#256. “I Had Awake Brain Surgery…” Her Glioblastoma Story

Hey beautiful, it's Dr. Tabatha. I want to share something with you that I believe God is doing right now in women's health. We're in the middle of a massive movement and most people don't even know it. Every single day, 6,000 women in the U.S. enter menopause. That's over 2 million women a year, and by 2030, that's more than 1.2 billion women worldwide. So here's the thing, most of these women feel exhausted, bloated, anxious, disconnected from themselves, and the medical system is Doctors are handing out prescriptions and quick fixes, and no one is helping women heal from the root cause of their issues. That's where Fast to Faith coaches come in. As a certified coach, you'll be equipped to help midlife women balance their hormones, heal their gut, regain their energy, and reconnect their faith, the foundation that so many of us have been missing. And from a business standpoint, woo, this is one of the most lucrative untapped opportunities in the entire health coaching world. The global health coaching industry is expected to reach over $33 billion by 2023, and midlife women are the fastest-growing, highest-spending demographic in that space. Most importantly, these women stay with their coaches. They invest deeply because they are desperate for lasting transformation— body, mind, and spirit. So if you've been feeling that pull and that whisper that you're meant to do more, This is it. Now is the time to rise, to serve, and build a purpose-driven business that not only changes other women's lives but transforms your own in the process. Because when you help one woman heal, you help her family, her marriage, her faith, and her future. That's the ripple effect that we're creating with Fast to Faith. So join me, click the link to come watch this webinar. It might be the one thing that really moves the needle for you in this next— Season. I can't wait to see you in there. Welcome back to the Fast to Faith podcast. I am super pumped about this conversation today because it's totally unexpected. One of my certified coaches has gone on a different path recently, and she is brave enough to come here and talk about it today, and she's gonna bless you with her story. So please take the time to listen to this entire episode And if you have to pause it and come back, do that. And then share this with everybody you know, because everybody out there needs hope and a reminder that God's got you. We're all in these— this season right now of feeling like, where is God? Why am I struggling? Why am I going through what I'm going through? And my guest Karen today is gonna just blow your mind with what she's handling and how she's handling it with such grace. And it's really just going to put the things into perspective for you and give you the hope that you need to get through another day and to invite Jesus into your walk of whatever you're dealing with. So welcome, Karen. I can't— I'm just so excited that you're doing this.

Thank you so much. I'm so honored to be, to be here with you, Dr. Tabatha. This is a great opportunity, and I'm just happy to be here. So thank you.

Well, you are a blessing. And I just think back to the fact that you came to my medical practice a couple years ago because of weight issues and just hormone imbalances. And you were just a happy-go-lucky person, had a few issues that you were dealing with, but you stuck around, right? And then I started creating Fast to Faith and you stuck with me, and I'm so glad you did, right?

Yeah.

Because recently you said to me, if it wasn't for the faith that I've developed in Fast to Faith— or maybe you should say it Like you wouldn't have been prepared for this challenge that you're now dealing with, right?

Yes. I mean, that's, that's absolutely true. Um, this is a journey, right? And so when I started with you a couple years ago, right, it was a whole different set of issues, but I've come so far and, you know, my faith has, is certainly the, the backbone of, of my day-to-day right now and, and always. So it's, it's grown. Um, it's changed. It's not always, you know, neat and clean. It's, it's messy, but it's a journey. It's a process. It's ever-changing. So I'm, I'm grateful to you and your team, and, um, both on the medical side and the Fast to Faith side. It's taught me so much. Um, okay, it's, it's been a blessing in my life for sure.

Well, we think you're a blessing because you keep teaching us about how to just show up and handle the day-to-day life. So I would love for you to just share what the heck happened How long has it been now since you got your diagnosis? Just walk the listeners through everything. You were, you were in the Fast to Faith Coaching Academy. And can I just say, like, you received it as a gift, which is so cool because that was the only coaching certification program we gave away. And so I didn't know why you were the one that received it, but I'm so glad you did. So walk the listeners through just what's happened this year.

