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