Edit:
I decided to also make this a memorial thread for those who have passed away from glioblastoma ,famous and infamous.
Hi,
I wish I never did. September of 2025, the best friend I ever had was diagnosed with that. It’s the most aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer.
Ted Kennedy, Beau Biden, Neil Peart, the drummer from Rush and six Philadelphia phillies. Darren Dalton, Tug McGraw and John Vukovich. The other three I don’t remember. The Philadelphia inquire actually saved a piece of Veterans Stadium astro turf and tried to prove it was from the chemicals in it, they didn’t win. And then the thousands thousands who aren’t famous who have people that love them.
Earlier in September her left hand would just close for like 3 minutes. So she saw an orthopedic surgeon. He determined that it was from her spinal stenosis and she needed spinal fusion surgery. Barbara said to me, I’m going to get a second opinion this could be neurological. So she saw a neurosurgeon. He looked at the MRI and agreed with the orthopedic doctor. He was going to do the spinal fusion surgery. The next day she had spasms in her face. She Called the neurosurgeon. He requested a CAT scan of the brain as soon as possible. It revealed a brain tumor. One of which could not be determined until after the surgery when the pathologist makes that decision.
Her surgery was September 16th 2025. She came out of it well. As the doctor told her, even before the surgery , it’s going to come back. There’s a lot of blood vessels in your brain. It’s basically impossible to stop the cancer.
She did okay for 4 months. She could drive she could walk she could use the bathroom she could cook basic things that we all do. Then in the middle of January 2026 she fell. She thought it was neuropathy in her left foot. Her issues are on her left side. It wasn’t neuropathy. It was another medical condition caused by the brain tumor called Hemiplegia ,where one’s left side or right side can be paralyzed usually for good sometimes after months and months of Rehabilitation they may recover.
She’s been bed ridden since the middle of january. It’s so sad. She says things to me like I have no quality of life, I’m overwhelmed and I need a miracle. A couple weeks after she I’m ready for heaven. She just lies there. She’s gained 50 pounds which is not her fault. Totally, totally dependent on the nurses and aids. Sometimes she has to wait 20 or 25 minutes for them to get a bedpan.
I see her twice a week. I’ve known her since early October 2000. She and I were an item for 5 years! So we’ve been friends for more than 20 years. The only ex-girlfriend that I have had that has remained my friend. She’s pretty she’s intelligent she’s caring she’s patient got a great sense of humor.
She worked for 45 freaking years of her life in the medical field and pharmaceutical field and was going to retire in April 2026 and now all the money she saved, hopefully there’s some left, will be going for her care. No Twilight of one’s life.
So if you have a friend or family member who has glioblastoma, God bless them and enjoy their company.
As Jimi Hendrix said, “The story of life is just a wink of the eye. The story of love is hello and goodbye.”
Until we meet again.
Photo was taken July 30th 2006. My mom’s 78th birthday. She’s the brunette. Barbara obviously on the left ,two months to the day before her 46th birthday.
On September 11th 2006 I took my mom to Italy to see where her mom and dad were born and Barbara joined us. I have four relatives who lived over 100 years old.
It was wonderful to go to Italy and visit relatives that I’ve never met before. My great uncle was 95 and still drove my great aunt was 90. My grandmother was in Ohio she was 98.My other five great aunts and great uncles were in heaven.