Yeah, so, um, probably early in the year, so So, you know, after the new year, I started just experiencing some fine motor skill issues on my left side. And I, you know, typing became challenging. Just little kind of things. You go to push a button and your hand doesn't quite go to the button you're trying to push. So just little kind of things that you're like, oh, that's kind of weird, but you just kind of overcompensate and go about your day and no big deal. But over the course of several weeks, things progressed and, you know, people just said, are you limping? Like, what's going on with your walk? Like, I— so things were off, right? And so there was enough kind of things that were unusual that took me to the doctor and they said, oh, you should have an MRI just to, just to follow up and check the box, you know, make sure everything's fine. Meanwhile, I really believed deep down that I had a pinched nerve. And so I'm, you know, I was doing all the things, going to the chiropractor, you know, you kind of like You try to eliminate as many things as you can. And so I thought, oh, it's fine. I'm fine. I just have a pinched nerve. You know, several weeks at the chiropractor, you know, nothing was resolving, right? And so again, it's like these little like reminders from my body, like, oh, something's off, Karen. Like, you got to dig deeper. And so I didn't right away, but it progressed quickly enough that it became very obvious that something else was going on. And so I ended up in the emergency room. And so within, you know, Pretty quick of being there, I was diagnosed with a— after a CT scan, I was diagnosed with a very large brain tumor. Things from there, really, it's kind of a blur, to be quite honest. You're admitted to the hospital, you have neurology coming in to see you. And so— and I just kept saying the whole time, well, no, that can't be right. I'm super healthy, you guys. Like, I was telling all the nurses, like, no, I don't want that medicine. I'm good. I've got my supplements. Like, I'm good. They're like, no, no, no, lady, you're not good. So it's like I had to Yeah. But, you know, I was admitted to the hospital and it became very evident very, very quickly that I was going to have to undergo a brain surgery to remove what ended up being a 9-centimeter mass from the right side of my brain. And so that happened probably like 2 weeks after— a week and a half, maybe after 10 days, probably after I was admitted to the hospital. So things just really— there was a lot processing. It's, it's a lot to process in a short amount of time. But nonetheless, I said, okay, this is what I have to do. I prepared for surgery. I went into surgery pretty optimistic, had this successful 8-plus-hour awake craniotomy. And I mean, honestly, I came out of surgery and I was just so grateful that I felt so much gratitude, which is an odd description, but I just was so happy that I had done it. I had done it successfully. You know, I was awake for a large portion of the surgery, so I was thankful that I was able to communicate and do the things they were asking me to do in the surgery in order to avoid, like, major nerve damage. Yeah.

Explain to the listeners why you had to be awake. You know, women are like, what? What are you talking about?

Yeah. So they, they put you under sedation and then they, they basically wake you up while you're while the surgeon is performing his surgery. And so what they're doing is they're talking to me. There's people next to my, my head essentially talking to me and having me do tasks so that they can monitor where all my nerves are in my brain. And that helps the surgeon. It's very precise. It's very technology-driven, but it helps the surgeon avoid my nerves essentially. And in my case, it would be the nerves that control the left side of my body. And so they're trying to avoid, you know, paralysis or permanent significant damage to my nerves and to my body. So like you're in surgery and you're doing like you're moving things. Like this was a huge one for whatever reason. So this controls, they could see that nerve that controls the left side. And so they're having me do this like while he's literally performing brain surgery on me. And so they're talking to me, I'm being monitored on like the computers. And so the surgeon, I couldn't obviously see him, but I could hear him. And so as they're telling me to do certain functions, you know, move my foot a certain direction, kind of like you're driving a car. So you're like, pretend like you're pushing, pushing the pedal on the car. So your foot's moving and he can really see what nerves are controlling that function of my body. I could hear the surgeon talking, saying, this is helpful, let's keep going, that kind of thing. They did other things where they were checking other nerves, and I don't know exactly what nerves, but like I could feel a shock, oddly enough, on the right side of my face. And so they would like control the voltage or whatever, and I would have to respond. And, you know, I could hear the surgeon saying like, this is super helpful. Let's keep going. I was cheering him on. He's like, I appreciate a good cheerleader. Like, so we were communicating back and forth during the surgery. So all in all, he called it a home run. He was able to remove, you know, over 99% of the tumor, which was a huge, you know, first step in my journey is just getting that thing out of, out of my head. And so I was able to come out of the surgery and really recover remarkably well. So I'm so grateful for that.

I know, just looking at you, there's people, if you're watching this on YouTube, people are like, she did not just have open brain surgery, what, 4 weeks ago, something like that?

March 13th. Yeah.

