“We were living our life going everywhere and doing everything we wanted to do. On Easter Sunday, 2023, Linda planned to cook dinner. The ham and everything was ready to go into the oven when Linda fell. Dinner would have to wait. We drove to the ER to get Linda checked out, and then come back and make dinner. Well, Easter dinner didn’t come that night. Linda had a mass on her brain, which caused her fall. Everything in our life came to an absolute stop; Linda was diagnosed with grade IV brain cancer, a Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM).”
Life is not on hold, but it has drastically changed” says Ed. “Linda is no longer cooking up her spectacular meals; which she misses tremendously. Family, friends, and neighbors, however, have made sure there’s plenty of delightful meals on hand for us”. Ed tells me, “We’ve got at least 14 meals in the freezer right now and my neighbor came over this morning and helped me cut grass. We are blessed”.
Shortly after Linda’s diagnosis, her healthcare team at Piedmont Brain Tumor Center, connected the couple to the SBTF support groups. That was August of 2023. Since then, they’ve joined our bi-weekly Adult & Caregiver Support Group, our bi-weekly Aphasia Support Group for brain tumor patients, and the monthly Caregiver Support Group. Geri Shaffer, SBTF Patient Advocate, asked what they liked most about the support group meetings, the answer “They are just awesome. We enjoy them and we learn a lot from the other participants”.
Shaffer asked for any specifics on what made the meetings so pleasurable for them and received two responses. “Amy (a participant) has been instrumental in a lot of ways. Grocery shopping became very overwhelming for Linda. There was too much stimulation with people, colors, lights, noises. The products (labels) on the shelves were even overwhelming. Amy suggested we go shopping on Mondays or Tuesdays, when it was less busy, and it has helped. We also enjoy Tom’s sense of humor; we love it when Tom cracks jokes. During one of our group meetings, Linda stated I have trouble taking naps”. Tom’s reply to Linda “you should go home and practice”. While Linda still can’t take naps during the day, Tom’s comment provides for great fodder during group meetings when Linda tells Tom “I have been practicing taking a nap during the day, but it’s not working”.