind..and more wind!  It was a vicious cycle all day of this. 

Flowers are blooming, robins are singing and skunks are smelling.  Spring is finally here!  Yipppeee!
What a very long and miserable winter.  It was the never ending snow falls, the icy roads, the sudden deer in the headlights, the scraping of windshields, the frozen cold work equipment and lastly, the lack of outside fitness walks.  Yup, I'm back onto them.  Going to get rid of my 10 lbs of winter blahhhhss that I accumulated over the last 4 1/2 months.  Bound and determined.
Added another "Share your story" today and I must THANK the people who are participating because I feel they are so valuable to read.  There was not ONE site I could find that would give me that much information when I was first diagnosed.  The kind that I needed to read that brought it all together in one list of paragraphs.  THANK YOU!
Once again, life is so amazingly wonderful and I am so glad to be a part of it with the family and friends that are within it.  Holy sappy-ness... lol 

I have something else all my life.  Geographical tongue.  Reason it is called that is because it literally looks like a map all over your tongue.  It flares up really badly at times, like now.  Other times you would not know you have it.  When it flares up, my tongue swells, gets VERY sore, ulcers on it, bumps and ridges all over it.  NIce eh?? lol
Makes it hard to eat too.. might be a good thing!  Anyway, went to the doctor and I have to go back in two days as he said it could be strep that I have also.  Been feeling like crap lately.  Once again, I will make note here, I am looking very forward to my first visit with my oncologist this June to see exactly what this radiation has done.  Feels a little swollen in there lately, but could be due to the infection I am fighting.  Waaa waaaa waaaa... whoa is me. lol
On a lighter note, we have blizzard warnings and it's only 4 days until Easter!!!!  Hope he has snow shoes! :)

Well, I have been busy making up a questionnaire.  I have met so many people who have found this website.  Each one with a story to tell.  Each one with their own feelings and thoughts on their treatments. 
Please take the time to fill out the quesitonnaire.  It can be found along the side menu.
I will post the results on this website with NO names being used.  This way, when others find this site or need future treatment, there are examples to learn from.
Thank you so much!

Well, ( "tumors" for my American friends haha)
Debulking the tumours means removing the tumours.  Some choose this option.  Seems like a great idea!  To some it is (although I have not met any long term ones yet).  To some it is not. 
What I understand about it ,, and I am no doctor, but from what I understand they cut open the outer membrane of the tumour.  They pop out the tumour after carefully resecting it from the 10th cranial nerve.  To keep the nerve intact they must leave a very small piece of the tumour or else the 10th nerve gets comprimised.  They they resew up that open empty sac. 
Here is the part that I have read about, the darn thing can grow back.  Bigger, faster and within less time.  I have not only read about it, but I have talked to 3 different people who have chose this route and it has grown back even larger within 3-5 yrs.  Two different people had it happen twice to them.  I am only bringing this up to anyone thinking of having it removed but leaving the vagus nerve intact.  Get all the facts and statistics.  Not sure how many grow back against how many don't grow back.  I have only talked to 3 that have.  I have talked to others who had the 10th nerve actaully resected to make sure the entire tumour is removed.  This of course creates problems with voice, swallowing ect...
You can always have raditaion to what ever they leave behind then it won't grow back because it's dead.  The one patient had that done when she went under for the 3rd time. 
Anyway,,, find out every option, get the facts, get the statistics, find the right ENT/Neurologist/Oncologist/Surgeon/Radiologist and do your thing :) (only my very very humble opinion of course)