Awake Brain Surgery

On Dec 13th this year my wife Tara will have surgery to resect a tumour in her brain. She’ll be awake during the entire operation. Merry Christmas.

The procedure, otherwise known as Intraoperative Brain Mapping, is the safest option to operate on tumours in sensitive areas of the brain. In Tara’s case, the removal of her tumour could seriously effect speech and motorfunction (think walking, or pretty much any movement on the right side of her body). Considering it’s also a type of ‘diffuse’ tumour that is entwined with healthy parts of her brain, it also means that only a maximum of about 50% of the tumour can be removed without risking serious side effects. This means almost certain radio or chemotherapy once she has recovered from the operation.

After consulting with the best surgeons in Australia to do this, including the renowned Professor Charlie Teo, we’ve settled on a team at the Royal Melbourne Hospital headed by Assoc. Professor Kate Drummond. According to numerous reference checks, Kate is at the top of this field and has a close working relationship with an expert anesthetist, whose role is as important, if not more so, during this kind of procedure.

Despite knowing Tara is in amazing hands, I’m still quietly shitting my pants about the whole thing. There are always risks involved with any surgery, including bleeds on the brain, infection and of course the serious side effects afterward. Bottom line is, we don’t know if the Tara we know and love will be the same after this. We think she will, but the uncertainty has a way of worming into your thoughts just before you go to sleep at night. And, I’m not even the one who has to have my brain fiddled with while I’m chatting with the person doing it, wiggling my toes when they ask. I can only guess as to how Tara’s feeling deep down inside.

The big positive out of this is that we’re taking the best course we know to beat this thing. After a successful operation we’ll know exactly what kind of tumour this now is, and what kind of grade. The oncologists will then be able to tailor a course of therapy most suited to Tara’s situation. It’s something that could mean the maximum amount of quality life years possible for Tara (I’ve put my order in for at least another 75). As always with my wife she’ll also be working to maintain as healthy a diet as possible, meditating, keeping fit and generally making sure her wellbeing is tip top, to combat this horrid disease and the equally horrid treatments that can go along with it. She’s not taking it lying down and neither are all of those who love her. After surgery, we’ll have to stay in Melbourne for at least 4–6 weeks, while any air pockets left in her brain subside. Apparently air travel and expanding air pockets in brain cavities aren’t the best thing in the world. Luckily my family lives close by, so we’ll have plenty of support with the kids while Tara is recovering.

I’ll be posting more updates on this journey as info comes to hand. Thanks so much for all of the well wishes from family and our extended network of friends.