The MRI confirmed that this was indeed a large brain tumor and they were pretty confident it was an Acoustic Neuroma or Meningioma. I squeezed into a tiny tube for almost an hour, my mind racing with what was ahead of me.ДЈ7mm Acoustic Neuroma brain tumor вЂ“ pushing on my brain stem and you can see it going into my ear canal. My friend Ted was there and came down to the waiting area with me. I have never had an MRI before, so I had no idea what to expect. They didnвЂ™t know much since not a great image with a CT scan вЂ“ they got me in for a MRI. I pulled it together and asked for some more details. At that point we had no idea if cancerous or not, and I know the prognosis for brain cancer is not good. They said well you didnвЂ™t have a stroke but you have a very large mass on your brain. A bunch of doctors came in and I knew that wasnвЂ™t a good sign. By that time, my Parents and my WifeвЂ™s parents had arrived. I had multiple other tests on my heart and was in a room in the ER. They triaged me and got me right in for a CT scan. I said I just need to go the hospital and our friend Marie was able to drive to to the Emergency Room at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. I called my wife and I said I think I just had a stroke вЂ“ she was like what? Not something you expect to hear. I was having a stroke вЂ“ or at least that was what I thought. Scared вЂ“ I tried reading something aloud вЂ“ my words were slurred and I couldnвЂ™t pronounce words properly. This time, when I got up I looked at my phone and couldnвЂ™t put a face to names of colleagues who I had known for years вЂ“ I didnвЂ™t know who they were. I felt light-headed and laid down for a few minutes as I frequently had to do. I was working at home and my wife Tricia and kids were at Disney World in Florida. I noticed that I had slight hearing loss in my right ear вЂ“ things like not hearing the alarm clock in the morning, but again though it was due to my own negligence. I went to ENT and was told it may get better in time. One weekend I was doing a lot of work with a gas framing nailer and I had very persistent tinnitus. I did a lot of DIY work, and rarely wore ear protection. I also had tinnitus for several years, but I blamed myself. So I dealt with it вЂ“ everywhere I went I felt like I could pass out at any time вЂ“ it became a new normal. The doctors said it was all stress and anxiety and I couldnвЂ™t argue with them вЂ“ I have been through a lot personally and professionally.

I started getting strange ocular migraines as well like lightning bolts in my vision.

Feeling dizzy, like I was going to pass out. Acoustic Neuroma is a very slow growing skull base tumor and if caught early enough there are non-surgical options.ДЇor the previous several years I out of the blue started getting symptoms of bad panic attacks. I encourage anyone who has similar symptoms to get an MRI. ItвЂ™s been a really hard year but I am proud of the progress and adjustments I have made.

Tomorrow is the one year Anniversary of my Brain Surgery at Johns Hopkins.

The brain 9 virtual thoughts