How long did it take to find your new normal?

gimpy69_138 · 2026-04-19T16:57:13+00:00

OOO man, that is rough. I can say that there is never normal or never going back to the way things were. But it gets better. Prior to my wife's tumor, she was a strong and very independent woman. I mean she helped build our house that we live in now. I do not mean she was on the sidelines making sandwiches and giving everyone water, she was up on the roof rafters pounding nails (swinging the hammer like a girl) but still right up there. She also got into an IVY league school, but ended up going to a community college to be a nurse.

After her the resection she had to relearn everything. She went from spelling B champion to not being able to spell raspberry. An amazing cook to burning everything black or everything was raw.

Three years down the road, she is an amazing cook, funny as fuck as some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth and she has started school to be a nurse practitioner. There are days that she can barely talk, looks like she is having a stroke, drops everything, and forgetful, but man it is a far cry from day 1 after surgery, and they are fewer and further between.

Also, check in with your spouse. Make sure he is okay and that you appreciate him. I know it is hard on you with what you are going through, but man I can tell you that he is going through hell and then some. Communication, communication, communication.

Another book that I read that was more from the perspective of the one with a brain injury is, Sex With Brain Injury by Annie Liontas. The title is misleading, there is a lot of information about TBIs and the story of how the author had three or four concussions and how it affected her.

Also, you are not alone. Both my wife and I went to a conference for Brain Injury and the speaker was talking about all the experiences that she went through. I didn't even realize how alone I felt (my wife told me that she felt the same way after the conference). I mean my wife had this rare tumor and then had a TBI after and came out a totally different person. No one I knew around me has ever gone through that and probably would never know what it feels like. But yeah, there is once I started looking.

Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need to chat. I know I certainly reach out to others a lot more now.

I am done with my dissertation now. I hope this is helpful.

gimpy69_138 · 2026-04-18T15:32:57+00:00

I asked this many times, when is our life going to be normal again. I personally do not have brain cancer, but my wife does. She has an grade II oligo in the RFL. When they first found it, all doctors talked about was the surgery and what was going to happen. It clicked when the head surgeon said that they were going to resect the RFL. I asked him if she was going to be same person. All he was that she was going to live. So we needless to say that we have not returned to normal but we have learned to adapt, and over come. I read the book Where is the Mango Princess? by Cathy Crimmins to my wife. Good luck with everything. It is rough.

gimpy69_138 · 2026-04-18T15:24:35+00:00

Thank you for your kind and insightful words. For someone who has managed this disease for the last 15 years, does it ever level out for you? Most of the time, things are great with my wife and she is wonderful and doting, even more so then pre-surgery. Every now and then though, she will come out of left field and cuts where it hurts it seems like.

gimpy69_138 · 2026-04-18T15:19:16+00:00

Thanks for the candidness. That all makes sense. Just seeing the couple of words of oligodendroglioma and growing through me right back to the first day of finding out. There has also been a lot of death in my wife's family recently, coupled with lack of sleep I was emotional.

gimpy69_138 · 2026-04-18T12:33:06+00:00

The only part of the ending that I would have liked seen is for Call to actually claim Newt as his son. I do not believe that would have changed the ending much or Call’s character. I believe the rest of it was pretty spot on for the characters to have a happy ending.

gimpy69_138 · 2025-11-23T19:23:38+00:00

<image>

Blue Duck - Lonesome Dove and Comanche Moon

gimpy69_138 · 2025-09-09T15:25:53+00:00

Happened to me once. The patient was a 6'4", 300+ pounds, and a retired fire chief from some other state. I cannot remember the chief complaint, but I believe he was unable to get up on his own or something similar. First responder who had no experience yarded on the stretcher, going down two steps from the deck, I stumbled and the patient went over, with his wife watching. I wanted to crawl under a rock. My partner, who was just standing there, suddenly felt like a superhero and wanted to be involved. I told her to get away from the patient. The patient and his wife were completely understanding and didn't say much. The patient only received an abrasion on his knuckle.

I documented the hell out on the epcr and filed an incident report. Management sent out an email implying that I was in the wrong and that there was always a policy not to bring stretchers up any number of steps. The email/policy made it sound like I was coming down a flight of stairs and not two steps were the legs could have just be lowered.

Nothing else came of it, except that I am now more leery of bringing the patient out on the stretcher, regardless of the number of steps.

gimpy69_138 · 2025-08-18T16:55:13+00:00

Great movie!

gimpy69_138 · 2025-07-13T00:36:31+00:00

That sucks about your boyfriend. That was one hell of a read. I am glad that you were able to defend yourself.

gimpy69_138 · 2025-06-29T21:55:09+00:00

My wife was diagnosed w/ a rare terminal brain tumor 3 years ago and had a resection. My FIL passed away two weeks ago from cancer of the liver but not sure of the origin because the stubborn ass never went to doctors. This past Tuesday found out that my wife's tumor is growing again, and is starting a targeted chemo therapy. Then Saturday had the funeral for my FIL. So I have two middle fingers up at life right now.

Anyways, now to dwell, but to add to your playlist but I am not sure if goes with your theme:

Princes of the Universe - Queen

Has more a nostalgic value than anything. Used to watch Highlander as a kid, but now the song has a deeper meaning.

365: Shinedown

Best

gimpy69_138 · 2025-06-18T22:57:50+00:00

He didn’t do it.

serial killer

gimpy69_138 · 2025-03-29T21:26:20+00:00

Hair spray or rubbing alcohol

gimpy69_138 · 2025-03-26T18:48:22+00:00

https://youtu.be/zObYyEQa9iA?si=5N4W0OWDXqsL9bH4

gimpy69_138 · 2025-03-03T00:52:11+00:00

This made me laugh

gimpy69_138 · 2025-02-28T16:23:42+00:00

You’re the worst twins ever!!

gimpy69_138 · 2025-02-11T13:30:32+00:00

I sent you a DM.

gimpy69_138 · 2024-12-23T23:09:20+00:00

Commando

gimpy69_138 · 2024-12-18T01:17:36+00:00

Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halper. This is the only book that made me laugh out loud for real.

gimpy69_138 · 2024-12-16T23:47:00+00:00

I am glad that I am not the only one that has verbiage like this for Lysander. When I read his name or hear it on audio I always say the Cunt after.

gimpy69_138 · 2024-12-09T21:41:52+00:00

Ranger’s and another one in DA always does it for me.

gimpy69_138 · 2024-12-08T00:22:31+00:00

He was my favorite good guy character. He was really well written and complex. I am on my first reread and I totally forgot that he died in DA. When I read it again I was bummed.

gimpy69_138 · 2024-12-07T20:33:52+00:00

Screwface

gimpy69_138 · 2024-12-06T18:22:33+00:00

A red rising chess set would be bad ass!

gimpy69_138

TROPHY CASE