Christmas Eve

Making the phone call

Before I begin talking about my procedure; I need to thank Lindsay Glass. He was the first to find me having my seizure. We remain close today. I also need to talk about the most important phone call of my life. Mom and Dad 1006 miles away. I'm lucky enough to still have my parents in my life. As I've aged I've realized they are the reason I was born, and the reason I'm alive today. Unfortunately, some people do not have that luxury. If you are caught in this position, call immediate family right away no matter what circumstances you've dealt with in the past. They will be there for you. If you do not have family; I recommend calling people closest to you. Every single human being has a heart and feels sympathy when you're in trouble. 

This particular phone call was one that I remember handling with questions first, information later. I wanted to let them know that I was ok and there was no need to panic. 

Typically when a millennial calls his/her baby-boomer parents its because they A:Need money B:In a car accident C:In jail. I've made a few of these calls before. I can now understand why a parent worries so much. 

My Father was fresh into retirement having worked as a mechanical engineer at the same company for over 38 years before retiring in June, 2016. He was drafted in the Army during the Vietnam War in 1969 and is a genius with engineering, math, and astrophysics. 

Dad is the type of person that understands there is no problem that cannot be solved. Time and effort will eventually fix the problem. If you're lucky enough to know my Dad; you agree that he should be working for NASA.

My Mother was fresh into unexpected retirement having worked as a Medical Transcriptionist for over 41 years at the same hospital.  Typical Mom, spending money on juice boxes for the entire little league team; juggling 2 kids, volunteering as a Girl Scout leader, all while working night shifts in a male dominated medical industry.  I called Dad because I know my Mom would immediately go into Mom mode and think about the thousands of medical records she had typed over the years. Its ok, Mom. I'm still here, and I'm not going anywhere for another 60 years. 

As my parents were frantically looking for hotels, packing, and preparing for a difficult 3 day drive during a brutal Northwest winter, I enjoyed a night and posted this on Facebook Christmas Day.

Watch my 

1st video

Getting to Know Dr. John Wanebo, Neurosurgeon at Barrow Brain and Spine

After arriving at Osborne Medical Center, I first met Dr. John Wanabo.  He informed me very specifically what an MRI was, what my MRI looked like, and made the decision to put me on anti-seizure Medication Levetiracetam (Keppra) 500mg anti-seizure medication. 500mg might seem like a lot, however this is the lowest dosage as the maximum is 3000 mg.

After explaining this to me I knew right away the risk of a second seizure (aftershock) was highly unlikely. Even after the surgery, I currently remain on this medication today (two a day and will take it for the rest of my life). Today I describe my seizure as two tectonic plates colliding just like the San Andreas Fault some of you live on. My Dad liked him right away because he has a BS Degree in Mathematics. Mom liked him because he was a brain surgeon! I love him because he saved my life! 

Dr. John Wanebo

Education

MD, University of Virginia School of Medicine

BS, Mathematics, United States Naval Academy

Internship, National Naval Medical Center

General Medical Officer, Naval Support Force Antarctica

Residencies and Fellowships

Residency, Washington University School of Medicine, Neurosurgery
Residency, National Naval Medical Center, Neurosurgery

Fellowship, Barrow Neurological Institute, Cerebrovascular and Skull Base Surgery

Board Certifications

American Board of Neurological Surgeon

The Seizure that led to surgery

On Christmas Eve 2016, while working at my new job at Desert Mountain Golf Course in Scottsdale, Arizona, I suffered a seizure. 20 Minutes later I awoke to two security officers, two paramedics, and a dozen employees standing around me in a circle with concerned looks on their faces. I was rushed by ambulance to Thompson Peak Hospital where a CT scan was performed. After the scan, I was sent to Osborn Medical Center in Scottsdale where a 45 minute MRI showed a lemon-sized tumor in the right frontal lobe of my brain.

My Neurologist's said it had been in my brain for possibly 20 years. Christmas Day I was told that there was a 87% chance of this tumor being benign (non cancerous) and a 13% chance of chemotherapy and radiation (malignant). I was so thrilled thinking (oh, 87% that's a B+!)  On January 5th Neurosurgeon Dr.John Wanabo and his team removed 95% of a lemon-size brain tumor from my right frontal lobe.  My scar reaches nearly from temple to temple.  You can tell how thrilled I am after waking up from the Anesthesia. 

After 2 weeks of having 34 itchy staples in my head, January 18th finally arrived. This was when I was told that I had Stage 3 Anaplastic Astrocytoma Brain Cancer and 2-10 years to live.
Ignoring my Oncologists advice, I did the worst thing ever and googled this disease:

Astrocytoma Grade 3 life expectancy:

In grade 3 astrocytoma's (anaplastic astrocytoma brain tumor) about 27% of patients will survive at least 5 years. Symptoms of a brain tumor include altered mental state, cognitive impairment, seizures, headaches, impaired vision and motor skills.

The rest of the month was HELL.  I don't ever want anyone to go through what my family and I had to go through.  By the time February rolled around, I began to take action and chose to fight.  Christmas Eve was a long time ago. 185 days to be exact.  A lot has changed since then.  I'm walking, running, driving my car, biking, golfing, and writing this blog.

My current goal is not only to beat brain cancer, but document every step of the way to help and assist any person, or family that should ever encounter this terrible disease.. You can understand why time is very precious to me.  I believe, it is now my responsibility not only raise awareness; but create something that we can look back on 60 years from now and think "That's how you beat cancer".

Dr. Youseff my Radiologist told me in March, 2017 it will take up to a year or more for my brain to return to "normal" so I apologize if there are any grammatical or spelling errors.  My brain is about half way through this recovery period. I'm a bit like your 3 year old holding that iPad, I'm learning everything.  I will do my best to update this page daily as I spend time with my family, my friends, golfing with the boys, blood tests, MRI appointments, Neurological, Oncological, Family Doctors, Dentists and Dietician visits. All while figuring out what I want to do with my life, learning new information, staying social, re-connecting with people, discovering new friends, and understanding why this happened to me. 

I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the support of family, friends, pastor Dan Christ and the best Neurological TEAM of Doctors the United States of America can create. Can't forget the Seattle Mariners and the MarinersCare team. Together, I know we can all get together and find a cure. 

This picture was taken June 24, 2017 with my cousin Scott Tulleners of the Idaho State Police Department.  If you think I look sweaty from biking in this; imagine how Scott feels wearing a steel vest while in 93 degree heat at Hudsons Hamburgers during Ironman 17'. 

While I currently have 8 more months of chemotherapy ahead of me, I would like to take you through my journey. It hasn't been the easiest 185 days, and I'm assuming there will be more difficult days ahead of me. That's life. However, with the right attitude and your continued support I believe I will soon hear the word Remission. 

Tyler Carey