Brenda's Brainstorm & Trevor, a T Man Production 2009 - 2022

This blog may be very sensitive to some...but I am telling you from the very beginning, that what you are about to read, are things that have happened to *ME* personally, during my many years of service in the "CHURCH." I write this...because I hope with all my heart, that no one has to ever go through what I did. Some of what you are about to hear, I hope may be an eye-opener to some. I am also going to say from the get go here...that I have had some wonderful dialogues with many...both those who believe in God and those who don't, in regards to this. I just want to thank those of you who reached out to me from the Christian community before, during and after my brain surgery. I grew up in a Christian home. My mom was the one who took us girls to church and she was pretty much the spiritual leader in our home. My mom has a quiet faith...she lives by example...as I have mentioned before in my blog on her. I went to Sunday school, church, Vacation Bible School, dur...

This blog is very personal to me and is written, deep within my soul. First off...I personally feel that the holiday we should be celebrating the most, Thanksgiving, gets lost between Halloween and Christmas. It seems to me, that day just seems to get swept under the rug, so to speak. I have many things to be thankful for. I am a one year + brain tumor survivor...have a wonderful mom, who I love very much. Now, it seems that the Christmas music starts playing in the stores earlier each year and the decorations are up not much after Halloween or even before. It's simply just too early! Some of the plain facts that I want to bring out here is...that the holidays in general, can be a very distressing time for some. For many, it is a constant reminder of loved ones who are no longer with us. Another fact, there is a lot more loneliness experienced at this time, especially with those that are house bound. : ( I write this for myself, as much as anybody. I have lived alone for ove...

I write this particular blog with many emotions and feelings. In less than two months time...I will be turning 50 years old. I thought at least by this time in my life...I would at least be in some sort of relationship. Yes...I have dated some. It has been many years...and they usually never amounted to anything deep. One was actually a blind date...set up by my insurance agent. We only went out that one time. It was pleasant enough...and he was polite, etc. There was this one guy...who wanted to see me every night. Now, that was just a little bit too eager for me. He also drank and smoked right in my face mind you. This was actually a guy from church. I am right here telling all of you...that there are no guarantees...what kind of person you will meet...even in a church setting. I guess for me... a spontaneous happening would be the best kind. I have been single for so long. Believe me, I know all the right things to say. Like when someone asks you...where is your husband?...

This writing was actually inspired by someone...who is my friend and kindred spirit. They asked me about a particular song...that they had heard about. It turns out...that I not only knew of the song..but, I sang this song many times.. over the years...in church. It's called "The Warrior Is A Child." This got me to thinking about my support group "Meningioma Mommas." We are always talking about being MM Warriors and the battle that each of us...face every day. Even though some of us are survivors, there are still many out there that are on a watch and wait. It can be very scary not to know...what your final outcome will be. Every time I go some place and have an opportunity to share my story, I usually try to have my armor with me...that being my MM T-Shirt or Sweatshirt depending on the season at hand. I also wear my Meningioma awareness bracelets...to show my support. We all have one thing in common. We are determined to win this battle! :) Sometimes i...

My dad passed away on August 3, 2007.....after losing a battle with Alzheimer's Disease. For those of you that have had parents or family members with this devastating and awful disease....you will understand some of the things....I will bring out here. The biggest thing with my dad was his personality change. All he wanted to do was sleep....it was like he had just given up. There were times....when his mind was clear...but that was few and far between toward the end of his life. I want to share with you....the things I remember about him before he was diagnosed and "THE LONG GOODBYE" began. My dad was a Chief of Police and the city utility worker....for over 30 years. We lived in a small town. Now...I do mean small...219 to be EXACT! : ) He was a hard worker and a good provider. People on the whole...did respect him...but there were a few jokers along the way. We lived on the outskirts of the city limits. I grew up under very modest circumstances. We did not h...

I had no idea...when I bumped my head inside that fridge....over 8 years now....that my life....would change forever. Not at first anyway....I thought I was just careless....when I put my head in too far and bumped it on the switch....which really hurt.....and so I thought that I just bruised it good. I didn't get knocked out...so I thought why go to a doctor? Not good advice...to ignore any head injury EVER! Well...it hurt for a while and got better...so I thought everything would be fine. Months later though...it really started to hurt....so I went to my doctor....which at this time....is no longer my doctor....but that is another story in itself. He said I probably just bruised it bad...and it would just take some time to heal. Well...it got better and then it got worse. I had a skull x-ray...and it showed nothing. He put me on something for pain and a sedative...so I could sleep. I had to stop taking the pain meds...because I started having muscle aches. WONDERFUL! It got bet...

The idea for this title actually comes from an old cigarette commercial. Remember...when those were allowed to air on TV? The ad was for Virginia Slims...You've come a long way baby, to get where your going today, etc. Anyway, those were banned in the early 70's...when I was still in grade school. Even though...I have never smoked...I was always captivated by that slogan. I guess this could apply to anyone...but here...it's going to be about my journey...and how far I have come. I'm not sure when the arrival part takes place though. Anyway...before I go on... with what I am writing about...as my mother would say, "Just take out the meat and leave the bones." I think that is really great advice for anything in life...really! : ) I do know one thing for sure..that I still have a long way to go...even though I have come this far. I have had many ups and downs in my personal life. Who hasn't?      I now have a new title..of being a brain tumor survivo...

