Everything changed for me on November 17 of 2017.  I presented to the emergency room with slurred speech and an unsteady gait and after many tests I was released with instructions to return for what would become the first of three craniotomies (brain surgeries) to debulk the quickly growing tumor that had developed.  Needless to say being diagnosed with a brain tumor let alone a malignant one was not in my life plan, nor was contracting a MRSA infection in my brain that progressed to meningitis.  Chondrosarcomas that result in brain tumors are very rare and due to their location in the brain there can be cranial nerve damages causing paralysis, speech issues, swallowing difficulty or paralysis, issues with gait and balance, vertigo, vision and hearing loss.  Following my first surgery I lost hearing in my right ear, vision in my right eye and my balance. I lost my ability to swallow, speak audibly, walk without a walker and I lost movement on the right side of my face. In the process, I also lost some of my dignity and most of my pride, but it’s all been worth it.  I found that in fighting for my life, I wanted to create a life worth fighting for.  I decided one morning while at an in-patient neurorehabilitation facility, if I was going to survive I was going to go back to school to become a counselor.  I knew at the time it was going to be a long road, not just for my recovery, but also to obtain the education, undergraduate degree, Masters degree and certification to make my dream a reality.  With nothing to lose and everything to gain, I began slowly and found my voracious curiosity propelled my journey.  I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and completed my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling  with a 3.9.  I completed three semesters of practicum and internship counseling and working with Brain Injury Network members in Plano and Fort Worth.  During this time we tackled issues related to PTSD, anxiety, depression, identity, employment, relationships, adjustment, goal-setting, substance abuse, grief and divorce.