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My mother has been diagnosed with glioblastoma.
My mother’s name is Maria, she is 53 years old. Until November 12, 2025, she worked as an HR specialist. On that day, she came home for lunch and suddenly felt unwell — she experienced numbness in her right limb and confusion in her speech. She was taken to the hospital, where a CT scan showed a hemorrhagic stroke. Surgery was performed, and after a few days she regained consciousness.
A follow-up CT scan showed no abnormalities, and our whole family was relieved and believed she was recovering. We then completed a rehabilitation course together — her limb movement improved significantly, and her speech and cognitive function were gradually returning to normal.
However, late in the evening on January 17, 2026, my father called to say that my mother felt unwell again. She complained of facial numbness. This time, a CT scan revealed a tumor measuring 5 × 4 × 5 mm. Glioblastoma (WHO grade IV). I was shocked. I could not understand how no one had detected the tumor earlier, and it later became clear that it had likely been the cause of the initial brain hemorrhage.
Our neurosurgeon recommended another surgery, but we had to wait due to a large number of emergency cases. During this time, my mother was taking dexamethasone to reduce brain swelling. On January 29, surgery was performed, and the surgeons removed as much of the visible tumor as possible. Immunohistochemistry and molecular studies were also sent for analysis (results are still pending).
Our treating oncologist has recommended radiation therapy without chemotherapy, because my mother has “fluctuating platelet counts” (sometimes below 100). We are currently waiting to start radiation therapy.
I am asking for your help and guidance: what additional treatment options may be available to increase her chances of survival?
May God bless you. 🙏
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@leg1945 You are so welcome! When our family was diagnosed this year, I immediately wanted to understand what it meant for him-the disease and what the treatments meant but most of all how it would be for him. I didn’t see how I could support him without being fully informed to the maximum.
These books really fill in the gaps between the patient, family and doctor.
The biggest blessing has been the doctors and staff at Mayo Clinic but also the people in the community around the campus.
I wish you and your husband well-if you need someone to text to for information and or support, please feel free to contact me.
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2 Reactions@handyl1808 Definitely a believer here and am always happy to pass along prayer 🙏 especially if you can start a prayer chain, like through your church or friends whom believe 🙏
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2 ReactionsThank you
Ok I’m going to chime in here because I’m totally confused for my sister. Started out just light headed and dizzy and she had been at my house and did some cleaning out cabinets while I recovered from hip surgery and on her way home she had to pull over and called 911. That came and took her to the nearest hosp and they said vertigo. No scan. Ok can live with that. A couple weeks later her right leg gave out and was shaking. Back to ER scan done and yes glioblastoma and this was on a Wednesday and they wanted to do surgery that Friday but she wanted to go home and get things organized. Well during that time Surg scheduled for 3 wks out she lost total use of the right leg and no one was able to help her. For one she is not a little lady and her husband has a lot of issues himself. They are both 72. So back to hospital. Surg done and felt they got most of the tumor except the fingers. Long story short(sorry) she did the 6 wks of chemo and radiation. Still leg not working and family tries to keep her at home with 4 hr nursing in the day time. Got to be to much back to hosp then to rehab. Spiked fever at rehab facility so back to hosp ? Pulmonary embolism then no just pneumonia. Back to facility spikes another temp and was very confused . Nope not UTI either. At present MRI didn’t show anything significant but neurologist feels she is continuing to have seizures so up that medicine and keeping in hosp another night. Her daughter can’t help much either because she is 4 months pregnant with her third. I’m three hours away and the other sister is 81 but in good shape and trying to help out with her grandkids. I really just wanted to put this out there and suggestions, ideas questions to ask just help help. 🙏 and the biggest issue is she doesn’t have faith.
@jrwilli1 I hope they have her on Keppra…seizures are so frightening, aren’t they? Have they checked her back? Specifically the lumbar spine? I ask because I lost control of my left-called drop foot but thankfully to a solid year of rest and care I got back my leg but first two toes are numb and my leg is a little unsteady…but, later I had a really bad sciatica episode same leg and that hip and now my other hip are numb from the lower back to just below each hip joint…so I think it could be the bad luck of back and brain…or just her spine. Time first a full back mri, I think. I pray she recovers as best possible
@judyandchloe thank you. Yes they have her on Keppra and just added more to see if this helps. Never thought of her back but she does have a bad hip on the other side. Yes she now has an apparatus to help support her foot and knee but she can’t even get up hardly even on walker. They use a sit to stand chair with her almost always. Thanks for sharing and prayers.
Hi, prayers for her and family! I was “threatened” after my surgery with a fusion…I spent nearly 10 months in a hospital bed with a heating pad at work, I owned the business, and got 95% of use back in my left leg.
I don’t know about surgery today but imagine there are a lot of improvements. I was totally terrified last Xmas when my right hip went numb as you can imagine but I didn’t have any sciatica below my hip. No problems walking either. I flex my leg muscles constantly which I know helps me, even sitting.
I would pursue having her back evaluated…it’s all to do with the spinal nerves and bones…beginning in the brain of course. It could just be coincidental with the tumor?
God bless!