Nancy Nakayama

Noggins for Nancy is in honor of a wife / mother who we lost on Nov.20, 2011 to a glioblastoma multuforme, a brain tumor. Brain cancer is such a devastating & earth shattering disease. My wife had no symptoms except for some uncharacteristic memory lapses. After seeing a neurologist & having an MRI, a 4 inch brain tumor was discovered. She immediately had surgery & we were told 99.9 % of the tumor was removed. The oncologist said the 0.1 % left could be treated with chemotherapy & radiation. THEN the radiologist hit us with a hammer when he told my wife, “And you know you only have 13 months left?” She endured 6 weeks of Chemo & radiation ,had MRI’s every week. All was good and we were very optimistic. We prayed that all would be wonderful again. 3 months passed and all was great, but then I noticed she was having speech problems. The brain cancer had returned but not in just one area but 5 different locations. She did an experimental treatment & more radiation. Nothing could stop the spread of the brain cancer. Her last week was spent in an assisted living under hospice care. This was frustrating for me because I could no longer care for her at our home. Our youngest daughter was a senior in high school & our oldest was overseas with her husband in the military. When my oldest daughter returned her mother, her memory was at a stage where it was difficult for to remember her. She passed away 15 days after her 55th birthday & 4 days before our 22nd anniversary. Ironically, she lived 13 month & 1 week after her surgery. With all the technology available, a cure should be found.