Yeah. So it's absolutely incredible what we can do in this day and age. And I just think that God had equipped you and prepared you so well because I can't imagine going into a surgery where you need to be awake and work with your surgeon if you're in a place of fear and anxiety. I can't imagine. You know, I helped a lot of women deliver a lot of babies and do stat C-sections, and when they get anxious and scared, It's really hard to calm them down, let alone communicate with them. So I feel like you were so equipped to make that surgery successful because you were like, okay, God, let's go, right?

I had, you know, I'm very blessed. I have a super strong support network. And so I knew that, you know, people were praying around the clock, literally around the clock for me during that, that surgery in that time. And so I could feel it like it was Very very powerful. Literally people across the world, everywhere were just were praying for me, and that that's like that's what kept me. You know, that's that's what's kept me strong.

Yeah. Oh my gosh! You are such an incredible testament to what we can endure and what we can go through. We don't think we can get through these kind of situations, and for you it all happened so suddenly.

You know, you said so fast.

I went from thinking I have a pinched nerve to I'm in the ER. I'm being told I have a brain tumor. Now I'm in surgery the next week. And then after surgery, you get the worst news possible that I think you were pretty much shocked. Hey.

Yeah. I mean, you, you, you go back to, to follow up, right? And it takes a couple, a couple of weeks for like all the pathology and things to come back. And so it did come back. Unfortunately, it was not the news that we were hoping to hear. I had a grade 4 glioblastoma. Um, with a specific mutation. And so that's the crazy part is the day that I went to the ER was the 9-year anniversary of my father-in-law's death from glioblastoma. And so it's like my family and I have just lived this story in a much different way. Um, but we know that glioblastoma is incredibly aggressive. It's relentless. It's very smart. It's a very smart tumor, you know. That was devastating, obviously, to learn that that's what it was. But then, you know, you kind of process and then you say, okay, what do I have to do next? Like, you got to keep going forward. And so that's what we're doing.

Yeah, exactly. You know, cancer is a very scary word and it can be paralyzing. I've seen many women just give up hope, become paralyzed, and that is their downfall. And you're, you're like, no, we're rewriting Writing this script, especially since your family has been through it before. It's almost like, okay, we get to try this a different way. We're gonna believe that our God is bigger than any cancer, than any diagnosis. And you have just so gracefully been all in, like, okay, God, what do I need to do? We're partners in this, but I'm trusting you that you're in this fire with me and you're gonna get me through to the other side. I, I can't even tell you how powerful that's been in the Fast to Faith group, us women just— we miss you on the calls because you haven't been there.

I know.

Radiation treatment, all these things. But for us to just even sit and pray on what you've been going through and realize, like, you can talk all day about having faith, but faith is substance unseen. It is believing before you receiving. And you are actually walking the walk, and you have deepened our faith Because of that. So you're helping so many people, just how you're showing up in this time right now. So I want to honor you for that because it's so incredible and so powerful. Like, you really are incredible.

Thank you. I mean, I, I think I, I look back at my surgery and post-surgery recovery, and, and I'm really grateful, um, Dr. Tabatha, because I've, you know, in the hospital they take blood all the time. And they'll come in and the nurses are like, wow, your labs are so good. And I'm like, yes, I know. Because I've done the work. Like, I've done the work with you and your team. And so that's like right now, my takeaway right now, I'm halfway through my radiation treatments and my chemo treatments. And so people are like, wow, you're doing great. I'm like, yes, because like I prepared for— like, you don't prepare for brain surgery or brain open brain surgery, obviously. I feel like I have been doing the— I've been in training in a— not necessarily for brain surgery, right? But like, I did the work to kind of get my body healthy, right, by staying active and figuring out all the things you mentioned in the beginning, my gut issues and my hormone issues. Like, I, I was in a really good, healthy, strong, active place when I was diagnosed. And so I think that starting from that point has really served me so well. You pair that with like leaning into your faith and and just you know praying so hard and having your community of people support you and and it's powerful. So all of those things combined, it's not one thing alone. It's it's a culmination of a lot of things.

