By Jude, Age 16
Observing a high-spirited, energetic, and intelligent three year old me, no one ever could have ever guessed what was buried deep under my thick full head of medium brown hair. Some blamed it on sin, but I trust that God truly used for good according to His will and excellence. This essay summarizes my pre-surgery condition, and post-brain surgery outcome, including my deep thirst sensation. Overall, God blessed me with blissful ignorance, and made the precise and delicate medical procedure and recovery as painless and quick as possible.
It was in the thick of winter, freezing cold, with white, glistening snow high up on my three year old legs. My navy-blue gloved hand was frozen to the thin rope of my petite brother’s sled. It was a small deep blue plastic sled with a bright yellow rope. I chugged along. I was a freight train with my strong heart pumping warm red blood as I kept going, pulling harder and harder, faster and faster. But, as my heart rapidly raced, my blood pressure spiked. Soon I could not speak. I was laid down on my back like a newborn baby going at bedtime. I felt tired and almost out of the world. I was having a partial complex seizure that turned into an absence seizure. I felt warm, and I could think, but could not utter any words. I went to throw up, but I could not turn my now weak head, which I now know contained a golf ball-sized tumor. I have little memory of the seizure, but an ambulance with its sirens blaring and bright lights flashing rushed me to the hospital, while administering me life-saving oxygen.
I woke up in a hospital bed with spiky needles in my neck, arm, hand, and foot. I was confused and cold, with a blanket thinner than a sheet of paper. I felt uncomfortable and restless, freezing and parched. As soon as my breathing tube was removed, my first words were, “I want water.” I desperately craved water, but was disallowed because, after removing my sizable malignant brain tumor, I had developed cerebral salt wasting syndrome. My water intake was rationed to a miniscule sip every thirty minutes. Physically, I felt fine immediately after the surgery. I took full advantage of my rare opportunity to watch unlimited TV and movies, and to play video games. But, as I played, I felt the discomfort of sharp needles buried deep in my now weakened body, shifting along with my every feeble movement like an overused pin cushion.
Soon my insatiable thirst for water became my main focus. I was like a lost man stranded in a blazing desert with no hidden oasis. My throat was as dry as a charred log that continued to burn in a blazing fire. To prevent my recently operated on brain from swelling, I was allowed only a pitiful ration of water and soon my desperate heart switched to miserable trickery. My grandmother came to visit me and as soon as she told me she was going to the restroom, I plotted, asking her to bring me back some water to alleviate my terrible dehydration. But, my devious plot was foiled when my lurking mother heard of my hopeless scheming.
In conclusion, while I will never know while on earth why I had that wretched brain tumor, I rest my confidence in God than He used it for good. My experience is memorable because of my pre-surgery condition, my post-surgery outcome, and my deep thirst sensation. Overall, God blessed me with ignorance, and made my recovery process as fast and easy as possible. So while I can never know why I had that horrible tumor, (and the one that later recurred) I trust that God used the experience for good