The Last Few Days Before Brain Surgery: Family, Work, and Final Moments | Season 2, Episode 7

“Sometimes God gives you memories before you even know why you will need them.”

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Sometimes you do not know a moment is important until later.

You think it is just another day at work. Just another visit with family. Just another conversation. Just another hug.

But when you are only days away from brain surgery, nothing feels normal anymore.

Every goodbye feels heavier. Every laugh feels different. Every quiet moment makes you wonder if life will ever feel the same again.

In Season 2, Episode 7 of I Have A What?! Surviving a Brain Tumor, I share what the last few days before my brain surgery felt like. This episode is about the final stretch of normal life before everything changed.

It is about my last day at work.

It is about seeing family.

It is about visiting my grandparents.

And it is about one visit with my grandfather, James Smith Jr., that means more to me now than I could have ever understood back then.

The Countdown Was Almost Over

At this point in the journey, surgery was no longer something far away.

It was not months away. It was not weeks away. It was days away.

And that changes everything.

When surgery is still in the distance, you can try to push it to the back of your mind. You can stay busy. You can distract yourself. You can tell yourself you will deal with it later.

But when the countdown gets down to those final days, reality gets louder.

Life still looks normal from the outside. You still wake up. You still answer messages. You still handle responsibilities. You still try to be a husband, a father, and the person everyone knows you to be.

But inside, nothing feels normal.

Every day carries more weight. Every ordinary moment feels different because you know something life changing is right in front of you.

I was not just counting days anymore.

I was feeling them.

My Last Day at Work Before Surgery

One of the moments I talk about in this episode is my last day at work before brain surgery.

That was a strange feeling.

To everyone else, it may have looked like another normal workday. But for me, it did not feel normal at all.

I was walking into work knowing I was about to step away from the version of life I knew. I did not know what recovery would look like. I did not know when I would feel like myself again. I did not know if I would come back the same.

That is a heavy thing to carry while still trying to do your job.

I tried to stay professional. I tried to focus. I tried to keep moving like everything was normal.

But deep down, I knew it was not.

That last day felt normal to everyone else, but it did not feel normal to me.

Trying to Keep Life Normal

One of the hardest parts about preparing for brain surgery is that life does not stop.

Bills still exist. Responsibilities still exist. People still need you. Messages still come in. You still have to get up. You still have to show up.

And somehow, you still have to be you.

Part of me wanted everything to feel normal. I did not want every conversation to be about surgery. I did not want everyone looking at me differently. I did not want every moment to feel sad.

But how do you make life feel normal when brain surgery is days away?

I could be laughing with family, and then my mind would remind me what was coming. I could be in the middle of a conversation, and the thought of surgery would show up again. I could be physically present, but mentally, I kept drifting toward what was ahead.

I was trying to live in the moment, but surgery kept pulling my mind into tomorrow.

Seeing Family Before Surgery

During those last few days, I wanted to see family.

Not because I was trying to make everything dramatic. Not because I was walking around saying goodbye to everyone.

But because when something like brain surgery is coming, you start realizing how much people matter.

Family matters. Love matters. Connection matters. Presence matters.

I wanted to see my grandparents. I wanted to be around the people who reminded me that I was loved. I wanted to feel grounded before walking into something I could not control.

Those visits meant something to me then, but they mean even more to me now.

Sometimes the people you visit before the storm become part of what helps you survive it.

Seeing My Grandfather

This part of the episode hits different.

Before surgery, I went to see my grandfather, James Smith Jr.

At the time, I thought I was just visiting my grandfather.

But looking back now, I know that moment was bigger than I understood.

My grandfather means so much to this story. That is why this podcast is dedicated to him. He was connected to my strength in ways I did not fully understand when I was younger. He taught me lessons through his words, his presence, his love, and the way he showed up in my life.

At the time of that visit, I did not know everything that would happen later. I did not know that my grandfather would eventually pass away. I did not know that one day, I would be telling this story and dedicating this show to him.

But looking back, I believe God gave me that moment for a reason.

Sometimes God gives you memories before you even know why you will need them.

That visit became one of those memories for me.

Being Present While Carrying Fear

The hard part was trying to enjoy people while carrying something heavy inside.

I was grateful and anxious at the same time.

I wanted to laugh. I wanted to enjoy my family. I wanted to sit in those moments. But surgery was still there, sitting in the back of my mind.

I did not want every moment to feel like a goodbye, but some of them did.

That is the strange part about uncertainty. You can be surrounded by people you love and still be fighting a private battle inside.

You can have faith and still feel fear. You can be grateful and still feel anxious. You can be present and still feel your mind drifting toward what is coming.

That was the emotional tension of those last few days.

What I Understand Now

Looking back now, I see those days differently.

Back then, I was just trying to get through them. I was trying to make it to surgery. I was trying to keep my emotions together. I was trying to be present with my family while preparing myself for what was ahead.

But now, I see that those moments were preparing me.

They reminded me what mattered. They showed me the value of presence. They gave me memories. They helped ground me before surgery. They became part of the strength I carried into one of the hardest seasons of my life.

Those days were not just the final stretch before surgery.

They were reminders of what I was fighting to come back to.

A Message for Anyone Facing Uncertainty

If you are facing surgery, a diagnosis, grief, uncertainty, or a season where life feels heavy, do not rush past the moments that matter.

Make the call.

Take the visit.

Hug your people.

Say what needs to be said.

Let people love you.

You do not have to make every moment dramatic, but do not ignore the moments God gives you.

We often think we have more time. We assume people will always be there. We move so fast that we do not realize what God has placed right in front of us.

But you do not always know which moments will carry you later.

Be present with the people God gives you.

The Grandfather Lesson

As always, I dedicate this episode to my grandfather, James Smith Jr.

The lesson I connect to him in this episode is simple:

Be present with the people God gives you.

My grandfather taught me that some lessons do not leave you. They walk with you.

His presence, his strength, his love, and his impact continue through this story. I am grateful that I got to see him before surgery. I am grateful for that memory. I am grateful for the lessons that still walk with me today.

And this journey reminded me to stop rushing past the people who matter.

Final Thoughts

The last few days before brain surgery were heavy, emotional, and hard to explain.

But they were also sacred.

They reminded me of family. They reminded me of love. They reminded me of faith. They reminded me of the importance of presence.

Sometimes you do not know a moment is important until after life changes.

And sometimes God gives you memories before you even know why you will need them.

One love, be blessed.

☕Support The Mission Behind This Story☕

If this episode touched you or reminded you of your own strength during difficult seasons, you can help support the mission of this podcast. Your support helps me continue to share stories of faith, resilience, and real life. You can visit BuyMeACoffee.com/TeflonJohn to contribute. Every donation helps expand the message and reach more people who need encouragement. Thank you for walking with me through this journey. One love, be blessed.