Fighting and surviving GBM Cancer Thomas Scrivens

Alot of this is from memory. I was laying in bed the night before surgery anxiously feeling scared. Why not? But I was kinda excited and happy the wait was finally going to be over and I can get somewhere. But more thoughts came and I couldn't sleep. I kept waking up my partner Jessica up in the night as I was fearful of what could happen. Kept pacing up and down. I remember a bible verse that came to me from when I was in College saying "Be still and know that I am God" as soon as this came to mind I prayed. I manage to get some sleep thank The Lord. I had to be up by 5:45am and all cleaned up and ready to go. Alarm went off and Jessica and I got up. No food or drink and it hit me. This was the moment. 50/50 chance. I am having surgery the shocking moment of realization that I am having major surgery and I won't see my family for maybe 3 days or so and I will be in Intense Care Unit. As time went my mother and father who graciously stayed at a hotel next door came ...

The second day of being in the oncology unit at 10am I had to meet with the neurosurgeon who was going to discuss the surgery. The surgeon walks into my room and I am already impressed with his professionalism and care towards me. Checks my eyes and head and then talks about what a tumor is and how serious of a situation I am in. In fact that he will need to speak to his team and strategically and tactically plan this major operation over 5 days. With constant MRI and CT scans with contrast which I'm allergic too and counted up having over 27 injections before surgery checking for  Hormones Sodium Blood Cells Etc I can't remember.  The neurosurgeon wanted to see me on the Tuesday the day before surgery which was a Wednesday in his office with my family to discuss the operation in full detailed. So over the next couple of days I spent in Hospital with my family who would come and visit me and then I was transferred to the Neuroscience  neurology ward where they tre...

Thought I'd share with you some of the MRI scans of my tumor. Instead of making an extensive blog this time I would like to be visual with you all. These images are of the tumor that was located in my frontal lobe of my brain on the right hand side. SAG BRAIN POST GAD (with contrast) - Scary MRI scan of my Tumor expanded over 5 days The wonderful Epworth Hospital Richmond Melbourne,that saved my life. The Surgeons, Doctors, Nurses and other staff were wonderful to me over the time I was admitted in. The small acts of kindness they provided me was bespoke and sheer class of professionalism isn't noted in today's society as it should be. The long hours they delicate their life to save and help others is speechless.

Friday 18th January 2013 Rushed into the Emergency Department at the Epworth Hospital and anxiously waiting for the Triage nurse to see me. As I have had a referral from my Doctor to get an immediate MRI scan. However it being a Friday it was packed and we went in at around 3:30pm and waited a long while. The only seat I could get was next to a vending machine and the sound of it was thumbing my head-away. About 2 hours of waiting we manage to get called up and put into a cubable. Without further questioned the Nurse got me to gown up and lay on the bed untill the Emergency Doctor could see me. Moments later the Emergency Doctor saw me and asked the standard questions. Who are you? What is youre problem? I explained that I have been giving headaches or migraines. The Doctor must of thought this is a typical thing on a Friday evening for a 19 year old. Asked if I have been drinking or been doing anything stupid lately. I then handed him the referral and ...

Christmas and New Years has passed and I walked into the new Year of 2013 with joy and happiness. This was going to be my year. I moved out into an awesome apartment, enrolled into doing Film & Television, going to make some new friends, lots of parting and I am closer to my partner Jessica as we have a long distance relationship. I couldn't wait to start University as I didn't do VCE and it was a miracle that I got into it as a mature aged student but I battled the system for 4 years working for businesses and creating a profile for myself. Around Friday 5th January I was starting to feel the head problems again. But this time I couldn't contain myself. Even the sound of the air conditioner was making me going crazy. I remember this really well, because I was still kinda convinced I had sinus in my head. So I was using old ancient remedies such as Eucalyptus oil in a hot steam bowl with towel. It really did make a difference for a...

December. I still have continuous pain in the front of my head. One morning I would wake up around 7:30am and walk towards the kitchen and I barely could eat breakfast. I would have to make a decision to cancel going into Tafe as I was enrolled in Certificate IV in Training & Assessment. As soon as I would make a call to cancel class, and I would go back to bed and treat it like a migraine. I then would wake up around 5pm or 6pm in the afternoon. This wasn't normal. I am not a person to sleep during the whole day, infact I almost despise sleep as I am so into being active during the day. However as soon as I wake up, I would feel amazing. I would eat heaps and get into my car and drive for hours as I have a huge passion for automotive world. Come home and go to bed. The same routine would happen every 2-3 days and I just couldn't understand why. So I decided to see my local GP to follow up on my Fatty Liver situation. I saw my GP and we had a conversation that I'm exp...

Wow! I am actually blessed I can write words and still remember them after major intense surgery. But that is another chapter we can discuss later during this time where I can share my story and use this as a place to tell my friends and family what I went through, going through and what I am about to go through. My name is Thomas Scrivens, 20 years old and been living an awesome life. Great family, blessed as a child always had food, shelter, holidays and an brilliant education. In 2012 I found myself leaving a RTO (Tafe Organization) as an IT Assistant and then started my own small business creating custom made websites for businesses which I thoroughly enjoyed until I couldn't handle the stress and decided to work for my Father which was awesome. My parents were building their new house at the time and I had just recently moved out to my new smashing apartment in Winsdor/St Kilda area which is a Student Unilodge for students to study. Yes that's right I was enrolled to fol...