Glioblastoma multiforme
I was sitting in my OPD, wearing an apron and a stethoscope,
Suddenly, there was a series of knocks at the door,
And a patient entered then and there with syncope.
Her face was pale, eyes were upturned,
Frothing from the angle of mouth, hands forming fist and curled.
Attendants ran inside, carried the patient in a scoop,
And lay her down on the side couch,
I immediately examined the patient, with gloves on and stethoscope.
Her breathing was shallow, her pulse was feeble,
She was aspirating the stomach contents, causing lungs to choke.
Briefly explaining the poor condition, shifted her to emergency room,
And then I took the history of all the clinical events,
Finally, history and clinical findings were leading to likely brain tumor.
Attendants were shocked with the sudden disclosure, and poor prognosis,
I remained calm, and tried to counsel.
After managing her vitals and airway, CT brain was done,
A space occupying lesion was there, in her frontal lobe,
Obscuring the blood supply to that lobe, and behavioral alteration.
Then I asked about previous history of seizures and headache,
Her mother told me, that it's been almost six months.
Then I told them, the urgency of operative intervention,
Also, the possibility of loss of vision as well,
Seeing the panic, I counseled her about the only option.
Tumor doubling time is fourteen days, and median survival is fourteen months,
And in the absence of any intervention, it will reduce further.
After a few moments of panic, her mother calmed down,
Taking my advice, like a responsible guardian,
And I gave them a list of investigations, to be done.
After stabilizing the clinical condition and all the relevant investigations,
Written informed consent was taken, patient was shifted to the operation theatre.
Surgery was uneventful, and a large mass was excised,
It was sent for a histopathological examination,
The pathologist confirmed it to be Glioblastoma multiforme.
She needs radiotherapy and chemotherapy due to her grade IV disease,
Even after completion of treatment, chances of survival are low.
After seven days of admission, she finally got discharged,
With the plan of mold formation, after another seven days,
All the planning and contouring was done, as per constraints.
Residual tumor was large, chances of survival being poor,
Her parents were counseled and they were shattered.
Let's pray for her speedy recovery and a miracle,
She may go through the treatment with bravery and courage,
May God give her strength, to survive and tackle.
She is young, beautiful, though a bit weak,
But a smile always plays on her lips, that captivates others,
Her spirit to fight disease is at its peak,
She is an inspiration for others to seek.
Penmancy gets a small share of every purchase you make through these links, and every little helps us continue bringing you the reads you love!