My brother-in-law John Tyler passed away yesterday. He was only 36 years old. John was ohndiagnosed with brain cancer just over two years ago. The classification of his brain tumor is called Glioblastoma Multiforme. This cancer is especially deadly and there is really no cure. This is the same cancer that afflicted Ted Kennedy. John initially complained of severe headaches several weeks before his diagnosis. The week of his diagnosis he suffered loss of movement in his left leg. He went to a primary care physician. I believe it was the first time he saw this physician. I don't believe he had been to the doctor in 10 years. He actually went and saw our physician who treats my wife, and I as well as my mother-in-law. John did not tell us what doctor he was going to see. He did not think our doctor was very good or at least that is what he said because he so disliked doctors. But, he did go. John presented his symptoms to the physician and the physician made a great call on what could have easily been attributed to simple case of migraines. The family doctor referred John to a neurologist for a work-up. The neurologist saw John that same day I believe and ordered an MRI. As soon as the MRI, came back the neurologist new that John was a walking miracle. John's MRI clearly displayed a golf-ball size tumor in his right frontal lobe behind his right eye. The fact that John was walking and talking and going about a normal life was mesmerizing to the neurologist. The neurologist told John he had a tumor in his brain and made an appointment for him to see a renowned Atlanta brain surgeon (this surgeon treated a US Senator Paul Coverdell several years ago). The hospital bumped several less severe cases and scheduled John for an immediate resection of the tumor. A resection is a medical term for removing the tumor. John endured the surgery and came out with his vitals in tact. The surgeon met with John's mother, John's sister, and I and delivered the bad news. John's cancer was a terminal illness. They could treat him with radiation and chemotherapy and try and extend his life, but there was no cure. We were dumbfounded. The doctor stayed with us for 30 minutes and did his best to answer our questions but there was no light at the end of the tunnel. The doctor was very graceful and kind in his delivery and I will always admire him for that. Many of John's friends had congregated with us in the hospital during John's surgery and so I asked the doctor if he would come out and give his friends a quick synopsis of what he told us. I came out with him and left John's mother and my wife in the private room. I introduced the surgeon and prefaced his briefing with them. I am telling you this because there was a funny moment where one of John's friends (whom I am very fond of) asked a question of the surgeon. He asked: 'Is it real difficult to perform brain surgery?' or something to that effect. The doctor smiled and replied, 'Well, it would be very difficult for you, but it is not so difficult for me' and he chuckled. It was a light moment in an otherwise terrible hour.
More to come...
