🎧 Episode 1 – The Symptoms That Wouldn’t Go Away
Subtitle: My Early Signs of a Brain Tumor
Published October 13 2025
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They Told Me It Was All in My Head
“They told me it was all in my head, but the truth was, it was a brain tumor.”
That sentence is where my story begins.
In the first episode of I Have a What?! Surviving a Brain Tumor, I open up about the earliest signs that something inside my body was not right. It started with headaches that refused to go away, waves of dizziness that made simple tasks feel heavy, and a fatigue that seemed impossible to shake. Every visit to the doctor ended the same way: “Everything looks fine.”
For a while, I tried to accept that answer. I convinced myself that maybe it was stress or poor sleep. But deep down, I knew something was wrong. The pain became a quiet alarm that never turned off.
Living with Uncertainty
There is a strange kind of loneliness that comes when people do not believe your pain. I went through my days smiling, working, and pretending that I was fine. On the inside, I felt trapped between faith and fear.
Every morning I told myself, “Maybe today will be better.” Every night I lay awake wondering why the headaches kept coming back. When friends asked how I felt, I would shrug and say, “Just tired.” It was easier than explaining the truth.
The hardest part was the doubt. When professionals tell you nothing is wrong, you start to question your own instincts. But the body has a way of speaking clearly, even when others do not listen.
The Turning Point
Eventually, I started keeping notes. I wrote down every headache, every dizzy spell, every new symptom. I tracked patterns, times, and triggers. Writing it down gave me a sense of control in a situation that felt out of control.
That decision to document everything turned into the first act of self-advocacy. I stopped accepting “You’re fine” as the final answer. I learned that persistence is not complaining. It is protecting your life.
Faith When Logic Fails
Faith is what kept me grounded when logic could not. I prayed for peace more than I prayed for answers. There were nights when I sat in silence and whispered, “God, help me hold on.”
Faith does not erase fear. It gives you the strength to keep walking through it. Even when the future looked uncertain, I believed that my story still had purpose. If God woke me up, it meant the mission was not finished.
The Lesson from My Grandfather
Every episode is dedicated to my grandfather, the man who taught me that real strength is consistency. He faced every challenge with calm and faith. Watching him live taught me that stillness can be more powerful than panic.
When I wanted to give up, I remembered his words: “Be steady. The storm will pass, but your faith has to stand.” Those lessons became the quiet strength I carried into every appointment and every moment of doubt.
Finding Meaning in the Pain
Looking back, I realize that this journey was never just about the tumor. It was about learning to trust my voice. It was about finding faith that does not depend on good news. It was about discovering that resilience is built in the dark.
The pain forced me to slow down and listen. It reminded me that life is fragile but also full of second chances. I Have a What?! was born from that awareness. I wanted to create something that helps others recognize their own strength, even when everything feels uncertain.
What I Hope You Take Away
Trust your instincts, even when others doubt you.
Advocate for yourself. No one else can do it the same way.
Faith and fear can coexist. The key is to keep moving forward.
Strength is not loud. It is the quiet decision to keep going.
You are not alone, even when it feels that way.
Listen to Episode 1
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