One Upped

Yesterday I found out I passed the Speech-Language Pathology PRAXIS, meaning I can be certified as an SLP after a clinical fellowship year. I'm beyond happy, as it is only one of the biggest exams in my life.

(The awesome book I used to study - and the chocolate "E' for Elizabeth from my mom.)

I was on cloud nine and happy as could be. I figured today was going to be a good day, until I got this awful, awful string of texts from my baby brother that one upped my news.

Alex: "Hey r u there?"

Alex: "Hey I might have a tumor."

Alex: "Don't call home though. Mom is on the phone with the hospital."

I instantly broke into tears in the parking lot at work. He had sent the texts around 3:30pm, and I was only reading them at 5pm. (Stupid stroke education with one of my patients meant I didn't have my phone on me.)

Sobbing, I began calling home. Then Alex's mobile. Then my mom's mobile.

No one was answering. I called all three again. And again.

As I sat in my car crying, the rain started pounding harder and harder on my windshield. Total pathetic fallacy.

By the time I got a hold of them, I was given the down low on the situation.

Background:

Alex has had an onset of serious migraines over the past few weeks. He's seen a pediatric neurologist and a cardiologist, and they decided to have an MRI done. These migraines are nothing like I've ever seen Alex go through. I mean, the kid has had infections cut 1" deep of out his stomach without anesthesia in the past - he's pretty darn tough. Yet when he's had these migraines, he's been writhing on the couch, groaning and screaming in pain. (I also cried through these...)

(My cute baby brother with Kola. Love him to bits.)

Current Update:

During the MRI of his brain, they found a 1cm spot in his cerebellum. They've decided to play the "wait and see" game. (I'm asking the neurologist at work tomorrow if he agrees with this decision). The only other option is to biopsy it, but given its location, they have decided to wait, pending any changes in his movement/speech/behavior.

Please keep him in your thoughts and send good vibes his way.