It's so powerful. And you know you and I have had a few conversations and I just remember you saying like God knew this was coming for me and He helped me prepare. He helped me get healthy. He showed me how important it was to take. Care of myself and be in a place where I could actually undergo this surgery and deal with this treatment. And it has served you so well. So I really want to hit home that point, because if you're listening and God has been nudging you to take care of yourself and to deal with your hormones or your gut issues, it's not just vanity. Like, there might be something bigger going on. He sees the bigger picture that we don't don't see. God saw that you need to fight this big fight that's coming, and you need to be healthy enough to do it so that you can conquer it and be around for all your children. You got lots of children who are amazing. And so it was all a setup. And to me, that is just incredible. And I want to glorify God in that and honor you in the fact that you chose to invest in yourself and take care of yourself, because I can't even imagine where You would be if you hadn't, you know? And I love— they're like, you just look so healthy. I mean, you look gorgeous right now, but your blood work looks good. Like, everything else was good, and your body was trying so hard to keep that tumor sequestered and in its place, and unfortunately it had to go. Wow. I'm just in awe over all of this. I'm still trying to process all of it because it's so powerful. But what would you say is the next step? Right now you're going through radiation treatment, is that right?

Yes. So, um, radiation— I have a couple more weeks left of radiation, um, and then I also take like chemo. And then they— you get a 4-week break, and then, um, you do like a cycle of the chemo pills for a while, and then you kind of follow up with your, your doctors, your oncologists, um. And then, you know, we're right now researching Just next steps in terms of treatment, supplementation. There's a lot of different medicines that have been proven to help you know brain cancer specifically patients. There's immunotherapy options we're looking into. So there's there's it's it's not hope it's not hopeless. There is a lot of different avenues and things that that we're you know researching and looking into, and so we're just kind of praying about it and. trying to figure out the next best step for me and for my family so that we can keep fighting this. So that's our plan is, you know, exhaust every option that we have and keep going.

Yeah. Talk to me about the fact that you have kind of gone outside the conventional medical space and you're trying to integrate that with some more holistic alternative healings because, you know, I think some people get very discouraged because conventional medicine, especially when it comes to cancer, cancer treatment can be super cookie cutter. Like, here's our protocol, you need to just fit into this protocol, and here's your prognosis, and good luck, you know? And it doesn't feel individualized, it doesn't feel hopeful sometimes.

Right, right. I would agree with that. So, and I, and I'll say this, you know, like, I was, you know, before my diagnosis, like, I was in, I was in a good place, right? Like, I had my supplement regimen, like, everything was good to go, like, my everything, it was great.

Right. You had just become a coach. You were like, you know, help other women get healthy, all the things.

So when I'm in the hospital and they're telling me, oh, we have to put you on this steroid, we have to give you this inject— like all these things. And I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Like, so I had to very quickly surrender a lot of my own, like, I don't want that, I don't need that. And, you know, I had to really let go and surrender and say, okay, like, this is serious and I have to like follow the kind of conventional standards here. And so what we did was, you know, I'm getting the conventional standard of care right now, which is your like 6 weeks of radiation and, and chemo. And we've researched and talked to a number of different, like kind of integrated approach, um, facilities and patients, doctors. And so the standard of care that, you know, is being offered is kind of the starting point, right? Actually, surgery is the starting point.

Yeah.

Thankfully my tumor was operable. Not all tumors are operable. So like that was kind of a big blessing in the beginning that they could actually remove basically the majority of my tumor.

Yeah.

So that was kind of step number 1. Step number 2 is kind of the standard of care conventional radiation chemo. Obviously, I didn't want to do radiation, I didn't want to do chemotherapy, but I understood pretty quickly that that was going to be kind of the starting point of, you know, my healing journey, right? So that's where I'm at currently. But along with that, you know, we're researching other non— I guess, you know, outside the conventional space. There's There's a lot of medications that are proven that have publications that are proven to help brain tumor patients. There's a lot of different supplements that are available to help with inflammation, different things that are probably happening from the radiation and other things.

Yeah.

So we've been researching everything. There's immunotherapy options. We've looked into clinical trials. So there's always an option, I guess, is what I'm saying. It's a lot of research. Thankfully, my husband is great at that, and he's become my little pharmacist for me. But so you got to kind of tap into your support network and talk to people. We've talked to a number of other patients who are in a very similar situation to me where they've had— they have glioblastoma, they've had the craniotomy, and now they're on their healing journey. So like, talk to other people who are in similar situations has been huge. There's different And medical devices that are available. There's, there's, so there's all kinds of options, but it does take time. It takes research. There's a lot of publications, a lot of books. I had Amazon dropping off like, you know, a book every day, every day on my porch. So you just have to like do the work and, and figure out what options are out there because there are options. And sometimes it's not what your oncologist is gonna share with you necessarily, but you kind of gotta dig deeper and ask questions and Mm-hmm. keep looking.

