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Gray’s Anatomy, More Tumor Talk, and a Reason to Wait.

Melissa Beene Ford/ Annie+ tumor


Sorry to disappoint you, but I said GRAY’S, not GREY’S.

This is strictly a boring anatomy lesson, not the latest gossip on your favorite Thursday-evening debauchery drama.

In case you were wondering where Annie’s tumor is located, its in the 4th Ventricle, which is a fluid-filled space next to her cerebellum….both labeled in this picture I stole from Wikipedia. Click on the picture if you want to see a larger version. And I’m sure you want to.

For the surgeon to remove the tumor, he would have to go through her cerebellum via an incision in her neck.

In case you were wondering. 😉

Being the Amateur Physician that I am, educated at the University of Google, I have been doing some reading on melatonin, tryptophan, the pineal gland, sleep, and how it all relates to brain tumors, and came across this picture and thought I’d share.

After all my hours of research over the past three years I’m pretty sure I’m almost qualified to treat any and all disorders of the brain at this point.

Call my office to schedule an appointment.

The Big Blue House: Your one-stop shop for boutique hairbows, financial advice, and treatment of brain disorders.

Yeah, I know I said I didn’t want to talk about it.

I didn’t mean that I don’t want to talk about it……I just don’t want to hear about it, unless of course you agree with me, and if that’s the case, we can talk about it all day long.

Or if you have information that may help me do what I’ve already decided to do, i.e., strengthen Annie’s immune system and pray for healing, then by all means, pass it along.

I am nothing if not fair and unbiased.

I got a really sweet email today from an old friend encouraging us in our decision.

It was such a relief to read her words, because though I’ve been able to articulate precisely why I hope to NOT EVER DO surgery, I haven’t been able to come up with an advantage to DELAYING what may be inevitable anyway.

My friend gave me a good reason. Here’s her email:

I know you don’t want to talk about this anymore, but I just wanted to encourage you. I know how exhausting the last few months have been, and you have lived through them with such grace. You have been such a picture of faith. I also wanted to tell you that we made a decision to wait on surgery for (her daughter) last year, and it was the best thing we have ever done. It does look like she will be having another major surgery this summer, but in one year the surgeon changed his mind about which procedure to use. The side effects of the surgery we are now looking at are so much less scary than what we were facing a year ago. We went from looking at a surgery where in every study several children had died afterwards from obstructed sleep apnea, to a surgery that has a risk of respitory dysfunction for a matter of days. Big change – and we are so grateful for it.

So there’s my reason.

I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before!

EVEN IF brain surgery should be UNAVOIDABLE, probable, likely, and inevitable, I would still rather wait and delay it as long as possible.

Surgery techniques change and improve every single year.

Doctors receive new training and education every single year.

Procedures become less and less invasive as technology becomes more and more advanced.

That’s a good enough reason for me.

Plus, by this time next year, I may have read enough on the internet to know how to do the surgery myself, here at home.

You never know.

And if that inspires you to pray continually for Annie’s healing, then I have done my job.

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Comments

  1. callie says

    May 28, 2009 at 4:01 pm

    Interesting anatomy lesson, Melissa! For what it’s worth, I agree with you 100% and would only hope that, if faced with your family’s situation, I could deal with it as intellegently as you have.<br /><br />I’ve been wondering how the organic diet is going? Is Annie a picky eater? Has it been hard for her/all of you to adjust? Maybe you could find time to give your readers an idea of how you’re

    Reply
  2. Gail says

    May 28, 2009 at 6:04 pm

    I agree with callie, and would also love to know what foods you have introduced and how she is doing with them.

    Reply
  3. Karen says

    May 28, 2009 at 6:33 pm

    I continue to be blessed by your faith and grace as your family faces this situation.<br /><br />I will continue to pray for your whole family as God brings you to mind.

