I vaguely remember the newscasts that evening. Everything was a blur as I waited for Greg to call me back after the MRI. My mind and body went on autopilot at work. You see, what I haven’t shared up until this point is my sister Ann died of a malignant brain tumor when we were children. My first words were “Is the MRI scheduled?” and the doctor answered “Yes, I ordered one STAT.” The doctor finally saw all of the symptoms we had been describing and he told us this was either a brain tumor or gastrointestinal and we would have an answer very soon. They headed to the doctor, I was working at NBC 10 and so I was on speaker phone during the exam. He was also complaining of a headache and very dizzy. Then on the fourth day Greg called to tell me Caleb was talking, but not making sense. The next three days he was back to normal, no headaches, eating like a little pig, smiling laughing, playing baseball. They hydrated him, observed him and sent him home. Two days later we took him to the emergency room. While we awaited the test results Caleb’s episodes got worse. This is where I regret not being a pushy parent and insisting on an MRI that minute. Of course, Caleb exhibited none of the symptoms we had seen, so a battery of tests was ordered … everything except an MRI. Greg cut the trip short and returned to Chicago where the first stop was Caleb’s pediatrician. Now that initial instinct I had of a brain tumor was a full-blown concern. Yet each time he was fine for several days afterward, leaving us even more confused. The migraines, vomiting and dizziness increased in frequency. The next two weeks were a turning point for Caleb’s health. Caleb was tired and didn’t feel well for two days on that trip, but because I had been battling a cold we assumed he was, too.īy weeks' end we both seemed fine and while I flew back to Philadelphia for work they headed off for a boys' trip to fish and visit family in Florida. In mid-June Greg, Caleb and Hawley, our dog, accompanied me as I travelled for a week to finish work on my master’s degree. He never told us that, and we assumed batting was just not his strong suit. In Caleb’s case he saw two baseballs coming at him instead of one. Admittedly, most kid’s baseball skills are terrible at that age, which is why they are so darn cute to watch. It was his second year of baseball and his batting seemed off. Now she’s sharing her son’s journey of tragedy, bravery and a very big miracle. In July, she learned her 8-year-old son Caleb was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor. NBC10 First Alert Weather chief meteorologist Tammie Souza is hoping her personal story can bring awareness to an issue impacting families around the world.
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