Update from Beth Nielsen Chapman on Her Recent Brain Surgery

First and foremost...I want to say that I'm so beyond grateful for the outpouring of support and prayers I've received during my recent brain surgery. I'm so happy to be typing and feeling completely connected and functional with regard to my "language center" of my brain. Swelling is down...black eye is almost presentable and I'm filled with joy as I'm writing this.

All of the benign tumor was successfully removed and again, I was very lucky for the early detection thanks to an unrelated inner ear virus that came up a couple weeks ago. I'm doing really great. Fluctuating between euphoria to be on the other side of this, and the desire to clean the whole house (partly steroids I know).

I am moving about for a few minutes followed by, "I'd better sit down now" exhaustion because a couple days ago they drilled a hole in my head! But I'm feeling better every day...My brain is working in a most wonderful way. It's too early to know if it's partially an effect of the anti-seizure medication I'm on for the next several days, but I wrote half a lyric yesterday morning and I have to say it was a euphoric experience, considering my prior fear of waking up with any damage to my "poetry center" which is where all the action has been.

All I know is, for someone with a lifelong ADD challenge (which I, in the past have sometimes considered in part to be a gift when searching for the 'right word' while writing) I had a very different, comfortable, and quiet few moments of lyric writing that were downright focused and very reassuring!

I had a most profoundly talented brain surgeon at Vanderbilt Hospital, Dr. Reed Thompson, who delicately and elegantly performed the surgery. I feel certain he was held in light and surrounded by the prayers coming from so many friends and loved ones around the world. Although it turned out to be a little more involved as some tiny vessels seemed to have begun to attach the tumor to my brain, all appears to have been removed and the scans look excellent. There will be some further studies of the tumor for any indications that it could be "atypical" but even in that case the prognosis is very good though more frequent monitoring would be in order. But since it's all been removed I'm in a good place for a full recovery.

Thanks again for the love and support!!

~Beth Nielsen Chapman

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Beth Nielsen Chapman Has Brain Surgery

Here is Beth's news:

*Note she is talking about a recent tour of hers

****You'd never know from the smile on my face that I was still recovering from a rather strange inner ear virus (all gone now thank goodness) that caused me to have some very weird hearing problems and balance issues the week prior to the performance.

The lucky thing is, in the course of spending the previous week going through tests and MRI's to determine what was going on with my hearing, a small brain tumor was discovered that appears to be growing. The doctors seem to all agree that although it appears to be benign, it is a good idea to have it removed.

So I'll be going in for brain surgery on April 30th. I already know there are "Angels By My Side" since they obviously arranged for this inner ear virus to cause me to have an MRI, etc. etc....so I have every reason to feel confident that there will be a full recovery for me.

I've had to cancel a few shows but I should be up and around within a few weeks, and hopefully I'll be tap dancing again soon!

Hopefully I will come through my surgery and healing will no complications. Please keep me in your prayers. I look forward to being on the other side of this as I've got a lot of songs to finish!****

It's wonderful that she's so positive, although I suspect deep down there is more than a little worry there (I know I am worried even though I'm not the one going through this), and the album that Beth proposed for January 2010 is keeping her spirits up and the work she has yet to complete for that will inspire her to get better.

Click here for more on Beth and her life.

Cheers, Michael

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