Yeah, and I think it's so important to keep using your discernment and keep asking God, is this what you're wanting for me? Is this the direction that I should be headed? Because we can really start to get in the space of trying to figure it all out on our own, you know, and all of a sudden you haven't talked to God in 5 days about it, and, and he's like, well, I know you're struggling, but I didn't tell you to do that, right?

Mm-hmm.

Every time I talk to you, you're like, we're praying on it. We're, we're just waiting to see what the Lord has for us. And I think that's so powerful, but you are taking action and getting educated and finding out all of the options like that. You have to be an active participant in it. That's so important.

Yeah. And I think you're right. You know, we've prayed on, on different things. There have been different options and then suddenly they became not available. Right. Or I didn't qualify. And so it's like, okay, That's initially— that maybe felt like a really big disappointment, but then it's like, okay, this isn't where God wanted me to go. This isn't the direction. That wasn't the right treatment or the right time or the right location. And so it kind of like you're, you're discerning it, but then it— God is kind of helping us by closing some doors, quite honestly.

Exactly.

So it, it makes you, okay, switch gears and, and look somewhere else. And it's a, it's a journey. It's not easy. No, but I'm unwilling to give up the hope. And so I think I said that early on, like there's there's still you know there's always an option.

Yeah, you just have to make that declaration. Like I I choose to believe. I will not give up hope. There is a way because God does always give us a way. We just don't necessarily see it, especially if we're trying to figure it all on our own. So I know that somebody listening right now is being so blessed. blessed by you, and they are just like, whoa, that's exactly what I need to do. And it's no accident, Karen, that I was studying the book of James this morning. I'm like, of course I was, because I'm about to talk to Karen. The book of James, you know, Jesus's stepbrother, is all about trials and tribulations and how to show up in life during these difficult times. And so I'm gonna put my old lady glasses on. It says, consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. And then it goes on to talk about how you will get the crown of life because you have persevered under those trials. And I just was like, wow, she's gonna get the crown of life. The crown goes on your head, and that is where you had surgery. That is where your trial is. Like, of course I read this right before our interview. It's so incredible. And then he also Humbly accept the word planted in you, which will save you. And you have said all along that the fact that you were in Fast to Faith and you were doing Lectio Divina, you were studying scripture, meditating on scripture, like that seed planted is part of why you are doing so well right now. I'm just like, oh my gosh, you are a walking example of the book of James, Karen.

I love that you, you shared that because it had the word perseverance in it. And my family is pretty big on goal setting. And so every year I have a word, like one word every year. This year's word, and this is before I knew anything was wrong with me or before my diagnosis, my word for this year is perseverance.

No.

And it was chosen for other reasons really. But it's so fitting now. And so my last 2 years, my words were strength and faith. And so it's just, you know, It's—

oh my gosh, that's incredible. I love that he is always doing a work in us. We just don't necessarily see it at the time, but we go back and we just see how he's weaved everything together. He's like, I was with you there, I was with you there, I'm with you now. Like, it all goes together. That's mind-blowing right now.

Yeah, there have been so many examples along this, this journey so far that It's very evident to me that God is at work and has been at work for a really long time in my life.

Yeah, and your test is going to be your testimony, and you're gonna help— you're already helping so many people. So many people have stronger faith. They're now asking God to walk with them and, you know, be on this journey with them. So please don't stop what you're doing. Like, you are such an incredible blessing, and we need you. We need you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I could not be doing this alone, so thank you.

So good. I know, I know something hit you today. Please just take a little bit of time to journal on that and to go deeper with whatever resonated with you today, because the Holy Spirit is doing a work in you. He's trying to talk to you and nudge you like, hey, you need to do this. And you know, don't wait until you're in the emergency room, but either way, God's got you and he's gonna see you through. So I, I can't wait to hear how Karen has blessed you. Please share it. Please email us, put it in the comments, share with us. Karen needs your prayers. Karen wants to hear from you, so bless her today. She showed up right after radiation to record this, so please give her some love if this has served you at all. And go out there and know that God loves you. You are his child. And you're gonna get through anything. And thank you, Karen. Like—

Oh, absolutely. Thank you for having me, Dr. Tabatha. This has been so much fun. Such an honor to be, be here with you.

Yeah. You're gonna have to come back for some follow-ups.

Absolutely.

Yes. We're gonna continue this journey and we're gonna learn more. And I can't wait to just celebrate on the other side of all this.

Yes. I'm happy to. And, and yeah, never lose hope.

Oh, thank you. You're such a blessing.