The Boston Globe - 17.10.2019

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019 The Boston Globe A

Where an

aggressive

brain tumor

meets its

match.

BETHANY’SSTORY:

Where there’s a will... to be home and thrive.

WHERE THERE’S

A WILL.

By Erica Noonan

Notlongago,Bethanywashappilypreparingforthefirstbirthdayofherson,

John.Likeanynewmom,shewasenjoyingtheprocessoforderingafrostedcake

decoratedwithspacealiensandhangingdecorationsaroundtheHolden,Mass.

homesheshareswithherhusband,Matt,ofeightyears.

Thelastyear,however,hasbeenanythingbuttypicalforthe31-year-old.

Bethany’ssonwasbornthreemonthsprematurewithunderdevelopedlungs.

Whilerecoveringfromthecomplicatedbirth,shewasdiagnosedwithabrain

tumorandunderwentasuccessful,state-of-the-art,minimallyinvasivebrain

surgerytoremoveit.

Today,bothsheandJohnarehealthyandthriving,andBethanyandMatt

couldn’tbemoregratefulforeverydaytogether.“Thiswasundoubtedlythe

mostchallengingyearofourentirelives,”Bethanyreflects.“Iwanttohelpother

peoplebysharingmystory.”

Thedayeverythingchanged

Itwasthestartofthe2018-19schoolyear,andBethany,amiddleschoolhealth

teacher,wasexcitedlypreparingtoreturntoherclassroom.Untilthen,

Toreadtherestofthestory,gotoglobe.com/brighamhealth

Bethany

Neurosurgery patient

Dr.OmarArnaout

Neurosurgeon

Bethanyenjoyedacomplication-freepregnancywithJohn,whowasduearound

Thanksgiving.

Whilegettingdressedforateachersorientationmeeting,shenoticed

severeswellinginherankles.Shewashospitalizedwithadangerousformof

preeclampsia,apregnancycomplicationcharacterizedbyhighbloodpressure.

Threedayslater,JohnwasbornbyanemergencyCesareansectionat27weeks,

weighingjust2.4lbs.

TheseverepreeclampsiadamagedBethany’sretinas,causingtemporaryvision

loss.Doctorsfearedshehadsufferedastrokeandorderedaseriesofscans.

ButthoseMRIsindicatedsomethingcompletelyunexpectedandunrelatedto

herpregnancycomplications:abrainmass.

BethanyandMattwereinshock.Theirprematuresonwasalreadyfacingan

extendedstayintheNICU.Themanyunansweredquestionsaftertheirvisit

toalocalhospitalleftthemfeelingfrightenedanddevastated.“Ourliveswere

flippedupsidedown,”Bethanysays.“Ididn’tknowifIwasgoingtomakeit.”

ThefamilyelectedtoseekasecondopinionfromtheDepartmentof

NeurosurgeryatBrighamHealthinBoston,whichhasaworld-renowned

reputationforleadershipinminimallyinvasiveneurosurgery.