This is going to be about my mom....and just how special she is to me. She has not only been a great mom....but she is extremely talented! While I was growing up.....she sewed many of our clothes....made many... very delicious meals.....as she is a great cook. One of my old time favorites....and still is to this day....is her chicken and dumplings. Cheese buttons....another favorite....and at Christmas.....her famous sparrows....which are deep fried donuts with raisins in them. NO we don't eat little birds. lol. In addition to sewing many clothes, she also did a lot of crafts. She has made close to 30 pieced quilts on her sewing machine. The special thing about these quilts...is that they were usually made with different materials left over from clothes....she had made us or that my sister had. She also has made doilies consisting of....dresser scarfs, different shapes and sizes for tables, etc. These were crocheted....as well as pot holders. She once made tea cups....which...

I am going to bring out both sides here...good and bad. The best thing you can do for a person going through a difficult time, is just to stand by them. This is a time when they don't need to be judged or written off. Realize, we all go through deep waters at times in our lives. I believe...in that helping or encouraging someone... even when you, yourself are experiencing a trial is okay. You are actually doing two things...you are helping someone else and it helps you get your mind off of your troubles or problems, at least for a little while. It can truly be a win-win situation.  I have personally been the type of person who enjoys giving others encouragement. I like to do something and it goes like this. I like to find one specific thing I like about an individual and expound on that. It can be a personality trait...or what I notice they do for others...to make their life easier. Now here is something to really think about. NO TWO PEOPLE are going to feel exactly the s...

I found this a very appropriate time for this particular blog....being that on August 26, 2008....which has now been more than a year....I was diagnosed with a nonmalignant brain tumor...called a Meningioma. Before I go any further....I will be using a lot of abbreviations here...so I will clue you in on them. M - Meningioma BT - Brain Tumor NS - Neurosurgeon PCP - Primary Care Physician MM - Meningioma Mommas ICU - Intensive Care Unit RA - Rheumatoid Arthritis PT & OT - Physical and occupational therapy I hope this will give you a sense...of what my last year has been like. I had my MRI on the morning of August 26, 2008....under general anesthesia....as has been mentioned in my previous blog....that I am definitely claustrophobic! YIKES! Anyway.....on September 8, 2008...I had my craniotomy for the removal of my M...which was located in the right frontal lobe...about the size of a golf ball. It measured 2.5 x 2.3 x 2.6 cm. My NS was the greatest. I already knew he ...

My big sister Beverly or Bev....as she liked to be called...passed away on an early Friday morning on June 6, 2003...from colorectal cancer. I remember it raining that day...and I felt just like the rain. I had lost my favorite sister in the whole wide world.  Bev was the core of our family. She was incredibly kind and had a great sense of humor. Her obituary explained it as an engaging giggle. She was a very positive person...and she had many friends...as we found out while she was ill and even afterwards.  Bev lived out her illness with grace and humility. Or as she would say humidity. Bev was really silly that way. I learned many things from her. I think the most important thing she taught me....was common sense. Bev was such a practical person. She was that way...when she gave you a gift. It was actually something you could use. She was the middle child. She was always teased about being the favorite. She always told me...that I was her favorite youngest sister. I ...

This blog is going to be about my struggles the last couple of weeks. : ( I really thought that I had come through the worst...having been diagnosed with a nonmalignant brain tumor, having it removed and beginning of recovery. Well, let me tell you folks....it hasn't been an easy ride the last few weeks. Besides all the frustration with trying to hold down a full time job..when I am really fatigued at the end of the day...I really get frustrated very easily. I also am still struggling with my lack of concentration being thrown off....especially if I am interrupted, before I can get my train of thought across. I also have problems grasping certain aspects of life...that used to be easy for me. Just part of the process. I just have to learn to take it slower and not let myself become so overwhelmed. Easier said than done. It's extremely frustrating and sometimes makes me wonder...why do I have to endure so much? Am I really that strong? I know some of you think so and for...

This is going to be about my living with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)...as I will refer to it here. Before I was actually diagnosed...I had gone to the world famous... Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota...because I was experiencing severe chest wall pain...a condition...called costochondritis...I had been to many doctors...even had my chest wall injected with cortisone...but the pain was getting worse. I had to quit my last job because I was missing so much work....and I probably would have gotten fired anyway. I felt I had to get to the bottom of my problem. So in September of 1988...the year my brain tumor supposedly started growing...I went to Mayo. They found that I had high cholesterol and degenerative arthritis of my spine...but no help for the costochondritis. Mayo is really a rather depressing place...as there are so many people there...with serious medical issues. The architecture...on the other hand, was magnificent! We actually took the tour twice...as we were there for a ...

As some of you know, I was diagnosed with a nonmalignant brain tumor...called a Meningioma...last August. It was almost the size of a golf ball...measuring 2.5 x 2.3 x 2.6 cm. It was located in the right frontal lobe. I named it "Mini"...for mini-golf. My dry sense of humor. lol That being said....I deal with a lot of emotions. In fact....I can be sitting and talking to someone and tears just start to well up within my eyes. I can't explain it. It's like your emotions just take hold of you....and you just can't stop it. I have come to realize...that I don't have to. You just let the tears flow and make the best of it. My boss, supervisor, and some of my co-workers know...of my situation and are very understanding. Those who are not...I don't really care! Anyway....I had a situation happen to me this week...where I reacted with my heart...instead of my head. You see....I always want to see the good in people. When I see someone...who is being te...