    Reply
  4. Connie says

    May 28, 2009 at 6:56 pm

    Ok, spill the beans. What have you learned? Mia’s brain needs work ASAP before she goes into 1st grade so let the brain building foods and strategies lessons begin.<br /><br />No pressure.<br /><br />Oh, I have a Reeses Big Cup in the fridge I am about to eat. Any chance that helps the brain?

    Reply
  5. Steph says

    May 28, 2009 at 8:28 pm

    oh how i wish i were a fly on the wall at your house. from your twitters…you are a house cleanin’, google searchin’, playin’ w/ your annie, cookin’ for your family …sista! i envy you.<br /><br />you’re awesome my friend. you inspire me. <br /><br />and i’m not being sarcastic:)

    Reply
  6. Michawn says

    May 29, 2009 at 1:00 pm

    well, i’ve read lots of stories of people being cured of things by either eating a raw diet or juicing…or both. or, if not to that extreme, just eating only whole foods…organic preferably and eliminating sugar, flour, and dairy. <br /><br />have you read "the maker’s diet?" i also find this site very interesting: http://www.rawfamily.com. <br /><br />i have a friend who is fighting breast

    Reply

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About Me


Hey there... I'm Melissa! Texas girl. Mom to three + one goldendoodle. Believer. Old house fanatic. Creating a happy + healthy home with purpose is my passion. I'm so glad you're here!

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I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 years of paint off of this door down to the wood and start over… but that person has no business starting new projects. 😅 My neighbors must have thought this project would never end. *I* thought this project would never end. 😰 If you’re thinking of doing this yourself? Just don’t, ok? Throw the whole door away and buy a new one. 😂🤣 Just kidding.  Old house weirdos like me… we can’t just do things the easy way. Anyhoo… after some trial and error, @sherwinwilliams Celestial is what I landed on, and I have to say… I like it. Periwinkle-ish blue looks great with the yellow house and will look even better when the azaleas are in bloom. Was it all worth it? That’s not important right now. 🤭 Will I do this all again in two years? The magic eight ball says… without a doubt. 👏🏻 I’ve already picked the next color. #gluttonforpunishment #somefoolsneverlearn #oldhouselove #oldhomelove #makinghome #southernliving #gardenandgun #azaleadistrict #tylertx
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2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrollin 2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrolling through my pics from the last twelve months made me realize how blessed and content I am. Prosperity, love, and peace have been ours in abundance, in spite of the pain of losing my dad. The second picture is the last picture of him… the last time I saw him. 💔 But God has been good to my family this year and 2022 is ending far better than it began. 😄 #2022inreview #thanksforthememories
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That’s it. That’s the tour. (Slide two). 
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It’s a new trend I’m starting: bare Christmas tree. Lowe’s tag still attached (so quirky and unexpected)! Christmas ornaments still in boxes. Coming soon to an Anthropologie window display near you. 
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Every year I think, “next year I’ll do better. Next year I’ll have it together.” And then, here we are on the SIXTH Christmas that we’ve been in this house, the sixth Christmas I’ve dragged our chaotic bunch of Christmas mess out of a chaotic garage I still haven’t unpacked from our move six years ago. 
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Maybe this year is the year I’ll organize it all and put it back neatly so that by Christmas number 7, it will be smooth sailing. People will flock to my social media to see how I’ve pulled everything off SO PERFECTLY. Next year will be my year. 
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I put this sign on the wall in my office so I could keep it in front of my eyes: Love. Joy. Peace. And all that. I am SO unlike Jesus most days. So lacking in all of these character qualities. And that’s WITH waking up most mornings and spending my first 30 minutes with God Himself. 
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How lost would I be without that? Geez. I can’t fathom. I REQUIRE being transformed by renewing my mind every single morning, and even then, responding to people and life with love, joy, peace and patience doesn’t come naturally. 
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It’s the goal, though. 
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This weary world needs that from us Believers during this season, more than ever… even more than an Anthropologie-window-display worthy Christmas home tour. 
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I’m working on both.
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